Kimberley is a Soprano from East Yorkshire and attended the Royal Northern College of Music. She graduated with a First Class BMus Honours degree in Performance, followed by a Master’s degree in Performance and then a Postgraduate Diploma in Musical Performance receiving a distinction in both.
Notable solo opportunities include, performing in the Leeds International Concert Season in partnership with Leeds Lieder, singing at the New Music North West festival and at the prestigious Wigmore Hall. Kimberley also sang the role of the ‘Witch’ in Humperdinck’s opera Hansel and Gretel for a concert performance with the Covent Garden Chamber Orchestra.Notable competitions include:- a finalist in both the prestigious Frederic Cox Award and receiving an exceptional additional prize in ‘The Joyce and Michael Kennedy Award for the Singing of Strauss’. Kimberley was also a finalist in the RNCM’S Gold Medal Competition and a semi-finalist in the major vocal competition ‘By Voice Alone’ and‘The Elizabeth Connell Prize for Dramatic Sopranos’singing competition.
Solo oratorio work includes:- the soprano solo in Beethoven’s Mass in C Major, Gounod’s St Cecilia Mass, Rossini’s ‘Petite Mess Solennelle’, Elgar’s The Spirit of England and Haydn’s Mass in Time of War.
Kimberley’s RNCM roles include: Anna Maurrant in ‘Street Scene’, Sarah in ‘Company’,The Witch in ‘Hansel and Gretel’ and ‘Lucy’ in the world premiere of ‘The Bar’ by Lente Verelst for Hull Urban Opera Company.
Kimberley actually began her journey with YYM back when she was 16 years old, as a first study singer and is thrilled to be back at YYM now as a teacher. She hopes to use all the skills and experience she has gained as a performer and impart that knowledge to help nurture and grow the next generation of aspiring musicians.
Originally from Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, Sam has been living in the Northwest for six years. During this time, he has achieved a first-class degree in Vocal Studies from the Royal Northern College of Music, and a Master of Music in Performance & Vocal Pedagogy from the same institution. He works as a regular singing teacher around the area and has a passion for providing high levels of training to people of all ages. Alongside his teaching, Sam also has a career as a professional opera singer. He has worked regularly with Opera companies in the UK, and in Bergen, Norway. Some highlights include time spent with The Grange Festival including productions of Puccini’s Manon Lescaut, Verdi’s Macbeth, Gilbert and Sullivan’s Yeoman of the Guard and Lerner and Loewe’s My Fair Lady. With Bergen National Opera & The Edward Grieg Kor, Britten’s Peter Grimes, Berlioz Requiem and upcoming performances of Delius’ Mass of Life & Mozart’s Magic Flute. During his training at RNCM, Sam performed many roles in the operas, most notably Mr Rushworth in Dove’s Mansfield Park, Mr Pasek & Rooster in Janacek’s Cunning Little Vixen, and a variety of other roles during his time there. Prior to his study as an Opera Singer, Sam trained as a choral scholar at Norwich Cathedral for two years, and prior to that at his home cathedral of St Edmundsbury, where he grew up as a chorister. Sam is delighted to be part of the team at Yorkshire Young Musicians and is looking forward to help grow the next generation of classical musicians.
Scottish soprano Juliet Montgomery graduated with a BMus(hons), PGDip and MMus from the Royal Northern College of Music.
Since graduating, Juliet has performed with Scottish Opera, Opera North and Opera Holland Park and she was a member of the National Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company for six seasons. Juliet was a Young Artist in Buxton Opera’s MacBeth and she joined Glyndebourne for their 2022 autumn/winter tour where she performed in La Boheme and Mozart’s Requiem. Most recently Juliet performed in Stravinsky’s Les Noces with English National Ballet at Sadler’s Wells in collaboration with Opera Holland Park.
A keen recitalist, Juliet regularly performs with baritone Aidan Edwards. Their concert An Evening of Song enjoys annual showcases at the Edinburgh Festival as well as at several venues throughout Scotland and the north of England. Other concert highlights include being guest soloist with the Bulava chorus at the Notre Dame in Paris and the Cathedral of the Resurrection in Kiev and singing Mahler’s Rückert Lieder with orchestra at the Howard Assembly Rooms in Leeds.
Alongside her singing work, Juliet enjoys teaching for Yorkshire Young Musicians, Manchester High School for Girls, The Singing Practice, Holmes Chapel Comprehensive School and privately.
