Jimmy Holliday - Christus (Bass)

Jimmy has forged an international career as a classical singer, singing bass with many of the UK’s leading vocal ensembles and choirs. He began singing as a cathedral chorister at Lichfield before joining The National Youth Choir of Great Britain. He was a Lay Clerk at Winchester Cathedral before continuing his vocal training at The Royal College of Music’s International Opera School, where he won various awards and competitions including the inaugural Richard Van Allan award and the 10th Hampshire Singer of the Year competition. Jimmy also attended the prestigious National Opera Studio on its one-year course.

Equally as comfortable on the concert and opera stage as a soloist, Jimmy currently works mainly with ensembles and is a full-time member of the recently saved BBC Singers. He is also a regular bass with various vocal ensembles including Tenebrae, EXAUDI, The Gabrieli Consort and Ensemble Plus Ultra, as well as regularly singing with the likes of The Sixteen, The Tallis Scholars and I Fagiolini. Further afield he is the regular bass with Philippe Herreweghe and Collegium Vocale Gent’s madrigal projects. Recent projects include recording Gesualdo’s madrigals (Books 4 and 5) and Monteverdi’s 4th Book. Jimmy is also a regular on the session circuit for film work and has sung on many soundtracks including The Harry Potter series, The Hobbit trilogy, Hunger Games movies and the Fantastic Beasts movies.

As a soloist, Jimmy loves singing on the Oratorio concert platform, and his favourite sings include both of J.S. Bach’s Passion, Haydn’s Creation and Mendelssohn’s Elijah. He has also performed in various operas around the UK including Colline in Puccini’s La Boheme with Opera North and Billy Jackrabbit in Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West with E.N.O. He has also performed Nick Shadow in Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress and King Heinrich in Wagner’s Lohengrin for Ostrava Opera Company, Czech Republic. Coming out in 2024 is his first operatic recording in Oliver Leith’s new opera, Last Days.

Jimmy is a massive football fan and as well as supporting Liverpool from afar and England closer to home, he has season tickets at Leyton Orient Football Club with his son. He is a keen, very amateur runner, and enjoys gaming with his son, who regularly thrashes him on Fortnite!