Akeman Voices

Martin studied singing at the Royal Northern College of Music with Anthony Roden and is currently taught by Justin Lavender.

Having previously conducted a larger choir Martin formed Akeman Voices in 1999 to fulfil his desire to present high quality, intimate, performances of renaissance and baroque music, of a mainly a capella style.  The choir's reputation grew quickly and they currently perform across the county and beyond.

He combines a busy teaching, conducting and performing career. Currently he teaches singing at Sibford School, Banbury , as well as teaching privately from home.

As a conductor he held the position of Musical Director with Bicester Choral and Operatic Society(BCOS) 1999- 2002.  He is delighted to pick up the baton once again for BCOS, having been appointed their new Musical Director with effect from May this year. Having founded Akeman Voices chamber choir in 1999 he has conducted many concerts from oratorio to intimate baroque and renaissance works with them including Handel Messiah, Israel in Egypt  & Samson.  He has acted as Chorus Master at Stowe Opera since 2002: Rusalka, Don Carlos, Hansel and Gretel and the critically acclaimed production of Carmen.
Martin has been Musical Director with The Warriner Choral Society, Bloxham since 2004.  In that time he has conducted Faure Requiem, Haydn Little Organ Mass, Opera Gala Concert, Puccini & Rossini's Messa di Gloria, Haydn The Seasons, Carl Orrf's Carmina Burana and Bizet's Carmen to name but a few. In 2005 Martin was Musical Director on Pirates of Penzance with The Musical Youth Company of Oxford at the Oxford Playhouse.

At the end of 2010 Martin became joint Musical Director of Banbury Choral Society, alongside Julian Harris.

As a performer, Martin works in both opera and concert hall. His busy schedule takes him all over the UK and Europe. Operatic roles to date include: Bardolf Falstaff (British Youth Opera), Fenton The Merry wives of Windsor (St.Albans Chamber Opera), Ruiz Il Trovatore (Stowe Opera), Leonard Merryll The Yeomen of the Guard ( BYO, Lindbury Studio- Royal Opera House, Covent Garden), Ernesto Don Pasquale (Pavilion Opera), Morales Carmen (Stowe Opera) and Lord Ricardo Percy Anna Bolena (Opera School Wales). He has also worked extensively in opera chorus: La Traviata and Don Giovanni ( English Touring Opera, 2002 ), The abduction from the Seraglio (Lindbury Theatre- Royal Opera House, Covent Garden), Der Rosenkavalier (Spoleto Festival, Italy) conducted by Richard Hickox.

Concert engagements have included: Messiah and Mozart Requiem (Oxford Philomusica), Mass in B-minor (Leicester Bach Choir), Mahler Symphony No.8 (Wolsey Orchestra, Ipswich). He has also recorded for Chandos, BBC Music Magazine, BBC Television and Britannia Music.