User:Philliptolley/sandbox

Phillip Tolley is Choral Guardian/Chief Executive of Col Canto Associates, an umbrella organisation which hosts and maintains a number of choral singing related websites.

The aim of the organisation is to encourage choral music both in the UK and internationally and to promote choral singing as a open-to-all music activity which promotes self belief, body and mental health and inter-personal skills including numeracy and literacy, as well as the opportunity to sing beautiful and spiritual vocal music. In 2002 he was took over the ownership of 'British Choirs on the Net' which has grown to become the UK's largest online directory of choirs and choral societies. http://www.choirs.org.uk

As other websites were added this became the start of Col Canto Associates. Though British Choirs on the Net he is a member of the Singing Network UK (formerly TONSIL) and also an Associate Member of the Association of British Choral Directors (ABCD).

Phillip began his professional vocal career at the Athenaeum Theatre, Plymouth, as Alfred in Strauss’ ‘Die Fledermaus. Since then he has appeared across the country, from the Scilly Isles to Buxton, in Operatic roles and on the Concert stage. Internationally he has performed in Cyprus and Germany. He studied privately with Antony Benskin for 12 years and while in Cyprus, from 1994-1997, with former Royal Opera Covent Garden member Linda Humphries. He has also undertaken Masterclasses with Kenneth Bowen, Morag Noble, John Huw Davies, Alexander Young, Ian Caddy, Mollie Petrie and Noelle Barker In 1988 he appeared in the British Premiere of Donizetti’s ‘Torquato Tasso’, under Carlo Rizzi and also covered the role of Clotarco in the British Premiere of Haydn’s ‘Armide’ at the Buxton International Festival. In 1989 he created the role of Hlestakov in the World Premier of Peter Dawes’ ‘The Government Inspector.

He is also a professional freelance Supporting Artiste working in both Film and TV. He has been a member of British Actors Equity since 1989. He publishes a blog regarding his supporting artist work http://www.colcanto.co.uk/blog/