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About Heather

I’ve been a professional singer for over twenty five years now and have been fortunate enough to work with some of the great musicians of our time across many different genres, performing concerts everywhere from La Scala, Milan to Carnegie Hall.

I trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London’s Barbican Centre (studying with Laura Sarti) and went straight into Opera. Two years later I joined the a cappella group The Swingle Singers and toured the world with them for ten years. I did a lot of very detailed recording during my time with the group and sang in many different styles, which was a great training for my current session work.

On leaving the Swingle Singers, I started to specialise in contemporary music on microphone, working with composers like Steve Reich and Luciano Berio and singing with Synergy Vocals as soloists for orchestras across the globe.

Alongside this, I have a busy career as a session singer for TV and film soundtracks and backing singing for Audio CDs.

I also love to sing Jazz and premiered a Jazz Song Cycle Portrait of a Woman at the Arundel Festival. This was written for me by David Newton who has been voted “Best Jazz Piano” sixteen times at the British Jazz awards .

You can watch videos of this concert HERE

Dave and I have continued to enjoy working together and recorded a CD called At Last which has received  some great reviews. All the songs were recorded in one take.

In the last few years I have been lucky enough to rekindle my love of Baroque music and am a regular member of the Monteverdi Choir with Sir John Eliot Gardiner conducting. Stepping out from the choir, I have sung the Alto Solos in both Handel’s Israel in Egypt, Bach’s B Minor Mass and his Advent Cantatas, and appeared on the Grammy winning recording of Bach Motets, amongst others.

Why not take a look at my News Page to read about life on the road and in the studio or my Concert Diary to see where I’m singing next.

About - Heather Cairncross UK Jazz Singer