Hope Pugh

Hope Pugh is a Choral, Classical and Operatic Mezzo-Soprano based in Birmingham, UK: after finishing her degree of BMus (Hons) in Vocal Studies at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, where she held a scholarship and was under the tutelage of the esteemed Amanda Roocroft. From a young age she was involved with many choirs in Herefordshire such as: Hereford Choral Society, Hereford Cathedral Voluntary Choir, Hereford Gilbert and Sullivan Society and held an Alto Choral Scholarship at Holy Trinity Church, Hereford. Hope was the first female Alto Choral Scholar at Worcester Cathedral in 2019/20 and now holds an Alto Scholarship at St. Chad's Cathedral, Birmingham and is a Lay-clerk at St. Philip's Cathedral, Birmingham. She is also in the latest cohort of GENESIS SIXTEEN. Hope is also an alumni member of the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain. Allowing her to work on more contemporary pieces and premiere new music. Hope has performed at many wonderful places with the choir. For example: Royal Albert Hall, Snape Maltings. She is also a member of the Rodolfus Choir in which Hope has taken part in a concert in Royal Festival Hall with the Philharmonic Orchestra and voices. As well as live performances Hope has been involved with many CD recordings with these choirs, most recently: 'My soul, there is a country' - (NYCGB 2019) Whilst studying for her Bachelors degree at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire she has performed as a soloist in concerts and as part of the Conservatoires flagship Chamber Choir. With the Chamber Choir Hope has participated at places such as at Symphony Hall with Thomas Trotter, she performed with them a new cantata written for the choir by Liz Johnson entitled 'Gentle Flame' (2019). Hope has also featured on television and radio: She was in the winning choir of BBC Songs of Praise School Choir of the Year 2015, BBC Radio Recording of John Rutter's Requiem (2019). As well as this Hope has appeared on international television on filmed parts of 'Canta Al Mar' Festival in Spain (2017). Where she won an award for 'Best Soloist' of the competition as a whole over all the countries that participated. Hope was also a finalist in the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire's Winifred Micklam Prize for First Year Students. She was the only vocalist to reach the final. Hope’s true passion is most certainly opera, having performed most recently the role of Sesto in Royal Birmingham Conservatoire'S Handel Giulio Cesare. Other roles she successfully gained are: Arsamene, Serse and Boy Three, Die Zauberflöte (2020), Masque Quartet, The Enchanted Island (2019), Amore, L'incoronazione di Poppea (2019). Her upcoming roles include: Bianca, The Rape of Lucretia and La Suora Infermeira, Suor Angelica (November 2021). Alongside this Hope undertakes many chorus roles. Hope has a keen interest in early music. Having recently been a soloist and chorus member in the specialist early music concert 'Continental Masters of Sacred Baroque Music' in Liverpool Cathedral. She has also performed at the Abingdon Summer Course for Solo Singers (2019) where she took part in a masterclass with Catherine Wyn-Rogers where she looked at a selection of early music repertoire.