Countertenor Andrew Hallock actually began his musical life as a composer. In 2001 he graduated from the University of Texas with a bachelor’s in music composition. Born in Austin, Texas, Andrew initially sang as bass in a number of local choirs before finally finding out that his adult voice was quite a bit higher. Having finished with composition he moved to the Netherlands to study singing at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. Under the guidance of teachers Lenie van den Heuvel, Rita Dams, Michael Chance, Peter Kooij and Jill Feldman, Andrew graduated in with a degree in Early Music Singing in 2009. Andrew has been working as a freelance musician ever since.
In 2011 he made his solo debut in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw with Bach’s Matthäus Passion. As a soloist he is regularly engaged to the passions of J.S. Bach, and the cantatas throughout the year. He has performed in the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, the Salzburger Festspiele, Tage Alter Musik Regensburg the Festival d’Ambronay, Festival Oudemuziek Utrecht, Laus Polyphoniae Antwerp, Music Before 1800 New York among others.
Since 2010, Andrew has been a regular member of the ensemble Cappella Pratensis, appearing almost 200 times on stage with them, and has made numerous concert tours in the US, France, Germany, Portugal and, of course, Belgium and the Netherlands. He has performed with ensembles il Gardellino (BE), English Voices (UK), Ensemble Diskantores (NL), Bach Choir and Orchestra of the Netherlands (NL), Musiche Varie (DE), Vox Luminis (BE), Musica Fiata (DE), il Cuore Barocco (SK) and Sollazzo Ensemble (FR).
In addition to his singing career, Andrew is also involved in the world of the cornetto – a 17th Centuy wind instrument. He is active as a player, maker, and researcher, attending conferences, exhibitions, lectures, and marketplaces. He studied playing with Marleen Leicher (BE) and Gebhard David (DE), and studied instrument-making with Paul Beekhuizen (NL). His instruments and other cornetto-related equipment appear on stage and in various recordings.
As a teacher Andrew has given lectures for the Komenius University in Bratislava 2016 and for the Musica Antiqua Early Brass Course in Virginia 2017. He has coached vocal ensembles for Alamire Foundation 2016, and Stichting Koorprojecten Rotterdam 2018. Every August Andrew teaches in the Cappella Pratensis Summer School – a one-week course in singing directly from the old notation. He also teaches a yearly course in instrument-making with cornettist Sam Goble, aptly titled “make your own cornetto”.
In his spare time, Andrew can be found hanging out in his kitchen, improvising midnight snacks and other delights. He is enamored with traditional woodworking techniques and other crafts, sound and video editing, kombucha brewing, cycling and cinema.
Formal biography / CV for program booklet:
He appears on:
the 2009 DVD of Handel’s Theodora, Salzburger Bachchor, Frieburger Baroque, C-Major label
the 2011 CD – Requiem of Pierre de la Rue and Johannes Ockeghem with Cappella Pratensis, which received the prestigious Diapason d’Or. Challenge Classics
the 2013 DVD – Handel’s Messiah with the Bach Choir and Orchestra of the Netherlands, Amsterdam Classics
the 2014 CD – Missa Ave Maris Stella, Josquin, Cappella Pratensis – Challenge Classics
… 2015 CD – Missa Cum Jocundatatis, Josquin, Cappella Pratensis – Challenge Classics
… 2015 CD – Motets of Antonio Caldara, Ensemble La Silva
… 2016 CD – Missa Unitatis by Antony Pitts, Cappella Pratensis, Nederlands Kammerkoor - Challenge Classics
… 2018 CD – Ensemble Diskantores (music of the Low Countries around 1400) in production
