Daniel Knight

VOICE / MUSIC TEACHER

BRITISH & CANADIAN CITIZEN (EC NATIONAL)

BRITISH ACTORS EQUITY

ISM FULL MEMBER

ASSOCIATION OF TEACHERS OF SINGING

BRITISH VOICE ASSOCIATION

 

Mobile: 778-839-6802

E-Mail:  daniel.knightrider@googlemail.com

 

VOCAL RANGE : F 1- a1 (3 1/2 octaves)

LANGUAGES SUNG: English, German, French, Italian

LANGUAGES SPOKEN: English, French, German

 

 

AGENTS: J. Audrey Ellison International Artists’ Management, 135 Stevenage Road, Fulham, London, England, SW6 6PB.

Tel 020 7381-9751/    Fax 2406.    Email: Audrey@Ellison-Intl.freeserve.co.uk

 

VOICE TEACHER:   Hounslow Adult Music Education Centre, United Kingdom 2002 - 2003

                Urdang Academy, London, United Kingdom, Fall 2002 only

                Hounslow Adult Music Education Centre, London, United Kingdom 1996 - 1998

                                Stage One Dance Production Company, Loughton, United Kingdom 1995

                                Birmingham School of Speech and Drama, United Kingdom 1993 – 1996, Head of Singing and Music

                                Enfield Arts Support Service, London, United Kingdom 1995 - Present

                                University of Wales, College of Cardiff, Wales 1991

                                Queen's University, Kingston, Canada 1989 - 1991

                                Steiner Music Studio, Belleville, Canada 1988 - 1991

                                Beach Arts Centre, Toronto, Canada 1986 - 1988

                                Studio Macbeth, Westmount, Canada 1980 - 1983

                                Ferver Studio of Music 1979 - 1981

 

PRIVATE TEACHING:  Instructor 1975 - Present

 

MASTERCLASSES The Irish Institute of Performing Arts, Masterclass, Cork, Ireland.

GIVEN TO :             Leicester College of Performing Arts, United Kingdom

                Houston Tuesday Musical Club, Masterclass, Houston, Texas, USA.

                                Stephen Sondheim Society, University of Westminster, London.  Vocal workshop

                                Hounslow Adult Education Music Centre, Isleworth, London. " Dido from scratch."

                                Glenstal Abbey, County Limerick, Ireland

                                The Birmingham School of Speech and Drama, United Kingdom

                                Villiers School, Limerick, Ireland

                                Castle Matrix, Irish International Arts Centre, County Limerick, Ireland

                                Queen's University, Kingston, Canada

                                First Act Theatre, Montreal

                                Sur le Vif, Montreal

                                Bridge Street Church, Belleville, Canada

 

MEMBERSHIPS :    Association of Teachers of Singing, Britain;  Quebec Music Teachers Association, Canada;  British Actors Equity; Canadian Actors Equity;  ACTRA.

 

CONDUCTING :       Director / Founder: The Handel Opera Company, London

                                Director / Founder:  Belleville Bach Choir, and Belleville Baroque Ensemble, Ontario, Canada

                                Director / Founder:  Concentus Vocalis Antiquus, Montreal

                                Directed Marianopolis College Choir, Montreal

 

CRITIQUES :           " Mr. Knight's contribution to the Society's annual study day was greatly appreciated by everyone who attended, whether as singer participants or audience. He is a brilliant and persuasive teacher who combines professional exactness with a charismatic personality. The result is a profound learning experience, and within a limited time scale is able to extract a number of crucial  lessons for anyone who wants to improve their singing."

Keith Taylor, Stephen Sondheim Society, Westminster University, London.

 

“After watching you work with many voice students in the Voice Class I consider you to be among the most "gifted" of teachers in my experience. I saw you approach each student in an entirely different way, determined by their personality, their confidence (or lack of it), the music they had chosen to sing for you and their degree of musical and vocal accomplishment. I was impressed with how you were careful not to threaten the student in any way, but to establish the atmosphere of one who respected what they were trying to do and could help them do it better. Your knowledge of the variety of the music you were presented to work with in their selections was impressive. However, the most amazing part of the day was when you worked with the bass-baritone. I had heard him sing on several occasions and knew that he always sounded as if he were singing " I Got Plenty of Nothin'" when he was actually singing Handel or possibly Mozart, etc. He might sing it note-perfect but the voice quality was completely inappropriate. However, you may know that an honest critique given to a person of talent and some degree of accomplishment is sometimes ignored. You established your identity with him as a male human being, laughing at yourself (and disarming him from being an outsider), firmly established yourself as on his side and got him to give up on that sound.

