Matthew Pochin began his career as a chorister at Hereford Cathedral, where he later became a choral scholar and lay clerk. He went on to study at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.
After several years working as a pastry chef, Matthew moved to London to continue his career as a singer. He currently sings with the choirs of St John’s Wood Parish Church and Belsize Square Synagogue. He also sings regularly with the choirs of HM Chapel Royal, Hampton Court and St Mary-le-Bow in the City of London.
Matthew performs as an oratorio and consort soloist across the UK and Europe. As well as choral society mainstays, recent engagements include renaissance lieder by Ludwig Senfl with the Linarol Consort of Viols, Britten’s Serenade for Tenor Horn and Strings and Carmina Burana. He gives regular lieder and English song recitals, including works by Schubert, Schumann, Strauss, Britten, Finzi and Gurney. Matthew has also recorded for the BBC, performing Nïneotpushchayeshi (Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace) from Rachmaninoff’s All Night Vigil for a documentary on the composer’s life.
Matthew is a founder member and Artistic Director of Scaramella, specialising in music for men’s voices from the renaissance to modern close harmony. He also researches and prepares performance editions and new arrangements for the group. He is a member of the unique Jewish barbershop group bOYbershop, performing traditional Jewish liturgical music, folksongs as well as close harmony standards and original comedy songs.
Although he rarely bakes cakes anymore (much to his wife’s disappointment), Matthew still enjoys cooking, especially in the great outdoors.