Eleanor Dennis   

Eleanor Dennis, born in 1987, is a soprano from Ellon, a small town north of  Aberdeen in the North East of Scotland. She is presently a fourth year student at the Royal College of Music in London, studying with Eiddwen Harrhy.  

After gaining a first class grade every year at the RCM, they have now awarded her a major scholarship to continue her studies there from 2009 - 2010 and is also supported by the Josephine Baker Trust.

She has recently been awarded the prestigious Maidment Scholarship, (administered by the Musician's Benevolent Fund) which is given to the most outstanding singer heard in the audition process and  has also just been awarded a generous scholarship from the Countess of Munster Musical Trust.

Eleanor started studied singing with mother Alice Dennis GTCL (passing her ABRSM grade 8 singing exam with distinction aged 15) and at the NE School of Music with Raimund Herincx. She also studied 'cello there, gaining her ABRSM grade 8 distinction in Autumn 2004. 

She started her long history of appearances aged three, singing first at Haddo House Hall, Aberdeenshire with both the Haddo Junior Choirs and later  taking principal roles with Haddo Children’s Theatre, the Haddo Youth Music Theatre and Haddo Joint Productions. Since the age of eight she regularly won first places in the Aberdeen and North East Scotland Music festival, often gaining a gold 'Outstanding Performance' grades. In June 2005 she won the overall Vocal Challenge, taking home the 'Simpson Trophy'.

She is now a part time member of the Haddo House Choral and Operatic Society,  appearing regularly as a soloist in their carol concerts and oratorio concerts - most recently in their Bach Concert in September 2008 (Bach's Magnificat and Cantata 21). She is to appear as the soprano soloist in their Autumn 2009 concert, singing the Poulenc Gloria and Gounod's St Cecelia Mass.

In London she has worked with Sir Charles McKerras and Martin Andre and has appeared in master classes with Joan Rodgers, Sarah Walker, Patricia McMahon, Jeanette Favareau- Reuter, Stephen Varcoe and Joseph Ward. In December 2007, she appeared in the chorus of the Benjamin Britten International Opera School's production of Stravinsky's The Rakes Progress and covered the role of Lisaura in their 2009 production of Handel's Alessandro. She has also performed as soloist with Ashley Solomon at St John's, Smith Square singing Bach's Ascension Oratorio, with the Thames Valley Orchestra singing Vivaldi's Gloria and Bach's Mass in G Major and with the Aeolian singers  singing Haydn's Nelson Mass and Purcell's Te Deum and Jubilate. She was also recently a semi-finalist in the 2009 Jack Donelly Memorial Mozart Singing Competition.

'Eleanor is HHCOS secret weapon ....it is always amusing to see audience members who haven't heard Dennis sing before - their chins lift up and their mouths drop open.' - Aberdeen Press and Journal review, December 2008.

'A voice to die for' - NE Scotland Advertiser papers, 'The Mikado' June 2005

'Beautiful, intelligent, thoughtful singing...... an understanding beyond your years' - Ann Lampard, adjudication June 2005

 ‘Quite excellent feeling and lovely clear voice, you have a bright future ahead….Bravo!’ – Ian Adam, adjudication June 2004

‘An outstandingly beautiful voice’ – Press and Journal West Side Story, Oct.’03

‘A beautiful tone that spins and rings……poised, free and resonant’’ – Patricia MacMahon, adjudication June 2003