Andrew Plant studied the piano in London with Christopher Elton, took his first degree at The University of Leeds and his doctorate at The University of Birmingham, where he worked with Jan Smaczny and Stephen Banfield and was a visiting lecturer. His Ph.D. was the first major biographical and analytical study of the composer Christian Darnton. Andrew is also an expert on the music of Britten: after teaching the music scholars at Uppingham for several years, he spent almost a decade on the staff of The Britten–Pears Foundation. Following this appointment, he was invited to become Assistant Director of Music at St George’s School, Windsor Castle, relinquishing the post in December 2009 to turn freelance. He has also been an external academic supervisor for King’s College, Cambridge and has contributed to several important scholarly publications. He co-founded Sounding Art Press with artist Jane Mackay and they continue to explore new projects.
Andrew enjoys a long-standing and particularly fruitful recital partnership with virtuoso counter-tenor James Bowman, with whom he has appeared throughout the UK, broadcast live on Radio 3 and recorded for Signum Classics and the award-winning NMC Songbook. Andrew has also partnered Stephen Burrows, Lynne Dawson, Nigel Dixon, Michael George, Stefan Holmström, Julie Kennard, James Laing, Ed Lyon, Ralph McDonald, Daniel Norman and the treble Andrew Swait. He has worked with a number of distinguished conductors, including Sir Colin Davis and Steuart Bedford, and is also committed to new music: he has given first performances of works by Britten, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Ivor Gurney, Sadie Harrison, Colin Matthews, Joseph Phibbs, Tom Rose and Giles Swayne.
Future plans comprise further solo recitals with James Bowman; a project of English songs with Quintessential Voices; the première of a cantata, Shadows of Sleep, for choirs, piano and percussion by Joseph Phibbs; and work with other singers of the younger generation, notably the counter-tenor Tom Williams and the tenor Ben Alden.