Mark Bonney, tenor

British-American tenor Mark Bonney performs internationally. He is in Glasgow this 2020-2021 season, where he completes the Advanced Opera Course at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Recent roles have included Tamino in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte (Berlin Opera Academy), Count Barigoule in Pauline Viardot’s Cendrillon (Wexford Opera Festival), Jonathan in Handel’s Saul with Laurence Cummings (Dartington International Festival), the Evangelist in Bach’s St. John Passion (Amsterdam), the title role in Handel’s Jephtha (Iford Arts & Bath Choral Society) and Paolino in Cimarosa’s Il Matrimonio Segreto (Pop-up Opera).

In addition to his work as a soloist, Mark has performed in the chorus at Opera Holland Park, Wexford Festival Opera, Bury Court Opera, Iford Arts, with the Monteverdi Choir, and with Barbara Hannigan at the Aldeburgh Festival. He is often invited to perform with leading ensembles including the Gabrieli Consort, Britten Sinfonia and Le Concert d’Astrée.

Mark grew up in San Francisco. Before embarking on his career as a classical singer, Mark worked in socio-economic development in Egypt, before, during and after the Arab Spring. In addition to a Masters in Music from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Stanford University. He also studied at the Berlin Opera Academy, the Franz Schubert Institute and the American Institute of Musical Studies.

Sepp Hammer, bass

Critics have described Sepp Hammer’s voice as “powerful” (BostonEdge) and as showing “warm baritone gravity” (The Boston Globe).

An experienced concert artist, Sepp made his role debut as Jesus in St. Matthew Passion with California Bach Society in fall 2016, singing with “smoothness, private and sepulchral, with enough low grit to embody the inner strife and luminance of a prophet” (Berkeley Times). He has been a frequent soloist with California Bach Society, appearing in Zelenka’s Missa Votiva, Charpentier’s Messe des Morts, various Bach cantatas, and in Carissimi’s Jonas, in which he portrayed the voice of God “with booming authority” (San Francisco Classical Voice). His concert engagements have included Rutter’s Mass of the Children with Solano Symphony, Zelenka’s Gloria with Chora Nova, Vaughan Williams’ Five Mystical Songs with Contra Costa Chorale, and, with various ensembles, Schütz’s Symphoniae Sacrae, Bach’s Magnificat, Bach’s B Minor Mass, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass, Schubert’s Mass in G Major, Brahms’ Requiem, Fauré’s Requiem, and Duruflé’s Requiem.

Sepp holds a master’s degree in vocal performance from New England Conservatory and a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of California, Berkeley. His operatic training includes the young artist programs of the Central City Opera and Opera New Jersey.

Nalini Ghuman, soprano & Paul Flight, countertenor

Our artistic director Dr. Paul Flight and his wife, Dr. Nalini Ghuman, will be joining from their home in the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition to leading the workshop and supporting the “Practice” sessions with expert live piano accompaniment, Paul and Nalini will delight us with the soprano-alto duet, sung live from their home. As many of our patrons know, Paul Flight is an accomplished countertenor. Find his biography here.

Nalini Ghuman is a Professor of Music at Mills College, as well as a highly regarded pianist, accompanist, and soprano. Nalini was a choral scholar at The Queen’s College, Oxford and sang on the choir’s first, critically acclaimed, CD recording of the music of Howells and Leighton. She has also sung and performed solos with The Oxford Chamber Choir, the UC Berkeley Chamber Choir (Schütz’s Musikalische Exequien), the University Chorus at UC Berkeley (Kodály’s Missa Brevis), and Schola Cantorum San Francisco. With California Bach Society, she appeared in performances of Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610, Schütz’s Symphoniae Sacrae, Buxtehude’s Membra Jesu Nostri, and Rosenmüller’s Weihnachtshistorie. Nalini holds an MMus in Historical Musicology from King's College, London, an MA in Music from Queen’s College, Oxford, and a PhD in History and Literature of Music, and Ethnomusicology from UC Berkeley. Since the birth of their son, Nalini feels most comfortable singing lullabies and folk songs in her native Welsh language, but is happy to step up!

Nalini and Paul met making music together at UC Berkeley when Paul was directing the top choral ensembles and Nalini was the accompanist and conducting assistant. On any given day they can be heard singing canons, improvised domestic ditties, and children’s songs together with their young son.

REGISTER FOR OUR WORKSHOP HERE