Q&A with Jonny Darbourne

Tuesday 10 February 2026

Our Artistic Director Jonathan (aka Jonny) began his musical training as a chorister in the choir of Southwark Cathedral. As a treble, he performed as soloist with orchestras at the Barbican, Queen Elizabeth, and Royal Albert Halls, and took the roles of First Boy in Mozart’s The Magic Flute for the ENO and Miles in Britten’s The Turn of the Screw (‘Darbourne’s Miles stands in the line of greats’– The Independent). After reading Music and singing as a choral scholar in the choir of Magdalen College, Oxford, Jonathan went on to further vocal study at the Schola Cantorum, Basel and the Barock Vokal programme in Mainz, as well as an ensemble directing course with William Christie and members of Les Arts Florissants. 

Tell us a little bit about yourself; what do you play, any upcoming projects you’re particularly looking forward to?

I’m a musician with a few equally-enjoyable creative outlets – conducting, singing, arranging, dreaming up programmes and projects, and putting together starry teams of people to make them reality. Honestly, I’m most looking forward to these performances, but at the end of the year I’m excited to sing beside my cousin for a Bach project with Concerto Copenhagen. We’re a countertenor family!

Is there a moment/person/group in your life so far that has shaped you most as a performer?

Oof, so many. As a young child, my dad letting my tinker along at the top of the piano as he played Golden Era tunes (Porter, Berlin, Rogers, Kern, et al); Haydn masses as a cathedral chorister; huge symphonic repertoire as a teenage viola player; the deep drive of Drum n Bass on amazing sound systems; Henry Purcell.

What do you hope audiences feel during/take away from this programme?

A crushing inability to decide which was their favourite piece/poem (all so cool).

Do you have a favourite love song/romantic piece of music?

The first love song I knew the lyrics to, thanks to my dad – Jerome Kern’s ‘Can’t help loving that man of mine’. Then for romance, let’s go with the Siciliana from Bach’s G minor solo violin sonata, taking it as part of one long love letter to his adored wife who had recently died.

Outside of music/performing, what inspires your creativity?

Playing and watching various sports. Top athletes show the world that dedication and artistry in combination has the result of moving people to heightened states of emotion, which is the game musicians play. An amazing match of tennis is a thing of pure artistic beauty. I have a huge signed picture of Andy Murray at the exact second he won Wimbledon for the first time, dropping his racquet. (Violinists would I’m sure drop their instruments at the end of arduous pieces if they could!)

What is your favourite food, and go-to post show drink? 

Tuna pesto pasta. A cold pint. Student life 4eva.

Join us for The Food of Love on Friday 13 & Saturday 14 February 2026 at Fidelio Cafe.

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