Martin Le Poidevin was born in Essex and educated at Colchester Royal Grammar School and Bristol University, where he gained a First Class Degree in Music.
He is a well-known oratorio soloist in the west country, with a wide repertoire. He has also sung as soloist with internationally renowned orchestras and groups such as The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra,the Brno Symphony Orchestra and his Majesties Sagbutts and Cornetts. He has sung the solo parts in the first performances of many oratorios, including Philip Wilbye’s A Bronte Mass at the Colston Hall.
As well as an oratorio soloist Martin has sung a wide range of operatic roles, including Ford (Falstaff), The Count (Marriage of Figaro) and Aeneas (Dido and Aeneas). He has created a number of roles. He is also a recitalist – he specialises in the classical song cycles and English song. He’s currently exploring many facets of the unaccompanied repertoire.
Recent performances have included singing with the Tallis Scholars, and appearing at the prestigious re-opening of the Bristol Old Vic theatre and taking the leading role of Stalin in a new play.
Alongside his professional singing engagements, Martin is a member of the music staff at Clifton Cathedral, with whom he has made countless recordings and broadcasts. He regularly directs the diocesan choir and visits and advises parishes to help with their music-making. He is a published composer, and is working on a project to make regular recordings of the modern church music repertoire available on the internet.
Martin is also a singing teacher with well over 50 students on his books, and runs a small internet programming agency specialising in music projects. He is married with five young children.