ABOUT STEVE

Steve is currently Executive Director (maternity cover) at OperaUpClose. With an early career in radio and television, Steve retrained as a tenor in 2008 at RSAMD (now Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) and sang for Scottish Opera, Garsington Opera and Raymond Gubbay at the Royal Albert Hall. From 2012 he moved into Chorus, Casting and Company Management roles at The Grange Festival, Opera North and Welsh National Opera. Highlights include managing the chorus for Aldeburgh Festival’s Grimes on the Beach (2013) and casting Into the Woods from the Opera North ensemble, a co-production with Leeds Playhouse (2016). For three years he produced Whistle Stop Opera, touring the North of England and live-streamed as part of BBC‘s #OperaPassion day. He also launched the Opera North/RNCM Chorus Mentor Scheme, relaunched Leeds Lieder Young Artists (2017) and managed the Kiss Me, Kate tour to Ravenna Festival (2018).

For five years Steve ran his own Artist Management company (launched 2020) and served as Communications Director of OMAI (Opera Managers Association International). For thirteen years he ran Oxenfoord International Summer School before launching Grasmere Song in 2025. Steve has delivered career development sessions for singers at the UK conservatoires, National Opera Studio and English Touring Opera. He has managed concerts for Solomon’s Knot at the Bach Festival Leipzig and Bachwoche Ansbach, and fixed the chorus for Opera Rara‘s recordings and concert performances at the Barbican, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Cadogan Hall. He is a Key Trainer for Making Presentations; delivering presentation skills face-to-face and virtually for companies including BBC, Channel 4 and P&G.