Patrick Owston graduated from Newcastle University in July 2018 with first-class honours in music and sang as a Bass in Newcastle Cathedral choir from October 2015 until July 2019, firstly as a choral scholar, before being promoted to the more senior position of lay-clerk.
Patrick’s love for singing first blossomed at the age of 8, when he joined the Manchester Boys Choir. He has since gone on to develop a keen interest in solo singing, giving regular recitals of song and operatic arias and performing as a soloist in oratorios and operas in the North East and in his hometown of Manchester.
Since arriving in Newcastle, Patrick has been taught by Miranda Wright and has been a member of the Samling Academy, which has allowed him to further develop his skills as a solo performer. Recently, in February, Patrick was very fortunate to be able to perform alongside Sir Thomas Allen in Samling’s ‘Night at the Italian Opera’ gala concert at the Sage Gateshead as a chorus member and as a soloist.
Patrick hopes to continue his studies as a singer at postgraduate level in the next few years and hopes to have a successful career on the operatic stage. Recent operatic roles include: Polyphemus in a performance of the 1732 version of Handel’s Acis and Galatea, directed and conducted by Lawrence Zazzo (Newcastle University), and Adonis in John Blow’s Venus and Adonis (Samling Academy Opera) alongside the Dunedin Consort, led by John Butt.
Patrick has also performed with Opera dei Lumi twice before: singing the role of Haman in the August 2018 performances of Handel’s Esther and as a soloist/chorus member in the December 2018 performances of Handel’s Messiah.