Allan Clayton

tenor BBT Fellowship Winner 2008

Allan Clayton was a choral scholar at St John's College, Cambridge, before postgraduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music, where he was awarded an inaugural Sir Elton John Scholarship and a John Lewis Award. He was also awarded a Maidment Scholarship, administered by the MBF, a Star Award from the Countess of Munster Musical Trust, and The Queen's Commendation for Excellence 2007. Allan is currently a member of the BBC New Generation Artists scheme and was awarded a 2008 Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship and the John Christie Award following his highly successful debut in the title role Albert Herring at the 2008 Glyndebourne Festival. He was nominated for the 2009 South Bank Show Breakthrough Award. On stage, Allan's roles have included Lampwick in Jonathan Dove's Pinocchio for Opera North; the title role Peter Grimes; Tamino (The Magic Flute); Prologue/Quint (Turn of the Screw); Belfiore (La finta giardiniera); the title role in Rameau's Dardanus. This season he makes his debut at the Opèra de Comique, Paris as Albert Herring, sings his first Belmonte (Die Entführung aus dem Serail) and Ferrando (Così fan tutte) both for Opera North, whilst later next year he will record Cassio (Otello) with the LSO under Sir Colin Davis. Recent concert engagements have included appearances with many of the UK's leading orchestras in venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, Sydney Opera House, and the Royal Festival Hall whilst Allan has also performed at the BBC Proms, Cheltenham Music Festival (with pianist Paul Lewis) and regularly in recital at the Wigmore Hall.

Photograph taken by Jack Liebeck

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Thomas Hull at Ingpen & Williams
telephone: +44 20 8874 3222
th@ingpen.co.uk | www.ingpen.co.uk

I first heard of the BBT Trust a couple of years ago through its support of such fine singers as Andrew Kennedy and Ronan Collett. When the Trust very kindly awarded me a fellowship though, I was soon made aware of the incredible support on offer to me. Having left the Royal Academy of Music four months earlier I was in that scary place known to all recent post graduates as "the real world" - a mysterious place where no schedule exists and the onous really is on the individual to work and to excel. The BBT award has made this world easier and taken away so many of the extraneous stresses and strains which all young musicians must endure. Being given the chance to organise singing lessons and coachings in preparation for my Glyndebourne debut last year, without worrying about how I was going to afford it, was simply invaluable. The space and time I have also been afforded by the BBT's support has meant that I have always been able to focus on doing the job once I am on stage. 1 year later the real world is a little less scary and I feel I have managed to get a sound footing thanks to the backing, practically and otherwise, of the BBT. With their continued support I am looking forward to seeing where on earth I will end up.

Allan Clayton