Simon Wallfisch

'Poignant, a somewhat poetic quality'
Evening Standard

'Excellent! A natural stage presence'
Musical Opinion

'Simon Wallfisch's performance was extrovert and charismatic, always slightly on the edge'
Beethoven Society Journal

Born in London and currently based in Germany, Simon began his musical training as a cellist aged 5. He studied Jazz Piano at the Guildhall for two years before he was awarded a Foundation Scholarship to study Cello and voice at the Royal College of Music where he graduated with First Class honours. The Countess of Munster Trust, English Speaking Union, George Solti foundation and Philip Carne have been generous supporters. As a cellist, Simon performed as a soloist and chamber musician in London's Purcell Room, St John's Smith Square, St George's Branden Hill Bristol, and various music festivals in the UK and around Europe, especially in France and Spain. Simon also played with Bolivar Soloists, a group specializing in Latin American Music, recently recording their second CD and broadcasting on National Radio in Germany.

Aged 20, Simon began playing regularly with the English Chamber Orchestra, often on the front desk in concerts across the globe and various recording projects. Since he has been singing professionally he has had several opportunities to sing with the ECO as soloist.

Simon gained his Post-Graduate Diploma in voice from the Royal College of Music where he studied with Russell Smythe. Aged 23, he was the winner of the Royal Overseas League Audrey Strage Memorial Prize for Young Singer of Promise and a finalist in the Emmy Destinn Foundation Competition held in Prague. Last year, he was awarded a Prize from the Solti Foundation enabling him to study for a month in Italy with Mirella Freni. In the same year, Simon travelled to Moscow, giving a song recital in the British Embassy, and as a DAAD scholar, he continued his vocal studies as a tenor at the Hanns Eisler Hochschule für Musik in Berlin with Scot Wier and subsequently with Jeanette Favaro-Reuter in the Mendelssohn Bartholdy Hochschule für Musik in Leipzig. Part of his opera training includes work in the Berlin Staatsoper and Komische Oper. He has also had classes with Thomas Quasthoff, Julia Varady, Heather Harper, Donald MacIntire, Sarah Walker, Roger Vignoles and Wolfram Rieger.

As a baritone, Simon has performed roles both staged and semi-staged, that include Don Giovanni, Salieri, Kaiser of Atlantis, Figaro (Barber of Seville), Don Alfonso, and his favourite role: Pélleas. Recently rising from baritone to tenor, Simon is already a consumate Lieder singer, last year singing to great acclaim Schubert's Winterreise in both Berlin and Munich. Future engagements include a recording of Die Schöne Mullerin. Simon also enjoys singing lighter repertoire; he recently sang a programme of Cole Porter and Noel Coward songs at the Ivy Restaurant on the occasion of Murray Perahia's 60th birthday.