Stefan Oakes from Dorchester is stepping up to take on his first major solo role in Dorchester Choral Society’s Autumn Concert on 12th November.
Stefan (age 21) is a former pupil at Thomas Hardye School and lives locally. He has been asked to sing the baritone solo in the forthcoming performance of Derek Bourgeois’s “Jabberwocky”. When Gavin Carr (Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Chorus Master) was forced to drop out less than two weeks before the concert Stefan declared himself ready to take on the challenge. He said, “I had been understudying the part to help the choir rehearse but I never thought I would be singing in the concert itself. It is a huge opportunity to have been given at the start of my singing career and I am excited and nervous in equal parts”.
Dorchester Choral Society’s conductor, Colin Howard, who is also Stefan’s singing teacher, has great faith in his young protegé: “Stefan’s voice, his musicality and his work ethic combine to have made him the choir’s natural choice to take over as soloist. We all wish him the very best in his debut.”
If you would like to come to the concert and support Stefan tickets are available through DorchesterChoralSociety.org.
Dorchester Choral Society Autumn Concert, featuring Elgar, Borodin, Bourgeois is at 7.30pm on Saturday 12th November at St Mary’s Church, Dorchester.
Stefan Oakes