William Walton - The Twelve
with Andrew Passmore, organ

All sound clips recorded by the University of York during live recitals in Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall.

Graham Bier

bass-baritone - conductor - educator

As a member of the ensemble Bright Cecilia, Graham recently completed an MA at the University of York, studying ensemble singing with Dr. John Potter and private voice with Yvonne Seymour.  He is continuing postgraduate study in seventeenth-century manuscripts with Dr. Jonathan Wainwright.  Graham regularly sings with the choir of the Yorkshire Baroque Soloists as well as several local and university ensembles.  Solo performances at the University include Zoroasto in Handel's Orlando alongside Robin Blaze in the title role, the Evangelist in Historia Auferstehung Jesu Christi by Schütz, and as one of nine singers in an academically new version of the famous Allegri Miserere under the direction of Graham O'Reilly for the National Early Music Association Conference.  With Viriditas Opera, he portrayed Diabolus in Hildegard von Bingen's Ordo Virtutum and the role of John in the twelfth century Planctus Mariae.  With the University Chamber Choir, Graham was featured as a soloist in Carissimi's Jephte with soprano Julia Gooding, Purcell's Dioclesian at the National Centre for Early Music, and Brahms's Ein Deutches Requiem.  He performed the bass solos in Charpentier's Le Reniement de Saint Pierre with the Ebor Singers.  Last year, among other performances, he sang Pilate and the aria "Mache dich" with the Yorkshire Bach Choir during their performance of the Bach St. Matthew Passion, and as a soloist in the Greek premierer of Monteverdi's Vespers of 1610 with the Ionian University Chamber Choir.

Graham currently serves as conductor for three ensembles: The 24 an academic chamber choir, Soon Amore, a community group in York and the University of York Concert Orchestra.

Before coming to study in England, Graham spent two years working in Sarasota, Florida where he frequently appeared as a soloist.  During that time he had the fortune to study privately with renowned American choral conductor Daniel Moe, and also served as the Assistant Chorus Master with the Anna Maria Island Community Chorus and Orchestra.  Solo performance highlights from these years include bass soloist for Handel's Messiah with the Glacier Symphony, the bass solos in Vaughan Williams' Serenade to Music with Key Chorale, and bass soloist for the Stainer Crucifixion at Trinity United Methodist Church in Bradenton where he returned to perform the same role the following year due to popular demand.

Graham did his undergraduate work at Oberlin College, where he graduated in 2005 with majors in both Music History/Theory, and Environmental Studies.  At Oberlin, he studied voice with Gerald Crawford, and conducting with Hugh Floyd and Jody Kerchner.  Many of his academic and performance interests were kindled during those years, including a sincere passion for music education and a love of early music, as well as a taste for collaborating with living composers.

Specific research interests include: 17th-century sacred music in England (particularly relating to copyist Stephen Bing), 15th-century notation, choral conducting, English sacred music, emotion in music, contrafacts and recycling musical material, improvisation, and the influence of Emmanuel Swedenborg on music.

When he isn't busy with music, Graham enjoys playing soccer, wilderness hiking, taking quality photographs with a mediocre camera, and spending quiet time with his wife Robin.