Gesualdo Six & Fauré Requiem Biographies

Owain Park was born in Bristol in 1993. As well as directing The Gesualdo Six, he maintains a busy schedule of conducting projects with ensembles including London Mozart Players, Southbank Sinfonia, the Academy of Ancient Music and Cappella Cracoviensis. Owain is Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Singers and formerly Musical Director of Cambridge Chorale. 

Owain’s compositions are published by Novello and have been performed internationally by ensembles including the Tallis Scholars and the Aurora Orchestra. While at Cambridge University he studied orchestration with John Rutter, before undertaking a Masters degree in composition. He is composer-in-residence for the London Choral Sinfonia, and was one of BBC Radio 3’s 31 under 31 Young Stars 2020. The Choir of Trinity College Cambridge recorded an album of his compositions which was nominated for the BBC Music Magazine Awards in 2019. The Epiphoni Consort released an album of his secular choral works titled ‘When Love speaks’ in 2020. 

Owain is a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists (FRCO), and was awarded the Dixon Prize for improvisation, having been Senior Organ Scholar at Wells Cathedral and Trinity College Cambridge. He was a Tenebrae Associate Artist for two seasons, and has worked with ensembles including The Sixteen, Gabrieli Consort, and Polyphony. 

Owain is a keen gardener, and when he’s not on stage he can be found raking, pruning or picking cherry tomatoes.

Jessica Nelson (Pie Jesu soloist) is an aspiring classical singer in her final year of studies at the Purcell School for Young Musicians in Hertfordshire, studying under Tom Marandola. After being awarded a place supported by the government’s Music and Dance Scheme, as well as a scholarship to
study at Junior Trinity Laban alongside her studies at Purcell, Jessica has enjoyed a vast array of opportunities that have continued to inspire her love of music. Singing with the Canterbury Choral Society as a child, as well as the Royal Choral Society on several occasions, both directed under Richard Cooke, Jessica gained a love for choral music and hopes to continue this passion and develop her skills further when she begins her studies at King’s College London in September to read music, where she has been awarded a choral scholarship.

Chiltern Arts Festival Chorus