Role

:

Conductor

Birth

:

1964

Genre

:

Choral

 

Owen Rees is a renowned conductor, musicologist, and academic who has made significant contributions to the field of early music. Born in 1973 in the United Kingdom, Rees grew up in a musical family and began playing the piano at a young age. He later studied music at the University of Oxford, where he developed a passion for choral music and early music performance. After completing his undergraduate degree, Rees went on to pursue a PhD in musicology at the University of Cambridge. His research focused on the music of the Portuguese Renaissance, and he became an expert in the works of composers such as Duarte Lobo and Manuel Cardoso. Rees's doctoral thesis, which was published as a book in 2012, is considered a seminal work in the field of Portuguese musicology. In addition to his academic work, Rees has also established himself as a talented conductor. He has worked with a number of leading early music ensembles, including the Tallis Scholars, the Sixteen, and the Cardinall's Musick. Rees is particularly known for his expertise in the music of the Spanish and Portuguese Renaissance, and he has conducted numerous performances of works by composers such as Tomás Luis de Victoria and Francisco Guerrero. One of Rees's most notable achievements as a conductor was his work on the recording of Victoria's Requiem Mass, which was released in 2011. The recording, which was made with the Choir of the Queen's College, Oxford, received widespread critical acclaim and was nominated for a Gramophone Award. Rees has also conducted performances of Victoria's music at venues such as the Wigmore Hall and the Cadogan Hall in London. In addition to his work as a conductor and musicologist, Rees is also an accomplished academic. He has held teaching positions at a number of universities, including the University of Manchester and Queen's University Belfast. Rees is currently a professor of music at the University of Huddersfield, where he teaches courses on early music and musicology. Throughout his career, Rees has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to the field of early music. In 2014, he was awarded the prestigious Dent Medal by the Royal Musical Association in recognition of his outstanding contributions to musicology. Rees has also been awarded research grants by organizations such as the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the Leverhulme Trust. Despite his many achievements, Rees remains committed to his work as a conductor and scholar. He continues to conduct performances and record music with leading early music ensembles, and he is currently working on a new book about the music of the Spanish Renaissance. Rees's passion for early music and his dedication to scholarship have made him one of the most respected figures in the field, and his contributions will continue to shape the study and performance of early music for years to come.

More....