Courts of Heaven

Based in London, Áine is a freelance choral singer, performing regularly with Tenebrae both in the UK and internationally. She is also a regular deputy for various other groups, such as the BBC Singers and the choir at HM Tower of London. Áine began singing with the Nidus Children's Choir, based in Cwmbran. With this group, she performed a number of times at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod, and in 2015, competed in the World Choir Games in Riga, Latvia, winning a silver medal. As a teenager, Áine held choral scholarships with the Crickhowell Choral Society and Hereford Sixth Form College.

Áine read Music at Merton College Oxford, graduating in 2021 with a first-class degree. In the summer of 2022, she completed a postgraduate MSt in Musicology with Distinction, where her research concerned musical concepts of body. Throughout her time at Oxford, Áine held a choral scholarship with Merton College Choir, participating in a busy liturgical and concert programme. She also sang with the Magdalen College Consort of Voices, and regularly performed with student-led ensembles. As a soloist, Áine had her operatic debut with New Chamber Opera as an undergraduate, singing Haydn's La Vera Costanza in New College, Oxford in 2020. Áine has performed as a soloist on several occasions with violinist Rachel Podger in the Brecon Baroque Festival. Áine takes vocal lessons with Giles Underwood, and is also grateful for the continued time and support of Jeanette Massochi, with whom she has vocal coaching when at home in Wales. For the 2022-23 academic year, Áine is an Associate Artist with Tenebrae, directed by Nigel Short, and is a recipient of the Genesis Sixteen scheme. Áine is excited to return to the Festival as a soloist, and is deeply appreciative of the generosity and enthusiasm of Stephen Marshall and the Crickhowell Choral Society in their support of her singing.

Maisie Rae O'Shea is a soprano from the Brecon Beacons, currently studying for her final year at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, generously supported by the Olwyn Phillips Memorial Scholarship.

Maisie's opera experience began in Mid Wales Opera's production of Noye's Fludde where she played Mrs Ham. Since then, Maisie has played Solange in Offenbach's Not in Front of the Waiter, one of the Little Cupid in Blow's Venus and Adonis and Josephine in HMS Pinafore. Most recently Maisie has covered the role of Mother in Hansel and Gretel and is currently rehearsing the Chorus for the Dialogue of the Carmélites.

Maisie enjoys singing as a soloist in recital and oratorio, and has most recently performed as the soprano soloist in Bach's B Minor Mass, Handel's Messiah and Vivaldi's Gloria. In 2021, Maisie represented RWCMD in the Forgotten Voices Festival in conjunction with SWAP'ra, showcasing and recording two works of underrepresented composer, Elaine Hugh Jones. Maisie was delighted to be asked to record the soprano solo for another work by lesser known female composer, Johanna Müller Herman, with the BBC National Chorus of Wales, with whom she is a scholar. Alongside singing in the chorus, Maisie is very grateful to have been given the opportunity to record as a soloist on Paul Mealor's Wonders of the Celtic Deep, and to sing in the semi chorus of Vaughan Williams' A Sea Symphony at the 2022 BBC Proms.

Maisie is currently preparing for a performance of Brahms' Neue Liebeslieder with the Solstice Octet, of which she is cofounder, and will soon begin preparing her role in a new opera written by composer Tomos Owen Jones, for the 2023 Atmospheres Festival.

Simon Harper (music director) is a freelance singer and conductor. He received his early musical education in Southampton, as a chorister in the church choir of St. Michael and All Angels, Bassett, and a violinist in the Southampton Youth Orchestra. Simon read Music at the

University of York, graduating in 2013 with First Class Honours.

Whilst in York, Simon sang with the Choir of York Minster, Yorkshire Bach Choir, and the University Chamber Choir, with which he often performed as a soloist, notably in Monteverdi's 1610 Vespers and as the Evangelist in the Schütz St. John Passion. As a member of York vocal ensemble The 24, Simon toured China and Serbia. He also took lead roles in York opera productions, including Mozart's The Magic Flute and Weber's Der Freischütz. Simon founded and directed the chamber choir Incantiamo, conducted the University Concert Orchestra, and was musical director of the University Opera Society.

As a Tenor Lay Clerk in Hereford Cathedral Choir, Simon has sung in live broadcasts on the BBC, and participated in tours of the USA, performed in the Sistine Chapel, and at international events in Normandy to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

Simon has studied choral conducting with Paul Spicer, and as a member of the prestigious Genesis Sixteen scheme, worked with The Sixteen and directors Harry Christophers and Eamonn Dougan. Simon also sings with Echo, a professional London-based vocal ensemble. He has been music director of Hereford Chamber Choir since 2014, and in 2019 was appointed music director of the Cotswolds-based Cantores Chamber Choir and Ledbury Choral Society. Simon also gives vocal and instrumental tuition privately and in schools across Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

Stephen was born in Lancashire long before any of the rest of OMA were even thought of.

After gaining his music degree in Cardiff, Stephen joined Llandaff Cathedral Choir while pursuing his musical career in concerts up and down the country, including a masterclass with Sir Geraint Evans.

Stephen thought his career was going well, singing with the BBC Singers and Welsh National Opera, then a friend invited him to join a small male voice choir which didn't perform very often, but there was something different about the sound and the camaraderie. There must have been something very special as he still sings Bass in OMA 11 years later.