The American-born tenor, Paul Kirby, obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Blackburn College in Illinois (1986); and his Master of Music degree in Voice from Boston University (1989), where he also received the Diploma from the Opera Institute (1999). While at Blackburn College, he was awarded the Mueller Humanities Fellowship, and at Boston University was a Director’s Award and the prestigious Kahn Career Entry Award. He was also Fellow Tanglewood Music Center (1990) and participated in Ensemble Program Opera Theatre of St. Louis (1995, 1996).
Paul Kirby, hailed for his warm tone and musical intelligence is one of today’s outstanding young lyric tenors. He has garnered critical acclaim for his beautiful singing and also for the depth and originality of his portrayals. With an unusually wide repertoire ranging from medieval monophonic song through Baroque, classical and romantic opera and song to late-20th century opera and concert works, he distinguishes himself on the stages and in the concert halls of Europe, Scandinavia and North America. He is now a resident of Norway.
As a concert soloist, Paul Kirby has performed with such renowned and varied ensembles as Emmanuel Music, Sequentia, Huelgas Ensemble, Vox Resonat, Les Arts Florissants (Director: William Christie), Grex Vocalis, Oslo Domkor, Les Solistes de Lyon Bernard Tétu, Ensemble Antiphona, Boston Camerata, Tragicomedia, and Handel and Haydn Society, and Det Norske Solistkor (Director: Grete Pedersen). He has recorded for the Harmonia Mundi, Sony Classics, Afka, Marc-Aurel Editions, and Koch International labels. He has performed with conductors such as Claudio Abbado, Yves Abel, William Christie, Christophe Coin, Dennis Russel Davies, John Harbison, Daniel Harding, Carl Høgset Christopher Hogwood, Terje Kvam, Paul Van Nevel, Seiji Ozawa, Martin Pearlman, Valentin Reymond, Stephen Stubbs, and Emmanuel Villaume. |