The Sixteen Announces 14th Cohort of Genesis Sixteen

By Afton Wooten

The Sixteen and the Genesis Foundation have announced the 22 young artists who will join Genesis Sixteen’s 14th cohort this autumn.

The program hosts 18-23-year-old singers to nurture the next generation of ensemble singers. The cohort will culminate their training with a showcase performance at Sounds Sublime Festival, taking place on July 13. Other highlights of Sounds Sublime include a choral extravaganza featuring performances from some of London’s youth choirs, and more.

The new 2024 cohort is made up of sopranos Lingling Bao-Smith, Madeline Eaton, Nasreen Gill, Ischia Gooda, Talia Liebermann, Katie Meredith, and Eleanor Miles-Kingston; altos Rachael Best-Babayeju, Adrianna Forbes-Dorant, Eve Garrard, Benjamin Irvine-Capel, and Lily Robson; tenors Monty Charles, Temi Lasekan, Joseph Martin, Benjamin Thompson, and Hugo Williamson; and basses Thomas John, John Rhys Liddington, Donncha McDonagh, Iris Oliver, and Joseph Ward.

Each year, Genesis Sixteen also offers a conducting scholarship, which is fully funded and offers young conductors the opportunity to be mentored by conductor Harry Christophers CBE and associate conductor Eamonn Dougan, who provide one-to-one coaching to the singers. Participants also receive group tuition, individual mentoring, one-per-part consort training from members of The Sixteen and masterclasses run by some of the world’s top vocal experts. This year’s recipient is Emma Warren.

Alumni of the program have gone on to sing with leading professional groups such as the BBC Singers, Monteverdi Choir, Swingle Singers and The Sixteen itself, and a number of them have established their own independent ensembles. Alumni singers appearing in Garsington Opera’s summer season include soprano Camilla Harris, mezzo-soprano Bethany Horak-Hallett, tenor James Way, and bassists James Newby and Ossian Huskinson.

Now entering its 14th year, Genesis Sixteen is the UK’s first fully funded program of its kind. Participants, of which there are now more than 300 throughout its history, have gone on to perform, record and tour across the world with professional groups, including The Sixteen.

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