Matthew Stiff

Matthew Stiff

Matthew Stiff
Background information
Birth name Matthew William Tansley Stiff
Born 13 December 1979
Origin Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England
Genres Classical
Opera
Vocal
Occupation(s) Bass/baritone singer
Years active 2004–present

Matthew William Tansley Stiff (born 13 December 1979 in Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire)  – also credited as Matt Stiff  – is an English opera singer and former radio presenter, best known as the former bass singer with classical boyband G4.

Early life

The son of a BT engineer,[1] Stiff began to play the trombone at the age of eight, but later made the transition to singing, [2] after which he attended Franklin College, [3] then studied Music at the University of Huddersfield where he gained his BMus (Hons) and MA in Musical Performance.[4] While in Huddersfield, he took singing lessons with vocal coach Paul Wade who described him as "a great pupil".[5]

G4

As a student at Guildhall where he studied for a Postgraduate diploma in vocal training, Stiff replaced bass singer Tom Lowe to become a member of G4 which also included final year undergraduates Jonathan Ansell, Mike Christie, and Ben Thapa, who all started singing together to raise money and gain experience. In 2004 they later auditioned for the first series of The X Factor and despite placing second, 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.[6][7]

In 2007, after three years and three albums, G4 announced their split on GMTV due to disagreements within the band,[8] with Stiff stating: "I want to make my own decisions without having to check with three other people first". [9] Lead singer Ansell later admitted that the two of them had rowed the most.[10]

Post G4

In 2008, following a schedule overhaul at Classic FM, Stiff re-joined the station as a weekend presenter (he had previously hosted another show with the other members of G4),[11][12] [13] after which he returned to Guildhall in 2009 for a Master of Music Opera course, graduating with a Distinction in 2011. He has since joined a number of opera companies including the British Youth Opera where he played Kecal in The Bartered Bride to rave reviews.[14]

Operatic Roles

Ashby – La Fanciulla del West – Opera Up-Close
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
Kecal - The Bartered Bride - British Youth Opera

Future roles

Prince Gremin – Eugine Onegin – Grange Park Opera at Nevill Holt
Surin (Cover) – Queen of Spades – Grange Park Opera

References

  1. ↑ Mutiny on the high Cs as G4 reveal why they split
  2. ↑ Pop hunk turns down Kenneth Branagh movie to stay with boy band
  3. ↑ G4 star Matt to return to his roots
  4. ↑ Still on course for pop stardom
  5. ↑ G4 defeat strikes wrong chord
  6. ↑ G4orce; Janet Tansley meets the classical boys who don't take themselves too seriously Fantistic four are so well g-roomed
  7. ↑ A life on the high Cs; Three years of success with an operatic boy band has left Jonathan Ansell with a taste for success
  8. ↑ Classical quartet G4 split after three years
  9. ↑ I was such a pretty boy even my mother thought I was gay
  10. ↑ "Jonathan Ansell admits to G4 clashes". Digital Spy. 4 January 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
  11. ↑ Classic FM in major schedule overhaul
  12. ↑ Ex-G4 star hits the right notes
  13. ↑ Band on the radio
  14. ↑ Review: The Bartered Bride

External links