People List

Margaret Lingas

Juniors, Combined Choirs, Vocal Coach

Biography

Margaret Lingas was born in Cyprus, raised between the UK, Greece, and the USA, and earned her BMus in vocal performance with linguistics at the University of Victoria, Canada, where she studied with Benjamin Butterfield. While in North America, she sang with the Pacific Opera Victoria chorus, and was a soloist with groups including the Victoria Baroque Players, the Sooke Philharmonic, and Fretwork.

Margaret originally sang Oxford Youth Choirs as a student (2006-2014), and then returned to teach and direct with them in 2018. She also directs chamber ensemble Rad Camerata and has led workshops/participated in community music outreach projects with organisations including City University London, Pacific Opera Victoria, Genesis Sixteen, and Ex Cathedra. She attended the 2019 Royal Philharmonic Society's Women Conductors programme, and is particularly interested in modern premieres/revivals of works by female composers, participating in projects recording and presenting music by Kassiani, Strozzi, Lang, the Boulangers, and many other - from the court of Ferrara to English convents displaced in France during the Reformation.

Margaret continues to perform regularly as a solo and small ensemble singer, touring and recording with groups including Ex Cathedra, The Sixteen, the Tallis Scholars, Cappella Romana, the Carice Singers, and Echo. Having grown up around a variety of musical traditions (Byzantine chant, jazz, baroque opera, and Greek folk music are all family favourites) she particularly enjoys improvisation, singing in new languages, and exploring vocal styles less often heard in UK choral circles.

Keep up with Margaret's latest projects here: https://www.facebook.com/mlingas/