Glasgow born mezzo-soprano Fiona Joice recently graduated from the Alexander Gibson Opera School at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, where she studied with Mandy McCormack and Duncan Williams. Prior to this Fiona gained her MA in Performance at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Here she studied with Elizabeth Ritchie and Audrey Hyland. While attending the Academy, Fiona featured regularly in the RAM/Kohn Foundation Bach Cantata Series and was commended in the Isobel Jay Opera Competition before graduating with distinction.
She began her vocal training at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland where she graduated with a Bachelors in Music with honours of the First Class. Fiona studied under the tutelage of Kathleen McKellar Ferguson. During her time in undergrad Fiona won the prestigious Governors Recital Prize and was highly commended in the Jean Highgate Scholarship.
Recent operatic roles include: Mrs Patrick de Roche in the UK staged Première of Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking (RCS Opera), Dinah in Trouble in Tahiti by Bernstein (RCS Opera), Zita in Gianni Schicchi by Puccini (RCS Opera), La Marchande in Les Mamelles de Tiresias by Poulenc (RCS Opera), Old woman in The Day After by Dove (RCS Opera/English National Opera) Lucilla in La Scala di Seta by Rossini (Raucous Rossini), Nun in Fiery Angel by Prokofiev (Scottish Opera), Ernestina in L’occasione fa il ladro by Rossini (Raucous Rossini) and Virtu in L’incoronazione di Poppea by Monteverdi (Royal Academy Opera).
On the concert platform, Fiona recently sang Mahler’s das Lied von der Erde with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s Symphony orchestra under the baton of esteemed conductor Joseph Svenson. She also performed as a Bridesmaid in Der Freischütz with the orchestra for the age of enlightenment at the Royal Festival Hall, conducted by Sir Mark Elder. Fiona is a regular oratorio soloist having been a recipient of the Josephine Baker Trust Scholarship for oratorio singers. Her performances include, Rutter Requiem and Spirituals, Vivaldi Gloria, Handel Messiah, Mozart Requiem and vesperae solennes de confessore, Bach B Minor Mass, Durufle Requiem and Rossini Petite Messe Solennelle and stabat mater. Fiona performed twice in the Edinburgh International Festival singing Debussy’s Le Martyre de saint Sébastien, conducted by Oliver Knussen and Stravinsky’s The Rakes Progress, conducted by Sir Andrew Davies.
Fiona is indebted to the Robertson Trust and the Cross for their financial support - without which her education would not have been possible.