Piano Solo at ‘One of the world’s best gathering places’

From the age of 9 – 13, Ed Watts sang as a chorister at St. Paul’s Cathedral, London. Here, under John Scott, he developed a deep love of choral music, singing a wide repertoire of music in various national services and large-scale concerts in and around London. They toured to New York and Paris, made various recordings, and regularly appeared on national radio and television.

After leaving St. Paul’s, he continued his studies as a music scholar at The King’s School, Canterbury. He enjoyed singing weekly services in the Cathedral with the Crypt and Chapel Choirs as a Counter – Tenor, as well as occasional deputy work with the Cathedral choir, directed by Dr. David Flood. Under Howard Ionascu, the Crypt Choir he has made several recordings and toured worldwide, including the USA, France, Italy, Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong.

The Crypt Choir has also sung with other professional choirs including The Sixteen, directed by Harry Christophers, and reached the final of the BBC choir of the year competition. He also sings with the King’s Men, a close harmony group, and Madrigalia, a pupil run group founded through a common interest in English madrigals. Both of these groups have made recordings and performed internationally.

As a keen jazz pianist, he is now the director of Jazz at King’s, conducting the school’s Big Band and leading a smaller pupil run group from the piano. He is frequently asked to play at formal dinners within the school, and have performed in the Radisson SAS Hotel, Prague, the Beach Front Hotel, Isle of Wight and recently played during a reception at the British High Commission, Canberra, whilst on tour in Australia. His piano teacher, and much respected jazz musician, David Rees-Williams, has been a true inspiration to him, and they are planning to tour together as a duo in New York, late spring 2008. He also plays the trumpet and tuba in the school’s symphony orchestra, and has recently played the piano in the school’s production of Les Miserables at the Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury.

He has played organ voluntaries in Canterbury Cathedral, and was invited to sing with Laudate, a professional London Choir directed by Howard Ionascu.

Visit the Terrace acclaimed by Newsweek as “One of the World’s best Gathering places and listen to Ed Watts on the piano Mondays through Saturdays 7pm onward at the Mount Lavinia Hotel