Emily varney

London-born soprano Emily Varney curates imaginative and inclusive music projects across the UK that respond to and expand the world of a production. 

She collaborates with festivals, ensembles, schools, and opera companies to design and perform in musical encounters that connect communities through performance, participation, and shared creativity. 

Her work in as a singer and creative music facilitator involved devising and delivering community engagement projects across the UK, collaborating with organisations that champion inclusive music-making including Artis Foundation, Brent Music Service The Bach Choir, Cathedral Music Trust, Chelsea Old Church, Deal Arts Festival, National Youth Choirs, Hallé Youth Ensembles, Opera Holland Park Inspire, Lambeth Music Service, London Youth Choirs, Open Academy, Blackburn Cathedral and St George’s Cathedral Southwark, and The Sixteen.

As a singer, Emily specialises in Baroque and oratorio repertoire. Recent performance highlights include Ravel’s Trois Poèmes de Mallarmé as part of the Royal Academy of Music’s collaboration with Leipzig’s Klassic Underground and lighting designer Ric Mountjoy,and concerts with the Academy Baroque Soloists under Eamonn Dougan and Margaret Faultless. has premiered works by Steven Pickett with the Hallé Orchestra, Ben Parry at Snape Maltings, and for the NMC label, performing commissions by Emily Hazrati, Will Harmer, Alex Tay, and Millicent B James.

Emily graduated with Distinction from the Master of Arts programme at the Royal Academy of Music, where she studied as a Josephine Baker Artist, is an alumna of Genesis Sixteen and the National Youth Choir Fellowship, and holds a First-Class Bachelor of Music degree from the Royal Northern College of Music and a Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music (Distinction) in vocal pedagogy. 

Emily is grateful for the support of the Wayne Sleep Foundation, The Sir Richard Stapley Educational Trust, Steinberg, The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust, The Ofenheim Trust, Making Music, and AOTOS during her studies. 

If you are able to support these organisations or are interested in taking part, please get in touch via the linked websites.

For an up to date CV and repertoire list, please contact directly. Do not reproduce without permission.

  • HELIOS

    Thursday 19 March 2026
    7:30PM
    Victoria Baths, Hathersage Road, Manchester, M13 0FE

    Experience Kantos’ in the glow of Luke Jerram’s Helios, an epic spherical artwork of the sun, in the cathedral-like acoustic of Victoria Baths.

  • Charpentier's Messe de minuit pour Noël

    Wednesday 17 December 2025
    7:30PM
    Holy Trinity Sloane Square
    146 Sloane St, London SW1X 9BZ

    Thursday 18 December 2025
    7:30PM
    Holy Trinity Sloane Square
    146 Sloane St, London SW1X 9BZ

    Emily sings the soprano solos with the Trafalgar Sinfonia and Barts Choir for their Midnight and Stars concerts under the direction of Ivor Setterfield.

  • Vivaldi's Gloria

    Saturday 13 December 2025
    7:30 PM
    St John’s Church, West Byfleet KT14 6EH

    Emily performs as soprano soloist in Vivaldi’s Gloria, Finzi’s In Terra Pax, and Leighton’s O Leave Your Sleep with the Genesis Chorale, conducted by Florence Price.

  • HANDEL'S MESSIAH

    Friday 5 December 2025
    7:30PM
    Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent ST1 3AD

    Sunday 7 December 2025
    4:00PM-
    The Monastery, Gorton, Manchester M12 5WF

    Emily joins KANTOS Chamber Choir for performances of Handel’s Messiah in collaboration with the Manchester Camerata under harpsichordist and director Laurence Cummings.

  • Handel's Messiah

    Saturday 15 November 2025
    7:30PM
    St. Mary's Church, Reigate, RH2 7RN

    Emily sings the soprano solos in Handel’s Messiah alongside soloists Klara Solén, Matthew Sotillo-Cooke, and Oliver Turner, with the Reigate and Redhill Choral Society and Surrey Pro Musica, under the direction of Cole Bendall, with thanks to the Josephine Baker Trust.

  • Brahms' Ein deutsches Requiem

    Saturday 22 November 2025
    7:30PM
    St Michael's Church, Beccles, NR34 9HE

    Emily sings the soprano solos in Brahms’s Ein deutsches Requiem alongside Sam Poppleton, performing with the Beccles Choral Society under the direction of Geoff Lavery.

  • Mozart's Die Zauberflöte

    Friday 20 June 2025
    7:30PM
    Greenwich Theatre, SE10 8ES

    Saturday 21 June 2025
    2:30PM
    Greenwich Theatre, SE10 8ES

    Sat 21 June 2025
    7:30PM
    Greenwich Theatre, SE10 8ES

    Sun 22 June 2025
    2:30PM
    Greenwich Theatre, SE10 8ES

    Emily appears with Opera Greenwich as Erste Knabe in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, directed by Valeria Perboni and conducted by Ishan Bhadra.

  • Masterclass: Julia Kleiter

    Monday 28 April 2025
    10:00AM
    Angela Burgess Recital Hall, London NW1 5HT

    Emily performs with collaborative pianist Benjamin Markovic in a public masterclass for Vocal Studies students at the Royal Academy of Music, featuring works by Mozart and Wolf, led by German soprano Julia Kleiter.

