THE CLASS OF ‘25-26
These young aspiring soloists sing with the Oxford Bach Soloists across the academic year. They make up the core of the chorus and help to maintain its musical integrity, and develop their own talents by taking on the challenges of step-out solos during our concerts. German language coaching is also provided as part of their training.
THANK YOU
We are very grateful to our donors for supporting the Choral Scholarship programme. This year’s cohort has been generously funded by our Friends in the Dresden Court and a number of private donors who wish to remain anonymous. You can find out more information on our benefactors here.
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Meet the Scholars
Find out more about our individual Choral Scholars of 2025-26
Ruby Skilbeck, Soprano
Ruby Skilbeck is in her third year of undergraduate study at the Royal Academy of Music, where she holds a scholarship and studies with Marie Vassiliou. She was named BBC Young Chorister of the Year in 2021 and went on to win the Junior Guildhall Vocal Prize (2022) and the Kathleen Ferrier Society Bursary Prize (2024). As a soloist, Ruby has performed at the Royal Albert Hall, Wigmore Hall and Cadogan Hall, and has appeared alongside the BBC Philharmonic and Royal Philharmonic Orchestras. Ruby’s ensemble experience includes performances and recordings with The Sixteen, the VOCES8 Foundation Choir, the Rodolfus Choir.
Alicia Hunt, Mezzo-Soprano
Alicia is a British mezzo soprano, recently completing her undergraduate studies in Music at Royal Holloway, where she was a Choral Scholar. Whilst there, she featured as a soloist on multiple albums and broadcasts, and in 2024 played Dido in Purcell’s ‘Dido and Aeneas’ with The Raven Opera Company. Now studying for a Masters in Musicology at the University of Oxford, she sings in the Choir of Queen’s College and is a Deputy Lay Clerk at Canterbury Cathedral, Southwark Cathedral and St. George’s, Windsor. Her training began as a chorister at Canterbury Cathedral and with the National Youth Choir. In 2023, Alicia co-founded professional vocal ensemble Hemiola, specialising in newly composed contemporary repertoire, and is the Marketing Manager for Waterperry Opera Festival.
Zachary Roberts, Countertenor
Zachary Roberts is a twenty-one-year-old countertenor entering his third year as an Academical Clerk in the Choir of New College, Oxford, where he also studies Music. His musical education began at St George’s Chapel Windsor Castle, where he was a chorister for five years under the direction of James Vivian. Following on from this, Zachary moved to Winchester College, where he held a music scholarship and was a member of the college Chapel Choir. Beyond New College Choir, he enjoys singing with and arranging music for The News, the undergraduates of the choir’s close harmony group, and has sung with them around the UK and on two tours to France; in addition to this, he sings with the Delius Singers under Alexander Pott and is a choral scholar with Oxford Bach Soloists for the upcoming 2025/26 season. He is taught singing by William Purefoy.
Hamish Garland, Tenor
Hamish Garland is a young British tenor currently completing his postgraduate studies at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music under the tutelage of Robert Alderson, alongside further tuition from David Jones. A keen choral singer from a young age, Hamish has held choral scholarships at St John’s College, Durham, and St Oswald’s Church, Durham, and has most recently been a Lay Clerk at Guildford Cathedral for the past two years. Beyond choral singing, Hamish has a particular interest in Oratorio and Opera and has a burgeoning portfolio as a soloist across the South of England. As an undergraduate he performed operas with the Durham Opera Ensemble, and has more recently performed solos from Mozart’s ‘Così fan tutte’, Britten’s ‘St Nicolas’ and Haydn’s ‘The Creation’.
Elliott Gregg, Tenor
Elliott is an Oxford-based tenor, currently working at Magdalen College as a Stipendiary Clerk. Having graduated from Durham University in 2024, he completed his Master’s degree in Latin Literature at Oxford the following year. He has relished the challenge posed by working in the busy world of Magdalen Chapel and is looking forward to the exciting opportunity that an OBS scholarship presents. It was at Durham that his choral singing career started in earnest: holding scholarships at several Durham colleges, and performing with Durham’s Chamber Choir and as a soloist for the university’s early music consort, Dunelm. Elliott enjoys watching cricket and football, and was an avid ruby player until a poorly-timed injury put stay to his competitive spirit.
Christopher Churcher, Baritone
Christopher Churcher is a baritone and composer from Birmingham. He currently holds a choral scholarship with Somerville College Choir, and is about to begin his third year studying music at Lady Margaret Hall. Having begun formal singing lessons in 2023, Christopher has quickly developed a passion for the voice. He has since performed with ensembles including Ex Cathedra and the National Youth Choir, developing a particular interest in consort singing and Lieder. As a composer, Christopher’s works have been performed by ensembles ranging from the Southbank Sinfonia to VOCES8. Earlier this year, Somerville College Choir recorded a debut album of his choral music, slated for release in June 2026.
Iris Oliver, Bass-Baritone
Iris Oliver is an in-demand solo and choral bass-baritone based in London, performing across the UK and beyond. Recent highlights as a soloist include: The Drunken Poet, Coridon and Hymen in Purcell’s “The Fairy Queen” for Keble Early Music Festival; Fauré’s Requiem; and Puccini’s Messa Di Gloria. In the choral world, Iris regularly performs with professional ensembles across the country; she is a Voces8 UK scholar for 2025-2026, and also holds a scholarship with Temple Church. In 2024-2025, Iris was a choral scholar at St Martin-in-the-Fields, and a member of the prestigious Genesis Sixteen and Vox Next Gen young artist schemes. Iris read English & French at Keble College, Oxford, where she was a choral scholar. She studies with Berty Rice.
SUPPORT US
Friends in the Dresden Court support young singers through our Choral Scholarship programme. You, too, can give this transformative opportunity by joining the Dresden Court from just £83.33 a month (£66.66 with Gift Aid).
TRUSTS & FOUNDATIONS
We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of a number of grant-making bodies who support our Choral Scholarship programme. We are always keen to develop relationships with Trusts and Foundations whose missions align with what we do. To find out more, please contact Lauren Martin on lauren@oxfordbachsoloists.com.
