Born in London, Edward read music at King’s College, London, studying trumpet at the Royal Academy of Music. After graduating, he began working as a freelance musician with various orchestras and small ensembles, and in recording studios across the UK. Having begun singing in his late twenties, Edward quickly began to develop a professional career, studying privately with Russell Smythe and Raymond Connell. In 2015 Edward became a member of the Glyndebourne Chorus and worked for four years on various critically acclaimed productions including performances at the BBC Proms and worldwide cinema broadcasts. Highlights have included Barry Kosky’s Saul and performing in the semichorus of Brett Dean’s award-winning Hamlet. Since leaving the chorus, Edward has performed as a soloist for a variety of companies in the U.K. and abroad including numerous performances broadcast live on BBC Radio 3.

Recent engagements include performing the roles of Somnus/Cadmus in Opera Collective Ireland’s award-winning production of Handel’s Semele. For English Touring Opera Edward has performed the roles of Alidoro (Cinderella), Lord Sidney (Il viaggio a Reims), Achilla (Giulio Cesare), Claudio (Agrippina), General Polkan (The Golden Cockerel), Banquo (Macbeth) and Bach’s St John Passion. He has also covered several roles for Glyndebourne, including Rocco (Fidelio), Father Trulove (The Rake’s Progress), Second Armed Man (Magic Flute) and Sparafucile (Rigoletto). During the Covid period of theatre closures, Edward filmed two staged song cycles by Shostakovich (Romances on Verses by English Poets and Suite on Verses of Michelangelo Buonarroti) for ETO.

For more news and information please visit www.edwardhawkinsbass.com