Michael Craddock began his musical education with the Choir of Trinity College Cambridge, with whom he sung for four years whilst studying Mathematics. Since then, he has performed as an ensemble singer, opera and oratorio soloist both in the UK and internationally.
He was a founding member of the award-winning vocal group The Gesualdo Six, he performed with the ensemble for 10 years, touring internationally to venues including Wigmore Hall, the Sydney Opera House, and St. John the Divine in New York, and producing 10 acclaimed recordings on the Hyperion label. Other freelance consort and choral engagements include work with Gabrieli, Vox Luminis, the Marian Consort, the BBC Singers, The Sixteen, Polyphony, the Choir of the Enlightenment and the Dunedin Consort.
In addition to this Michael enjoys oratorio solo work and consort performance. He has a particular affinity with the music of JS Bach, and has given many performances with the group Amici Voices, who specialise in one-voice-per-part performances of Bach's vocal works. In their performance of the St Matthew Passion ‘Michael Craddock … deserve(d) special mention’ (Early Music Review). He was singled out by Opera News magazine for 'beautifully shaped' solo singing, with 'comforting tone' in Amici Voices CD release of BWV 106 and 182 (Hyperion). Further oratorio solo performances include bass arias in the St Matthew Passion with the Auckland Philharmonia, and Pilate/Arias in the John Passion with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra.
2020 led Michael and his partner Helen Charlston to create The Isolation Songbook, a project in which they commissioned 15 composers to write music for mezzo-soprano and baritone, working with the pianist Alexander Soares. It received its premiere in July 2020 as part of the City Music Foundation’s series at the St Pancras Clock Tower and has since been performed at the Oxford Lieder festival and recorded on the Delphian label.
Recent projects include appearances at the Suffolk Villages Festival, exploring French Baroque music from Molière’s plays and Purcell’s The Fairy Queen, performing with Festival Voices and the Sacconi Quartet in Terry Riley’s Sun Rings at Kings Place and singing Christus for Ipswich Chamber Choir and the Geldart Ensemble's performance of the St. Matthew Passion at Snape Maltings. He is a member of the choir of the London Oratory.
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