© Hugo Glendinning
Rob Macdonald, Bass
I began singing as a Chorister at Hereford Cathedral and then went on to be an Academical Clerk, (choral scholar) at Christ Church, Oxford, where I read biochemistry & Music. After a brief period of postgraduate study at The Royal Academy of Music I have been busy primarily as a Consort Singer for over twenty years (although I do do solo work and the occasional bit of amateur opera too!).
I first sang with The Tallis Scholars while still at Oxford, in May 1994 at The Tramways in Glasgow and I remember being completely starstruck in the lift at the hotel when confronted by all of my heroes. In fact, when Peter rang me at home to offer me my first engagement, what with his rather RP accent and the fact that apparently the group rehearsed in a church called St Andrew by the Wardrobe, I thought I was being hoaxed by my housemate! I have been a regular member of the group since 2005.
Career highlights to date include Siena & Florence cathedrals and a shared concert in Nurenberg with organist David Briggs where the latter improvised quite brilliantly on pieces TTS had just performed. Of course, things do not always go as smoothly as they might, and I remember on one occasion travelling straight from the airport in Seattle to the Town Hall where the audience had already been seated for over an hour. We all changed, walked directly to the stage and launched immediately into Loquebantur Variis Linguis by Tallis, (almost our signature tune excepting the ubiquitous Miserere) which was received rapturously; more in relief than as an appreciation of the quality of that particular performance!