Derek Welton

Baritone Derek Welton is 26 years old and is a graduate of the University of Melbourne, Australia, holding a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in German and Linguistics, and a graduate with distinction of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, holding a Master of Music (Vocal Studies) degree. He is currently studing on the Guildhall School's prestigious Opera Course as holder of the Walther Gruner Scholarship.

Operatic roles Derek has performed include Silvano in Cavalli La Calisto (Erarly Opera Company, July 2007), Count Almaviva in Mozart Le Nozze di Figaro (In Good Company, March 2004), Masetto in Mozart Don Giovanni (Melbourne Opera Company, July 2005), Guglielmo in Mozart Così fan tutte (Melbourne Orpera Company, September 2004), Papageno (Melbourne Opera Company, November 2003) and Speaker/Priest (Guildhall School, November 2007) in Mozart Die Zauberflöte and the title role in Salieri Falstaff (Opera Otago, New Zealand, March 2006). He will perform the title role of Le Nozze di Figaro for Opera East Productions beginning in May 2008.

Having won in April 2007 the prestigious Handel Singing Competition (UK), Derek’s numerous other competition successes include winning the Runner-up Award (2005) and the Encouragement Award (2004) of the Herald Sun Aria (Melbourne) and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama scholarship in the final of the 2005 Australian Singing Competition (Sydney). Derek was also winner of the 2004 Australian Youth Aria (Melbourne), the 2005 Boroondara Eisteddfod Vocal Championship (Melbourne) and the 2005 Geelong Aria.

Derek’s concert repertoire includes performances as soloist in diverse repertoire ranging from Charpentier to Tavener and including Bach Magnificat, St Matthew Passion and St John Passion, Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem, Handel Messiah (singing which he recently made his début at the Royal Albert Hall), Haydn Creation and the title role of Mendelssohn Elijah. He is also an experienced song recitalist, having performed works including Butterworth Six Songs from ‘A Shropshire Lad’, Schubert Die Winterreise and Vaughan Williams Songs of Travel.

Derek is the holder of a Wingate Scholarship, a Marten Bequest Travelling Scholarship, the Sir Robert Askin Travelling Scholarship, the Eva Williams Scholarship and the Sheila White Scholarship and is supported also by the Worshipful Company of Plaisterers, the Worshipful Company of Salters, the John Lyon's Charity, the Music Students Hostel Trust, the Australian Music Foundation, the Tait Memorial Trust, the Colin Keer Trust and the Tillett Trust. He gratefully acknowledges the support of all of these funds.

Critical acclaim for Derek Welton:

‘The star of the four [soloists] though was the bass, Derek Welton. His expressive singing seemed effortless; the extraordinary voice perfectly controlled, and the effects dramatic. The final air, The Trumpet Shall Sound, was particularly splendid … a wonderfully uplifting expression of hope’ - Messiah (Oxford Times, 13 March 2008)

‘Last night overall victory went to … Derek Welton, the possessor of a fine, robust instrument … His singing was focused and exact and technically very secure, his wider experience showing’ - Handel Singing Competition (Opera Today, 25 April 2007)

‘A voice as rich and dark as the finest chocolate’ - Herald Sun Aria (Herald Sun, 24 October 2005)