Quick Facts
Biography
Rachel Santesso is a British soprano, conductor and choral arranger.
Life
She studied voice and organ at the Conservatorio Di Musica F.E. Dall'Abaco di Verona and oboe at the University of Victoria in Canada. Santesso is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and in 2001 she founded the Capital Children's Choir, which she also directs. Several videos of the choir's covers of contemporary songs such as "Chances" and "Untrust Us" have received media attention and have gone viral. Santesso has released several albums with the choir and in 2015 the choir performed on the soundtrack for the film Pan. As a soprano she released two albums, The Songs of Louis Vierne (2005) and The Sacred Heart of Nino Rota (2007).
Santesso taught briefly at a primary school in London, where she taught a young Lily Allen, who has credited Santesso as a mentor.
Discography
| Year | Album | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | ’’The Songs of Louis Vierne’’ | Deux-Elles | Rachel Santesso, soprano; Roger Vignoles, piano; Hugh Webb, harp |
| 2007 | ‘’The Sacred Heart of Nino Rota’’ | Zitto Music | Rachel Santesso, soprano; Sara Mingardo, contralto; Christopher Lemmings, tenor; Hugh Webb, harp |
| 2008 | ‘’Sweet Child of Mine’’ | Kudos Records | Capital Children's Choir, primary artist; Rachel Santesso, director; arranger |
| 2009 | ‘’Winter Magic’’ | Decca | Hayley Westenra, primary artist; Rachel Santesso, conductor |
| 2011 | ‘’Rabbits on the Run’’ | Razor & Tie | Vanessa Carlton, primary artist; Rachel Santesso, choir director |
| 2015 | ‘’Pan Original Motion Picture Soundtrack’’ | Warner Bros | Rachel Santesso; choir master |