Individual biographies
Matthew Venner (counter tenor)
 I have been involved with choirs, and singing in general, since the age of six when I sang in my father’s parish church choir. From there, I went on to become a chorister at Westminster Abbey, held a music scholarship at Bedford School and was awarded a choral scholarship at New College, Oxford. Somewhere along the line I was encouraged not only to play the viola but to become a countertenor too. This, combined with being an Essex boy (by birth only, I hasten to add – no Ford Escort as yet), meant that I have often been the butt of many a joke!
Still, I came out of university with a degree, a job lined up at St Paul’s Cathedral and the slightly scary prospect of singing for a living ahead of me. I now combine singing at St Paul’s with various pieces of consort and solo work. I sing for Ex Cathedra and Polyphony as well as The Sixteen when needed, and have various solo concerts under my belt. I also really enjoy singing teaching at Dulwich College and at Jesus College, Oxford. I owe where I am today to my singing teachers over the years and hope to give some of that back to my pupils.
I first heard about the Orlando Consort back in January 2007 and, two long and scary auditions later, here I am. You’ll be pleased to know that I haven’t touched my viola in three years, have moved out of Essex and have heard all the jokes before!
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