Biographies of our Soloists for the 2012 Concert

Che Seabourne

Che combines his development as a singer with a career as a research scientist at the University of Leeds, having been awarded a PhD by that institution last year. His singing training began in earnest with Andrew Padmore midway through his graduate studies, and he was recently awarded the DipABRSM. With Andrew conducting, Che has performed various works as a soloist, including Puccini’s ‘Messa di Gloria’ with Harrogate Choral Society, and Brahms’ ‘German Requiem’ with the Yorkshire Philharmonic Chorus. He has also performed with a number of scratch choirs, singing the bass solos in Schubert’s ‘Mass in G’ and Mozart’s ‘Requiem’. He is also a recitalist, most notably at Wakefield Cathedral.

Che’s other passion is opera, having been involved with both Huddersfield Youth Opera and Leeds Youth Opera. With the latter he has performed numerous roles with full orchestra, including; Pagano (‘I Lombardi’, Verdi), Germont (‘La Traviata’, Verdi), Red Rose Tree (‘Nightingale and the Rose’, Rudland, world staged premiere) and Abraham Lincoln (‘Appomattox’, Glass, European Premiere).

Maxine Taylor

Maxine Taylor is a passionate classical soprano from West Yorkshire, who has graduated with a Music with Drama BA Hons degree at Huddersfield University this year. Her great interest in classical music grew through her successful, vocal involvement in several local music festivals including The Janet Beaumont, Holmfirth and many others. Maxine represented the Pontefract Music Festival in the Yorkshire regional championships for winning the highest mark of the festival, and was awarded two bursaries from the Don Valley Music Festival to attend The European Youth Summer School for 'The Most Outstanding Vocalist'. For many years Maxine has had great success at The Mrs Sunderland Music Festival and 2011 she won the Vocal section of 'The Kirklees Young Musician Award'. Professor David Holt quoted " Maxine's performance of 'The Singer' by Michael Head was the best performance of the day.
Maxine studied at Leeds College Of Music and sang in The Leeds Youth Choir, The Yorkshire Youth Choir and The Leeds Chamber Choir, frequently singing solos including 'In a Strange Land' by Graham Coatman.
Since then she has been invited as a guest soloist for The Pontefract, Castleford and Snaith Choral societies singing Elijah, Messiah, Faure's Requiem, Monteverdi Vespers , Brahms Requiem and Samson. In 2010 Maxine sang with The Yorkshire Philharmonic as the soprano soloist for the world premiere of 'This Precious Earth' by Jonathan Bielby and also for them in Brahms' Requiem in March 2011.
This year Maxine released a Christmas song with the 80's rock star John Parr and was interviewed live on BBC Radio Leeds, as well as singing on the Castleford Tigers Pitch. Maxine's charitable work resulted in her being awarded the 'Doncaster Young Person of the year award' in 2008.
Since Leaving University this last summer Maxine has moved to London to pursue her singing career and continues her vocal training under Dr Andrew Padmore and Julia Parrott.
In addition to singing and playing the piano Maxine enjoys attending West End musical productions, cooking, swimming and keeping fit.