Oliver Embourne.

Hi there, my name’s Ollie! I’m 24, use they/he pronouns, and currently live in Chichester, on the South Coast of England, the only city in the UK with a Cathedral that’s visible from the sea. I’m a huge fan of opera. I studied History and Music for my first degree, and I’m currently writing the thesis of a Master’s in Musicology. I’ve done a whole bunch of jobs and volunteer roles – I’m a regular volunteer for the Gilbert and Sullivan Festival in Harrogate.

What’s the most out-there thing on your current playlist?

My Spotify On Repeat is usually fairly coherent in that it’s mostly either stuff from the opera I’m listening to on repeat, music I’m trying to learn, or music that’s good for writing, but for the past several months I’ve had Where’s me Jumper? by The Sultans of Ping F.C. in the top spot.

If you could live inside one painting or sculpture, what would it be?

Can I be weird and say Hieronymous Bosch’s The Garden of Earthly Delights? It would be strange, but at least I’d never get bored.

What upcoming media are you most excited about right now?

I’m looking forward to a concert of Verdi’s Atilla (if I can manage to get tickets to it), but that’s mostly because it’s rarely performed and it has a fantastic cast. (Ildar Abrazakov in the title role, my beloved.)

What’s your most special musical experience?

In my last job, I essentially got a free private concert of Allegri’s Miserere: I happened to be running the sound and livestreaming equipment on my own from ‘backstage’. The choir sung it from there, about eight feet away from me – literally just me and them.