Andrew Griffiths is a recent graduate of the Jette Parker Young Artist
Programme at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. He pursues a busy
freelance career as a conductor and répétiteur for major UK opera
companies.
He began his musical training as a Quirister and Scholar at Winchester
College, and studied music as a Choral Exhibitioner at Gonville and Caius
College, Cambridge, graduating with distinction and several University
prizes. Following conducting studies with Martyn Brabbins at the Royal
Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, he trained as a répétiteur, first at
Scottish Opera, and subsequently at the National Opera Studio, supported
by the Friends of Covent Garden, Scottish Opera Endowment Trust and
Musicians Benevolent Fund. He has participated in masterclasses with
George Hurst and Ivan Fischer, and is the recipient of the Wagner
Society's 2008 Bayreuth Bursary.
Whilst at the Royal Opera House Andrew conducted showcase performances on
the main stage with the orchestras of ROH and of Opera North, and
productions of Donizetti's Rita and Pergolesi's La Serva
Padrona
in the
Linbury Studio. As an assistant conductor and répétiteur, his numerous
productions included Wagner's Ring and Birtwistle's The Minotaur,
working
under conductors including Pappano, Elder, Gardiner and Benini. He has
conducted Hansel and Gretel for Opera North, The Marriage of
Figaro for
Iford Arts, performances of Flavio and Amadigi for Early
Opera Company,
Philip Glass' 1000 Airplanes on the Roof for Paragon Ensemble
Scotland and
concerts with Southbank Sinfonia. He has worked on the music staff at
Scottish Opera, British Youth Opera, Opera Theatre Company and at the
Batignano Festival. He is also a former Principal Viola of the National
Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, and sings professionally with
Grammy-nominated early music vocal ensemble Stile Antico, and at the
church of St Bartholomew the Great, Smithfield.
Engagements in 2008-9 include The Barber of Seville for Iford Arts,
assistant conductor for L'elisir d'amore at the Royal Opera and for
Dido and Aeneas at English National Opera, répétiteur for the world
premiere of David
Sawer's Skin Deep for Opera North, and Tchaikovsky's Sixth Symphony
with
the Orpheus Sinfonia.
