Carris Jones - Mezzo-Soprano

Born in Surrey but largely raised in Southeast Asia, Carris Jones studied history at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where she was also a choral scholar. Completing her postgraduate musical study at the Royal Academy of Music in London, Carris graduated with a DipRam, the Academy’s highest performance award.

On the operatic stage, Carris has performed and covered roles at English National Opera, Iford Arts, Garsington Opera and Bury Court Opera. Carris made her Royal Festival Hall debut in the role of Renee in the first European performance of Shostakovich’s Orango, with Esa Pekka-Salonen and the Philharmonia.

Carris’ concert and recital highlights include Britten Phaedra with members of the Philharmonia, Bach B Minor Mass for Roger Norrington, Bach Magnificat for Laurence Cummings and the English Concert, and performances of Elgar Sea Pictures and Mahler Kindertotenlieder with the North London Symphony Orchestra. As a consort singer, Carris has sung across five continents; in concert halls, on radio and television and on the soundtracks of numerous films including the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings franchises . She was a founder member of Stile Antico, with whom she won a ClassicFM Gramophone award, was twice nominated for the prestigious Grammy awards, and collaborated with Sting on his Dowland lute song project, Songs from the Labyrinth.

In addition to her performing career, Carris is a busy and committed teacher of singing, working in schools, at the University of Oxford and for the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain. She also gives masterclasses and workshops across the UK, most recently at Chetham’s School of Music.

In 2017, Carris joined the Choir of St Paul’s Cathedral, the first female Vicar Choral to be appointed in its one thousand year history.