Russell Scott (b. 1972) has been in the music industry professionally for over 30 years working in the worlds of Classical and Musical Theatre. He is not only an accomplished singer, but also a Vocal Coach and Artistic Director. He has an excellent reputation for working with performers and getting the best of them in technique and performance. He has enormous enthusiasm and charisma.
By the tender age of nine, Russell Scott, a London schoolboy, had developed a talent as a cabaret organist and made two LPs, which had totalled sales of over 100,000 copies. He had appeared on Thames TV's Telethon, helping to raise thousands of pounds for underprivileged children, entertained thousands in the UK, France, Germany and Eire, and guested on many radio and TV programmes, He studied music during his school years, passing examinations with The Royal Schools of Music and attending The Sylvia Young Theatre School in London. In his adult life he has studied with Nick Powell, Neville Creed and David Wilson-Johnson to name a few. After finishing his studies he developed into an all-round cabaret entertainer. He presented and performed many shows across the country including a major summer season on Blackpool's North Pier.
In 1995, after several years performing cabaret around the UK, Russell joined The London Philharmonic Choir where he performed many of the large-scale choral works including Verdi's Requiem, Aida, Gershwin's Porgy & Bess, Beethoven's Choral Symphony, Vaughan Williams' Sea Symphony, Berlioz's The Damnation Of Faust and Requiem to name a few. He also performed in several gala and musical theatre concerts which included Bryn Terfel, Reneé Fleming and José Carreras. In addition to his performing, Russell was Librarian and Marketing Manager for the LPC and was also a Director (1997-1999).
His smaller ensemble work included a Chandos recording of music by Sir Thomas Armstrong - Russell was one of a small group of singers chosen to premiere several part-songs on disc conducted by Paul Daniel. Russell sang regularly with the Exmoor Singers, performing works including Bach's St. John Passion and many chamber works from composers including Tippett, Rachmaninov, Tavener and Finzi. Exmoor Singers were winners of the Sainsbury's Choir Of The Year competition.
Since turning fully professional as a Classical Music performer in 1999, after 5 years with the London Philharmonic Choir, Russell's chorus work has included singing with The Geoffrey Mitchell Choir, The English Concert, The Choir Of The Age Of Enlightenment, The Richard Hickox Singers, London Voices, The Simon Joly Singers, European Voices, Maida Vale Singers, Netherlands Radio Choir and Metro Voices. He has toured with some of the finest orchestras and choirs in the world and performed several times at the BBC Proms.
As a soloist, Russell has performed with the Avanti Chamber Orchestra as part of the Royal Festival Halls Meltdown Festival. In the Resolution Festival, Russell was one of the four soloists performing works by Tavener, Duruflé and Tippett. Later that year he sang solo alongside Joan Rodgers in a performance of the Fauré Requiem with the London Philharmonic Choir. His opera work has included playing Papageno in The Magic Flute, Shaunard in Puccini's La Boheme and as The Count in Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro.
He has worked on many major film soundtracks including Pirates Of The Caribbean, Sinbad, Shrek2, Troy, The Da Vinci Code and King Arthur to name a few, and has provided backing vocals for artists including Elton John, Seal, Hayley Westenra, Il Divo and Boney M. In Musical Theatre he was part of the demo cast recording for Billy Elliot, and made his West End solo debut performing selections from 'Les Miserables' during a BBC Radio 2 broadcast of 'Friday Night Is Music Night' live from the Mermaid Theatre in London. In 2006, he perforrned in a run of performances at the Royal Festival Hall in London of Sweeney Todd starring Bryn Terfel. He has appeared in On Your Toes, Carousel, Ragtime, The Good Companions and as part of the hugely successful MGM Film Musicals and Rodgers & Hammerstein BBC Proms of 2009/10.
Since 2000, Russell has been Vocal Coaching and Music/Artistic Directing. He specialises in Musical Theatre (performance) and works regularly, privately and in schools, with up and coming performers, as well as choirs and production companies. His past projects have included working on the BBC special 'Celebrate Oliver' and, productions and workshops including 'Joseph and His Technicolour Dreamcoat' and 'Les Miserables'.
In 2006, he released his first solo album since 1989, Two Worlds One Voice which has been very successful both in the UK and across the world. In 2007-8 he was Artistic Director of 'Songbirds', where he coached and developed young talent, giving some, the opportunity to perform on stage for the first time.
During 2008-9 Russell was an invited judge for the nationwide Festival4Stars regional and finals competition. He continues to judge for competitions and showcases around the UK, and is renowned for his frank yet constructive observations.
In 2008-9, Russell Scott co-created 'The Voice of Tomorrow', a Musical Theatre project aimed at developing and showcasing new Musical Theatre talent. He was also Artistic Director of the production Company.
For many years, he has worked closely with Next Stage Drama who specialise in bringing inexperienced singers to the singing and performance world. He is Chorus Director of two Next Stage Choirs. He also directs masterclasses and conducts choirs and ensembles around the UK.
Russell leads an enormously busy life as a versatile performer and director with a Musical Theatre background, having achieved much success in the cross-over of genres. Music is his passion and he is committed to finding and developing new musical talent, giving opportunity to those with the ability and dedication to succeed. To this, he runs a dynamic Artist Management and Production Company, Russell Scott Management & Productions Limited, which produces, New Talent Spotlight, dedicated to finding, developing and giving opportunity to emerging professional talent.
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