Mark Chambers (counter tenor)


 * You may be looking for the character from Silence in the Library

Mark Chambers is a counter tenor, the only person so credited in the history of Doctor Who and its related television programmes. He provided credited vocals on The End of Time and uncredited ones on Planet of the Ood. He thus appears on the series 4 soundtrack performing "Songs of Freedom and Captivity". He also appears on the soundtrack to the 2009 specials performing "Vale Decem".

Since leaving the Royal Northern College of Music in 1992, Chambers has performed all over the world with many leading groups and conductors.

Solo work has included Bach’s St Matthew Passion and Mass in B Minor with Sir John Eliot Gardiner, performance and recording of Monteverdi Vespers of 1610 with Paul McCreesh, Bach’s St John Passion with Philip Pickett and a recording and concerts with Nederlandse Bachvereniging and Jos van Veldhoven.

Operatic work has included many roles in Handel operas; Xerxes (Arsamenes) for New Chamber Opera, Agrippina (Narciso) in New York, Amadigi (Dardano) in Oxford, Tamerlano (Andronico) at Britten Pears School, Monteverdi Orfeo (Speranza) in a production by Jonathan Miller, and chorus in Rameau Les Boreades at Salzburg Festival for Sir Simon Rattle. Mark also recently worked at the Royal Opera House as understudy for the role of Snake Priestess in Harrison Birtwistle’s world premiere The Minotaur.

Chambers is also in much demand as a choir and ensemble singer, working with many of the world’s leading groups; Tenebrae, Monteverdi Choir, Gabrieli Consort, The Binchois Consort, Ensemble Plus Ultra, Les Jeunes Soliste and Accentus.

Chambers has made many recordings including countertenor duets by Purcell and Blow with Ryland Angel, two discs with the The English Cornett and Sackbutt Ensemble, one of Grandi solo motets and another of German Christmas music. He and David Mason also recorded a programme of English song by Rubbra and Vaughan Williams to commemorate the centenary of Rubbra’s birth.

Recent recordings include English music from the time of Shakespeare with the ECSE and soprano in Monteverdi Vespers of 1610 with Paul McCreesh. In June 2010, Chambers performed the role of Pilpatoe in Graun's Montezuma for the Musikfestspiele Potsdam Sanssouci. Around a month later, Chambers participated in the the Doctor Who Proms concert performing "Vale Decem" from The End of Time.