| Matthew Stiff | |
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Matthew Stiff |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Matthew William Tansley Stiff |
| Born | 13 December 1979 |
| Origin | Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England |
| Genres | Classical Opera Vocal |
| Occupations | Singer Bass/Baritone |
| Years active | 2004–present |
Matthew William Tansley Stiff (born 13 December 1979 in Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire) is a Bass/Baritone singer, formerly with British vocal group G4 and a former Classic FM radio presenter.
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Matthew began playing trombone at age 8. He played in the Cleethorpes District Youth Orchestra, Kingsway Printers Cleethorpes Band & the Market Rasen Brass Band. A-level subjects: Music, Psychology, English literature, Philosophy & Cultural beliefs. ABRSM Grade 8 singing and Grade 8 Bass trombone. He studied music at the University of Huddersfield where he gained his BMus (Hons) and MA in Musical Performance. In 2011 he gained a Master of Music with Distinction on completion of the opera course at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.
King Balthazar – Amahl and the Night Visitors – Iford
Figaro - Le nozze di Figaro – British Youth Opera
King Rene - Iolanta - Guildhall School
Le Geôlier - Dialogues des Carmélites – Guildhall School
Togno – Spinalba – Guildhall School
Charon – Euridice – British Youth Opera
Don Magnifico – La Cenerentola – Clonter Opera
Superintendent Budd – Albert Herring – Guildhall School
Marchese d’Obigny – La Traviata – Chelsea Opera Group
Pietro de Visantis - L’assedio di Calais – Guildhall School
Antonio - Le nozze di Figaro - Music Cordiale Festival
The Writer - Four White Walls and chorus Opera North
Ashby – La Fanciulla del West – Opera Up-Close
Prince Gremin – Eugine Onegin – Grange Park Opera at Nevill Holt
Surin (Cover) – Queen of Spades – Grange Park Opera
G4, consisting of Jonathan Ansell, Mike Christie, Ben Thapa and Stiff; started singing together to raise money to help pay for their education. As a group they attended the ITV talent show "The X-Factor" and although they came second in the competition, signed a £1.5 million record deal with Sony-BMG. Their first album, titled G4 was released in February 2005 and achieved double-platinum status. They went on to produce two more albums: G4 and Friends and G4 Act Three with combined sales in excess of 1.5 million copies.