Baritone Derek Welton
is a graduate of the University of Melbourne, Australia, holding a Bachelor of Arts degree
majoring in German and Linguistics, and a graduate of
the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, holding Master of Music (Vocal Studies) and Master of Music Performance (Opera Studies) degrees with Distinction. He begins his second year in September 2008 as the Walther Gruner Scholar on the school's prestigious Opera Course under the tutelage of Janice Chapman.Operatic roles Derek has performed include Silvano in Cavalli La Calisto (Early Opera Company, July 2007), Vertigo in Gluck La rencontre imprévue (Guildhall School, November 2008), Figaro (Opera East Productions, May 2008) and Count Almaviva (In Good Company, March 2004) in Mozart Le Nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni (Goodenough College, October 2008) and Masetto (Melbourne Opera Company, July 2005) in Mozart Don Giovanni, Guglielmo in Mozart Così fan tutte (Melbourne Opera Company, September 2004), Papageno (Melbourne Opera Company, November 2003) and Speaker/Priest (Guildhall School, November 2007) in Mozart Die Zauberflöte, Mill in Rossini La cambiale di matrimonio (Guildhall School, June 2009), the title role in Salieri Falstaff (Opera Otago, New Zealand, March 2006) and the Prince/King in Sallinen The King goes forth to France (Guildhall School, March 2009). Forthcoming roles include Nick Shadow in Stravinsky The Rake’s Progress (British Youth Opera, September 2009).
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. He was a finalist in the 2008 and 2009 Kathleen Ferrier Awards and the 2008 Richard Tauber Prize.
Derek’s wide concert experience comprises performances in the Royal Albert Hall, the Barbican Hall, the Wigmore Hall, Hamer Hall (Melbourne) and Verbrugghen Hall (Sydney) and many others in performances as soloist in diverse repertoire ranging from Charpentier to Tavener, including Bach Magnificat, St Matthew Passion and St John Passion, Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem, Handel Messiah, 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 Schwanengesang and Vaughan Williams Five Mystical Songs, Songs of Travel and The House of Life. Forthcoming engagements include Handel Messiah with the Hallé Orchestra and Beethoven Mass in C major with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Derek is the holder of a Wingate Scholarship, the Sir Robert Askin Travelling Scholarship and the Sheila White Scholarship and is supported also by The Honourable Society of Knights of the Round Table, The Stanley Picker Trust and the Worshipful Company of Salters. He gratefully acknowledges the support of all of these funds.
Critical acclaim of Derek Welton’s performances includes the following:
‘It also showcased a number of fine performances, none finer than … the baritone Derek Welton’s virile-voiced, authoritative King.’ - The King goes forth to France (Opera, May 2009)
‘It portrays the transformation of the King (grippingly depicted by the fine Australian bass-baritone Derek Welton) from foppish idealist to boozed-up totalitarian monster.’ - The King goes forth to France (The Times, 6 March 2009)
‘Derek Welton’s King sings with immense authority while morphing from infantile monarch to loud-mouthed sadist..’ - The King goes forth to France (Financial Times, 6 March 2009)
‘In my review of the Bach Choir’s Messiah earlier this year I singled out the baritone Derek Welton for particular praise. At last Saturday’s concert Welton was again the star … Welton’s wonderfully controlled and expressive singing, clear enunciation and confident stage presence confirmed that he is a young artist with a great future … Welton’s voice seemed made for this music.’ (Oxford Times, 10 December 2008)
‘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)
‘Rising Australian baritone Derek Welton is majestic in the title role. It's difficult to imagine a voice better suited to the part: opulent, authoritative tone, liquid legato, impressive agility and near-flawless English diction combining to create a memorable performance … Welton indulges all the same in some brilliant buffoonery, his mellifluous yet subtly gravelly vocalism a perfect match for his shabbily lascivious Falstaff. It's hard to believe (though not surprising given the rarity of the opera) that this production marks his début in the rôle, or that Welton is just twenty-three years old. He’s a natural stage animal in remarkable command of his material who deserves a shining future’ - Salieri Falstaff (Prima la musica, poi le parole, 27 March 2006)
‘A voice as rich and dark as the finest chocolate’ - Herald Sun Aria (Herald Sun, 24 October 2005)
‘A star in the making’ - Così fan tutte (The Age, 28 September 2004)
‘It portrays the transformation of the King (grippingly depicted by the fine Australian bass-baritone Derek Welton) from foppish idealist to boozed-up totalitarian monster.’ - The King goes forth to France (The Times, 6 March 2009)
‘Derek Welton’s King sings with immense authority while morphing from infantile monarch to loud-mouthed sadist..’ - The King goes forth to France (Financial Times, 6 March 2009)
‘In my review of the Bach Choir’s Messiah earlier this year I singled out the baritone Derek Welton for particular praise. At last Saturday’s concert Welton was again the star … Welton’s wonderfully controlled and expressive singing, clear enunciation and confident stage presence confirmed that he is a young artist with a great future … Welton’s voice seemed made for this music.’ (Oxford Times, 10 December 2008)
‘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)
‘Rising Australian baritone Derek Welton is majestic in the title role. It's difficult to imagine a voice better suited to the part: opulent, authoritative tone, liquid legato, impressive agility and near-flawless English diction combining to create a memorable performance … Welton indulges all the same in some brilliant buffoonery, his mellifluous yet subtly gravelly vocalism a perfect match for his shabbily lascivious Falstaff. It's hard to believe (though not surprising given the rarity of the opera) that this production marks his début in the rôle, or that Welton is just twenty-three years old. He’s a natural stage animal in remarkable command of his material who deserves a shining future’ - Salieri Falstaff (Prima la musica, poi le parole, 27 March 2006)
‘A voice as rich and dark as the finest chocolate’ - Herald Sun Aria (Herald Sun, 24 October 2005)
‘A star in the making’ - Così fan tutte (The Age, 28 September 2004)
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