Daryl (Jon) Simpson is a Tenor and musician from Omagh in Northern Ireland. He is a graduate in music from Queen’s University Belfast, majoring in Piano and Voice. Upon graduating he became the founder and Musical Director of the Omagh Community Youth Choir, in an attempt to promote peace and reconciliation through music. The choir was setup within weeks of the Omagh bomb tragedy of August 15 1998, to bring Catholic and Protestant young people together through music.[1] He is a well known Tenor who sings with Irish Crossover group the Celtic Tenors. He studied singing with tenors Peter Alexander Wilson and Nicolai Gedda, and completed his Opera Masters Degree at the Alexander Gibson Opera School in Glasgow (RSAMD).[2]
Daryl was a member of the very first Opera Theatre Company - "Young Associate Artist Scheme", performing in many recitals and broadcasts, and in Monteverdi's Coronation of Poppea.[3] Daryl was also a member of the Zürich "Internationales Opern Studio", where he sang Tamino (Die Zauberflöte), and roles in Les Mamelles de Tiresias (Poulenc) for Oper Zürich. He has performed concerts with many of the worlds leading orchestras including the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the Ulster Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony, the Cincinnati Pops, Vancouver Symphony and the Zurich Kammer Orchestra.[4]
Daryl is also an accomplished Musician, playing Piano, guitar, cigar box banjo and wurlitzer on the Celtic Tenors Album 'Hardtimes' released on the Compass Record label on June 2 2009.[5] He is also a Musical Director/Conductor, Arranger and Teacher. His work has been included in projects from the WWF, Playing for Change, and Art House Film productions.[6]
He has performed with Artists including Moya Brennan, Dervish [7] Tinariwen,Grandpa Elliot [8] and Eileen Eivers. [9]