"Music for a while will all your cares beguile" - Henry Purcell

Gráinne Gillis gained a First in Music at University College Cork, where she also held the post of Cantor for three years.   She received several awards for singing in her native Ireland, including the Feis Maitiu (Dublin) Contralto Prize, the Donal "Doc" Gleeson award for Best Recitalist, and a place at the renowned Accademia Chigiana  in Siena (1998), where she attended masterclasses by the internationally acclaimed soprano, Raina Kabavainska.  She was also a member of the RTE Philharmonic Choir, and worked under conductors like Colin Mawby, Bryden Thomson, and Richard Bonynge.  

Performances in London have included singing the part of Amneris in an extract from "Aida" at the Cochrane Theatre, whilst a student on the Diploma in Opera Performance at Birkbeck College in 2006, originating the part of Ella in Clem Ishmael's (MD on The Lion King, West End) first opera, "Looking at the Sun", and playing the part of The Transvestite in Marion Ingoldsby's opera "Hot Food for Strangers" (second production).  Former teachers include Dinah Harris,  Jeremy Fisher, Gillyanne Kayes, Nicholas Powell, Tony Roden and Felicity Palmer; and she has had regular coaching with repetiteurs and coaches like David Jones, Robin Bowman, Lada Vadeslova, Krystian Bellière , Alex Ingram, Steven Maughan, Alice Farnham,Susie Stranders, David Coussell and Neil Baker.  She recently sang the role of Juno in "Semele" for Opera Mint, and Alisa in "Lucia di Lammermoor" for Opera at Bearwood, and played a nun in Willy Decker's recent production of "Die Tote Stadt" at the Royal Opera House.  She also performed the soprano solo in a staged production of "Pierrot Lunaire" for the Camden Festival and Grimeborn, directed by Mark Duncan and conducted by Andrew Charity.

In March 2010 she sang Zita in "Gianni Schicchi" and The Abbess in "Suor Angelica" at the Bridewell Theatre in London. In July 2010 she participated on a scholarship basis at the first Leeds International Masterclass in Opera Performance, working with director Jorge Balca and repetiteur Adam Laslett. Gráinne and Jorge are in the early stages of collaborating on a new project for later in 2011. She also sings as part of operatic vocal ensemble Belle Voci. Future engagements include Messiah in December 2011 and Pergolesi's Stabat Mater in 2012.

Gráinne has extensive experience as a soloist, and is available to add that special touch to your wedding, corporate event or any other occasion. 

Click to see a full list of my repertoire or to hear me sing.