Christopher Allan is well known as a conductor of choirs, and as baritone soloist with many choral institutions such as Sydney Philharmonia Choir, Newcastle University Choir, Willoughby Choir and Coro Innominata. Christopher appeared as guest artist with The Song Company for many years in concert and radio broadcasts and appeared with Opera Australia as understudy and chorus member. He also toured extensively for Musica Viva with the Song Company and the early music ensemble Sounds Baroque. Christopher enjoys presenting programs of art song and lied and has presented concerts of English Art Song and Schumann’s Dichterliebe together with pianists Peter Guy and Erin Sweetman.

Christopher was senior lecturer in Voice at the University of Newcastle, NSW, and held the post of Artistic and Musical Director of the Newcastle University Choir from 1999-2004 and was reappointed to the position of Musical Director from 2011. With the University Choir he directed performances of major works of the choral literature including the JS Bach Magnificat, John Rutter’s Magnificat, Vittoria’s Requiem, Haydn’s Mass in Time of War and Mozart’s Requiem. In late 2013 the Choir’s first commercial CD (Encore) was released. In 2016 the Choir, under Christopher’s direction, performed Bach’s St Matthew Passion to an enthusiastic audience.

In 2011 Christopher successfully completed his doctoral thesis looking at the use of modal voice as a catalyst in encouraging a classical vocal sound in developing singers. He has presented papers on aspects of vocal technique and singing teaching at international and local conferences and enjoys facilitating workshop sessions with choral groups focusing on all aspects of performance. He has presented workshops for Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, Hastings Choristers, Newcastle University Choir, Pleasant Company (Forster) and the Seaside Singers at Corlette.

AT THE FESTIVAL