  • Humperdinck's Hänsel und Gretel

    Thursday 6 February 2025
    7:00 PM
    Susie Sainsbury Theatre, Royal Academy of Music, NW1 5HT

    Emily performs as Gretel in the Royal Academy of Music Vocal Faculty Opera Scenes, conducted by Chris Hopkins and directed by Victoria Newlyn.

  • Handel's Messiah

    Saturday 28 December 2024
    6:30 PM
    Holy Sepulchre London, Holborn, EC1A 2DQ

    Emily performs as soprano soloist with the Brandenburg Festival Chorus and Orchestra, conducted by Robert Porter.

  • Handel's Messiah

    Monday 16 December 2024
    7:00 PM
    St Mary’s Church, Stafford, ST16 2AP

    Emily performs as soprano soloist with the Stafford Choral Society, conducted by Charlie Perry.

  • Bach's Christmas Oratorio

    Saturday 14 December 2024
    7:00 PM
    Framlingham College Chapel, Woodbridge IP13 9EY

    Emily performs as soprano soloist with The Phoenix Singers and the Kingfisher Sinfonietta, conducted by Geoff Lavery.

  • Handel's Messiah

    Sunday 1 December 2024
    4:00 PM
    The Monastery, Gorton

    Sunday 22 December 2024
    2:30 PM
    Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent

    Emily joins Kantos Chamber Choir for performances of Handel’s Messiah in collaboration with the Manchester Camerata, directed by David Greilsammer.

  • Bizet's Docteur Miracle

    Thursday 24 October 2024
    7:00 PM
    Susie Sainsbury Theatre, Royal Academy of Music

    Friday 25 October 2024
    7:00 PM
    Susie Sainsbury Theatre, Royal Academy of Music

    Emily performs as Laurette in the Royal Academy of Music Vocal Faculty Opera Scenes, conducted by Christopher Hopkins and directed by Adam Torrance.

  • Resounding Shores: Chamber and Chapel

    Sunday 29 September 2024
    1:00 PM
    Duke’s Hall, Royal Academy of Music

    Emily joins the Academy Baroque Soloists, led by Margaret Faultless, and conducted by Eamonn Dougan.

  • Monteverdi's Vespers of 1610

    Saturday 13 July 2024
    7:00 PM
    St Mark’s Church, Leamington

    Emily performs as soprano soloist with the Royal Leamington Spa Bach Choir and Charivari Agréable, conducted by Lee Dunleavy, with thanks to the Josephine Baker Trust.

  • Korngold's Die tode Stadt

    Thursday 9 May 2024
    6:00 PM
    St Mark’s Church, Royal Academy of Music

    Friday 10 May 2024
    6:00 PM
    St Mark’s Church, Royal Academy of Music

    Emily performs as Juliette in the Royal Academy of Music Vocal Faculty Opera Scenes, conducted by Christopher White and directed by David Antrobus.

  • Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass

    Tuesday 16 April 2024
    7:30 PM
    St Paul’s Church, Withington

    Emily performs as soprano soloist in Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass with the Philharmonic Choir of Manchester, conducted by Clara Rundell.

  • Haydn - Lord Nelson Mass

    Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass

    Saturday 23 March 2024
    7:30 PM
    Holy Trinity Church, Guildford

    Emily performs as soprano soloist in Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass and McDowall’s Ave Maris Stella with the Epworth Choir, conducted by Charlie Perry.

  • Mozart's Don Giovanni

    Thursday 8 February 2024
    7:00 PM
    Susie Sainsbury Theatre, Royal Academy of Music

    Friday 9 February 2024
    7:00 PM
    Susie Sainsbury Theatre, Royal Academy of Music

    Emily performs as Zerlina in the Royal Academy of Music Vocal Faculty Opera Scenes, conducted by Christopher White and directed by Adam Torrance.

  • Resounding Shores: Come Ye Sons of Art

    Sunday 21 January 2024
    1:00 PM
    Duke’s Hall, Royal Academy of Music

    Emily joins the Academy Baroque Soloists and orchestra led by Margaret Faultless, conducted by Eamonn Dougan.

  • Ravel's Trois Poèmes de Stéphane Mallarmé

    Thursday 25 January 2024
    7:00 PM
    Angela Burgess Recital Room, Royal Academy of Music

    Emily performs as soprano soloist for the Academy’s Chamber Music Festival, in partnership with orchestra Klassik Underground, with lighting design by Rick Mountjoy.

  • Handel's Messiah: A Different Perspective

    Sunday 3 December 2023
    3:00 PM
    The Monastery, Gorton

    Emily performs with Kantos Choir and the Manchester Camerata Orchestra, for a restaging of Handel’s Messiah conducted by Ellie Slorach.

  • Handel's Messiah

    Tuesday 19 December 2023
    7:00 PM
    St Mary’s Church, Stafford

    Emily performs as soprano soloist with the Stafford Choral Society, conducted by Charlie Perry.

  • Vivaldi's Gloria

    Monday 18 December 2023
    7:00 PM
    Framlingham College Chapel

    Emily performs as soprano soloist with The Phoenix Singers, conducted by Geoff Lavery.

  • Handel's Messiah

    Sunday 10 December 2023
    2:00 PM
    The Stoller Hall, Manchester

    Emily performs as soprano soloist for Come and Sing with Kantos Choir, conducted by Ellie Slorach.

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