 

Daniel Knight

Voice / Music Teacher

 

 

Then, as a fine teacher of vocal technique, you proceeded to instruct him where to go from there. He was talented and quick and he followed you right into the correction of the problem. I've never heard him sound like that and would never have believed that anyone could talk him out of that "swaggering" sound he loved. You were inspired! I was inspired by you! His voice took on the quality of a finely trained musician, ready to sing opera or oratorio or classical or romantic period music--in good taste. Thank you for such a demonstration of how to be a true teacher. You obviously have a "wonder-store" of knowledge and vocal technique to impart to a student: you also have the gift of presenting yourself as a teacher they can trust and are not afraid to follow. It was truly an inspiration to witness! Those who study with you will be very fortunate! My thanks to you and Sophia for coming to Houston!  With great respect” 

Jean Pendleton Rice Teacher of Vocal Technique, Houston, Texas.

 

" His genius as a teacher emerged in this setting, as he coached the five participating singers in a knowledgeable way, frequently making suggestions which caused immediate and obvious improvement in the participants’ presentations. He displayed an extremely thorough knowledge of the literature presented by the singers, singing along with them when it was helpful, and it was obvious that he is conversant with the musical styles of the various periods to a detailed degree. In addition to learning a great deal, the singers and audience members laughed a lot and had a good time. His cheerful, buoyant, and witty demeanor made it fun to be a part of this experience."

Suzanne Marion, Concert Secretary and Past President Houstston Tuesday Musical Club Member, Music Teachers National Association (U.S.A.) Mezzo-soprano, pianist, and teacher, Houston, Texas.

 

“The Workshop was such fun. You are an amazing teacher, so dynamic and energetic. You seem to know the literature intimately.”

 Suzanne Marion, Houston Tuesday Musical Club, Texas.

 

                                " Mr. Knight is reliable, serious & intelligent. I do believe that he will be a fine addition to a Music School Faculty. "

                                Daniel E. Ferro, Voice Faculty, The Juilliard School, New York.

 

“ I found his musicianship and vocal teaching to be of the highest standard. His easy and friendly manner, together with his beautiful singing voice and obvious knowledge of style, gives his students confidence, allowing them to give of their best. “

                                  Ian Hayter, Conductor, Composer, and Producer  of Paradisum Records, London, England.

 

" He proved a valuable member of staff who provided excellent results in the vocal development of the school's students. His one on one tuition enabled a number of students with a particular interest in musical theatre to attain a high level of competence which has helped them considerably in their professional careers."

                                Professor Patricia Yardley, Principal of Birmingham School of Speech and Drama.

 

                                " Music lessons can be considered therapeutic when Knight's teaching techniques are applied. "

                                Shannon N. Potts " In touch with what's happening. "  Belleville, Canada.

 

" Mr. Knight has also been active in this area [ Belleville, Ontario, Canada ] as a music teacher; in fact, a goodly number of people who sing for me here at Bridge Street have been his voice students, and the improvement in their vocal abilities has been apparent.  His students ( some of whom I accompanied )have quite consistently won high marks and first placings in the recent Music Festival here in Belleville."

                                William Maddox, B. Mus, FTCL Organist and Master of the Choirs. Bridge Street Church, Belleville, Ontario.

 

" He has the magical gift for communicating self-confidence in oneself and his motivation to heal and develop other's ability to sing to their full potential  is felt as a profound experience by his students, myself especially."

                                Elizabeth O'Driscoll, Director of the Irish International Arts Centre.

 

                                " Firstly, may I say how consistently well-prepared the students were, both musically and technically."

                                Andrew Peggie, Musical Director, Composer, Assessor, London, England.

               

“ Daniel has a firmly grounded technique together with an extensive knowledge of repertoire and style, and has a wide range of exercises and vocalises, many of which he has developed to suit the specific needs of his students. He is skilled at getting to the core of a vocal problem and finding the solution. “

Chrissy Parsons, Head of The Music Centre, Hounslow Adult Education, Isleworth.

 

“His constant Faith in my progress gives me immense confidence in my singing. Singing with Daniel is definitely a healing and joyous experience.”

Dr. Gowri Motha, Medical Doctor, London.

