“Accept every singing opportunity you are offered, and never be afraid of asking for more”
When did you first become involved with the Rodolfus Choir?
I first got involved in Autumn 2018.
What do you remember about your first concert singing with the choir?
On 30th December 2018, I took part in an evening concert at St Martin-in-the-Fields singing Britten’s Ceremony of Carols. We went up during the preceding concert (a performance of the Messiah), to bolster the choir for the Hallelujah chorus.
Can you pick one highlight of being a member of the choir?
Definitely all the amazing friends I've made.
What are you up to now?
I’m currently a first year student at UCL studying Zoology.
If you had to pick only one song to sing for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
'Erbarme dich, mein Gott' from Bach's St Matthew Passion. At the age of 12, singing this was the first time I had been truly moved by a song and the emotions it still evokes in me today are still as strong as when I first heard it.
Who are your top three composers, musicians or bands from the past and present?
Anton Bruckner, Johann Sebastian Bach, and conductor Sir John Eliot Gardiner.
Can anyone else in your family sing?
My Mother used to sing professionally, and met my Father in the Rodolfus Choir.
Where would you like to be in 10 years time?
Settling down with a comfortable job in the city and singing in a symphony chorus!
Have you any advice to give to our junior singers?
Try to accept every singing opportunity you are offered, and never be afraid of asking for more.
We have three office dogs at The Rodolfus Foundation. What's your favourite animal and why?
The Hoatzin, a bird that lives in the Amazon. It's last common ancestor with anything alive today was 64 million years ago, so it's a rather unique creature. Their chicks have claws on their wing tips, like the flying dinosaurs, and can climb up vertical tree trunks.
Thanks for taking the time to speak to us, Benjamin! Don’t forget to sign up to our mailing list to keep up with the latest news, project information, and great content from Rodolfus HQ.