Victoria Couper

A versatile singer and performer with a wide range of experience in the UK and abroad. Victoria sings a variety of music from the medieval period through to the present day, performing with a number of a cappella groups, bands, and in theatrical shows, enjoying the extra expression that movement and story allow, and delighting in the challenge of an ever expanding repertoire.

Victoria began her career with the Oxford Girls’ Choir (dir. Richard Vendome) wearing a gold-sprayed bicycle helmet as the Spirit in Purcell’s Dido & Æneas, simultaneously joining early music ensemble, Sinfonye (dir. Stevie Wishart), in their project exploring St. Hildegard of Bingen’s music with both young and mature voices. From here she went on to study Ethnomusicology at SOAS, University of London, achieving a first in her final performance of Judeo-Spanish songs. 

Since then Victoria has performed as a soloist, ensemble member, and collaborator in various concerts and shows with; a cappella trio Voice; established early music groups Joglaresa (yes here we are!), Lux Musicae London, Musica Secreta, Sinfonye, The Artisans, The City Musick, and The Dufay Collective; Greek Epic-inspired band Daemonia Nymphe; song-theatre pieces Truth, Helen Chadwick & Steven Hoggett (Birmingham Repertory Theatre & UK tour); Remnants, Erratica (The Print Room & Euro-Scene Leipzig); Here All Night, Gare St Lazare Players (Brighton Festival); Home, Yasmin Vardimon & Graham Fitkin (ROH2); and big-band style world music inspired extravaganzas such as Trading Roots, Grand Union Orchestra (dir. Tony Haynes) & BBC Concert Orchestra (Broadcast BBC Radio3), amongst others.

Unforgettable moments (in no particular order) include: tech-ing in the snow for The Fir Tree, Hannah Khalil & Michelle Terry (Shakespeare’s Globe); dance-fighting with sticks for A Winter Wassail, The Society of Strange & Ancient Instruments (Shakespeare’s Globe); singing, balloon in hand, under a raven in flight for Dr Dee, Rufus Norris & Damon Albarn (MIF, ENO, BBC2 Later with Jools Holland); sporting thigh-high waders in a flooded St Mark’s Square for Peter Ackroyd’s Venice, with Schola Pietatis Antonio Vivaldi and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (broadcast BBC4 and BBC Radio3); solfege arpeggios in Glassworks with James McVinnie Ensemble (Barbican); human surround sound for Out of This World, Sinfonye & BBC Singers (Cadogan Hall & Herrenhäusen Festival); and yodeling on a tabletop in the yard for A Winter’s Tale (Shakespeare’s Globe).

Victoria picked up the harp(sicle) one day when Belinda handed it to her after a Joglaresa gig, and is slowly hoping that the accompanying expletives lessen and its natural beauty rings out clear and true. She will rattle hand percussion and strike gongs on request, and may or may not have other musical items lurking around that are slightly too big to hide up her sleeves..

Alongside performing, she enjoys arranging and teaching, and has significant experience leading choirs and workshops in the UK and abroad.