 

“He’s a great voice therapist and I have much confidence in him. Daniel is a great singer and pianist, listening to him was and is a great inspiration to me.”

Christine Opperman, Student, South Africa.

 

" He teaches them how to concentrate and wrap themselves up in the music. A lesson with this 30 year - old musician is about more than music. It's about developing confidence, shedding inhibitions, and tapping into all of the innate " creative resources we all have."

Lorie Murdoch " Ward Nine News " Toronto, Canada.

 

" I would not hesitate to recommend Mr. Knight .  Proper breathing, voice placement, posture and accurate movement of the articulators ( i.e., jaw, tongue ) were an integral part of each lesson.  I feel that his method of teaching would facilitate the transfer of proper vocal use from speech to singing."

Leslie P. Suite, M.Sc., Reg. OSLA, CCC-SLP , Speech-Language Pathologist, Ontario, Canada.

 

 

 

COACHING:            Benjamin Luxon, Vera Rozsa, James Bowman, Paul Esswood, David Thomas, Ian Partridge, Kurt Equiluz, Mark Hayden, Emma Kirkby, David Roblou, Jessica Cash, Robert King, Nicholas Kraemer,Reinhold Kubik, Reinhard Strohm, Arno Niitof, Daniel Ferro,Rita Streich, Lina Narducci, Cecile Valee, Martin Isepp, Jan Simons, Janine Lachance, Claudette Denys, Marie Daveluy, Valerie Kinslow, Christopher Jackson, Paul Nicholson, Nicholas McGegan, David Mason, Anthony Legge Peter Holman, Harry Christophers, John Flinders, Mark Deller, Paul Goodwin, Nicholas Clapton, Colin Tilney and Iain Burnside, Robert Spencer, Judith Nelson, Dorothy Rosenberger, Robert Brewer.

 

MASTERCLASSES: Emma Kirkby, Nigel Rogers, Evelyn Tubb,Max Van Egmond, Dominique Visse, Daniel Ferro, Rita

Streich, Colin Tilney,Jean Lamon, Jill Gomez, John Hancorn, Reinhardt Gobel, Stanley Ritchie, John Rutter, Jantina Noorman, John Gibbons, Richard Wistreich, Jan Walters, John Kitchen, Kurt Equiluz, Ronald Corp, Sherill Milnes.

 

CONDUCTING :       Christopher Jackson (Studio Musique Ancienne, Canada), Wayne Riddell (Tudor Singers, Canada)

 

KEYBOARD :           Harpsichord: Mirielle Lagace;  Organ:  Raymond Daveluy;  Piano:  Karl Steiner, Anisia Campos, Daisie Sweeney.

 

EDUCATION:           Postgraduate studies in 18th Century Opera                          Kings College, University of London ( U.K.)

Postgraduate studies in 18th C. V. Performance Practice      City University, London ( U.K.)

Postgraduate studies in 18th Century Music                          University of Wales ( U.K.)

                                Undergraduate studies in Music                                             McGill / Concordia ( Canada )

                                DEC in Music                                                                           Marianopolis College ( Canada )

 

PUBLICATIONS:     Alessandro Scarlatti: Cantatas and Serenatas for Solo Voice, pub. by Hayter and Shone Ltd., England.

 

AWARDS:               London Master Classes Bursary with Benjamin Luxon

L'Academie musicale de Villecroze full Scholarship, France, for Vera Rozsa vocal performance studies

Dartington International Summer School Bursary/ Scholarship, for Lampe's  Opera "The Dragon of Wantley"

L'Academie musicale de Villecroze full Scholarship, France, for Monteverdi vocal performance studies

                                Dartington International Summer School Scholarship, for Purcell's  Opera "Dioclesian"

                                Dartington International Summer School Bursary/ Scholarship, for Purcell's  Opera "The Indian

 Queen"

                                Benslow Music Trust, Bursary for the title role of Rameau's Opera "Anacreon", (U.K.)

                                IAMS, Scholarship to complete MastersThesis, Kings College, London

                                Kings College, U.of London Scholarship for the Handel Opera Workshop (U.K.)

                                CBC National Audition Winner ( Toronto, Canada )

                                Mosto Italia International Vocal Competition Winner

                                Banff Opership ( Canada )

                                Rutgers University Music Scholarship ( U.S.A. )

                                Pauline Donalda Memorial Scholarship ( Montreal Opera Guild )