User:Angiequavers/sandbox

Brian Rayer Cook - bass baritone

Brian Rayner Cook was born in May 1945. He played the piano from the age of 7 and became a chorister at his local church in Chingford, Essex. He studied at Bristol University, working as an organist and conductor before devoting himself to singing. In 1969 he was awarded a Kathleen Ferrier Memorial Scholarship. he has made many recordings including: Frederick Delius' Fennimore and Gerda, Faure's Requiem, Orff's Camina Burana and Elgar's Caractacus and King Olaf, as well as songs recitals by Elgar and Havergal Brian. He was a frequent broadcaster and appeared at many BBC Proms; he sang in Delius' Sea Drift for the Last Night in 1980. He sang in The Dream of Gerontius at the performance in Worcester Cathedral to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the composer's death. Much modern music, by composers such as Peter Maxwell Davies, Malcolm Williamson, Roger Smalley and Elizabeth Poston were written especially for him. For his wedding, Mary Plumstead wrote a piece 'A Grateful Heart' which was championed by Janet Baker and is now sung by church choirs.