Jamie W Hall, bass baritone

Who or what inspired you to take up singing, and pursue a career in music?

I was something of a surprise to a thoroughly non-musical family so my first singing heroes came from the world of TV and musical theatre; Michael Crawford, Michael Ball and particularly Harry Secombe. It wasn’t until I found myself at university – a second-rate pianist being nudged towards the vocal department – that I began to take my own voice seriously. I was taken in hand by an excellent teacher and found inspiration from the absolutely wonderful recordings of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau.

Who or what have been the most important influences on your musical life and career?

The biggest influence across all the branches of my career is my membership of the BBC Singers. I’ve been a part of the ensemble for 8 years and I most certainly would not be the musician I am today without that experience. When I joined the group I was in no way prepared for what would be expected of me day in day out. The great beauty of the group though, is that it is the vessel in which is contained a near-century of experience and expertise and I found myself surrounded by older colleagues who have taught me by their own example just about everything I know today. As a singer, as a conductor and as a composer I have been shaped by the BBC Singers.

What have been the greatest challenges of your career so far?

As a non-singer turned cutting-edge contemporary choral musician I suppose getting over the horror of sight-singing was a big hurdle. These days I think I’m probably as able a sight-singer as most.

Which performance/recordings are you most proud of?

I’m someone who finds it very difficult to feel satisfied with a performance or recording. I tend to find all sorts of faults that I wish weren’t there. That said, there is a recording of Vaughan Williams’ ‘Love Bade Me Welcome’ that I think shows the best qualities of my voice.

Which particular works do you think you play best?

It’s not hugely fashionable to specialise in English repertoire but it’s where my heart is and I think that might well be the most important thing in the end. I’ve never been drawn to opera and although I love lieder it doesn’t hold my attention like, say, the songs of Vaughan Williams, Finzi, Ernest Farrar, William Denis Browne et al. I have a stack of songs by composers who perished in the Great War that I really must get onto disc.

Of course my first love has always been choral music. I’m very lucky to be a member of the BBC Singers, a group with the most astonishingly broad repertoire.

How do you make your repertoire choices from season to season?

Most of my repertoire is chosen by other people, which is great – often I’ve found myself faced with an unknown piece that I’ve come to love.

Do you have a favourite concert venue to perform in and why?

There are two buildings that never lose their wow factor: The Royal Albert Hall, and the Chapel of King’s College, Cambridge. There’s magic in both those spaces that always inspires. 

I’m also very fond of Romsey Abbey in Hampshire. It’s the most beautiful Norman mini-cathedral with wonderful acoustics.

What do you do offstage that provides inspiration on stage?

I think the most inspiring part of my off-stage life is teaching. Whether I’m dealing with amateur choral groups or giving one-to-one lessons, I find the process hugely valuable to my own music making. So many things have fallen into place for me as a result of exploration with a student or choir. I honestly think I learn at least as much as I offer. 

Favourite pieces to perform? Listen to?

To sing or to conduct? Doesn’t matter actually, the answer is the Mass in B minor by Bach. It’s also my go-to disc if I’m in the mood for music at home. There is no greater music!

Who are your favourite musicians?

Sir Richard Rodney Bennett is a composer that I hugely admire. He was a formidably talented musician and it was he who first inspired me to put pen to paper. I remember singing his setting of The Holly and The Ivy and being amazed that his version kicked the old familiar melody right out of my head – Even now I’ll sing you his version if asked. That night I went home and composed my Op. 1: a setting of Silent Night. I tend to gravitate towards composers who are able – within or around the framework of tonality – to say something new and surprising – Notably James Macmillan, John McCabe, Judith Weir and Cecilia McDowall. I’m not hugely interested in the avant garde or the aleatoric.

What is your most memorable concert experience?

It was probably the occasion when my three worlds collided. I was able to bring my amateur choir to work with the BBC Singers singing, amongst other things, a piece that I had written: a movement of what would later become my choral song cycle ‘To Every Thing’ which the BBC Singers premiered. Two very memorable concerts then.

What do you consider to be the most important ideas and concepts to impart to aspiring musicians?

This is probably an observation that aspiring musicians don’t want to hear but the moment you cross the line between amateur musician and professional there are a huge number of obstacles that can dull your enjoyment. There’s nothing like being paid for something to suck the life out of it and you have to be a very determined sort not to lose the passion that you started out with. If you do find yourself pulled into the professional world, make it your business to make contact with amateur music makers once in a while. I find it hugely therapeutic to work with people who are there for no other reason than because they absolutely love it and they couldn’t imagine not being there!

What’s the one thing in the classical music industry we’re not talking about that you think we should be?

I think we need constantly to be asking ourselves what audiences actually want. A life of work and study has brought us to our favourite works, or our latest obsession pieces, and I think we’re all guilty of assuming that audiences can engage with those from a cold start. 

The reality is that, for the vast majority of people, going to a performance is a fleeting engagement with music, and that effort needs to be rewarded. As much as we want to introduce an audience to great repertoire, to new composers, or even to extra-musical themes; if they leave feeling baffled, browbeaten, or worse, absolutely nothing, then the experience won’t be a positive one. Programming is a hugely underrated skill – one that all musicians should be developing. 

As a musician, how do you define success?

Success isn’t a destination, more a series of landmarks along the way when hard work has paid off. The hardest part is coping with just how quickly the high of success fades, and it’s such an important part of any musician’s toolkit to learn how to cope with the peaks and troughs of a musical career. Ultimately if your last gig went well, and you have something fulfilling on the horizon, that seems a strong marker for success. 

jamiewhall.co.uk