Martin studied at the Royal Northern College of Music. After ten years as vocal tutor at Sibford School, and more than 20 years as a professional singer, Martin now focuses on his many Musical Director responsibilities, as well as teaching privately from home.
Martin previously held the position of Musical Director with Bicester Choral and Operatic Society from May 1999 to Jan 2002, conducting a wide range of musical genres from Purcell to Broadway musicals and was delighted to pick up the baton once again, having been appointed Musical Director from May 2012.
He is Musical Director with The Warriner Choral Society; their longest serving MD, having taken on the role in 2004. Since that time he has conducted Faure`s Requiem, Haydn`s Little Organ Mass, Puccini`s and Rossini`s Messa di Gloria, Haydn`s The Seasons, Carl Orff`s Carmina Burana, Beethoven`s Mass in C, Bizet`s Carmen and Mendelssohn's Elijah, and many more.
Since September 2018 he has also been Musical Director of Kidlington Amateur Operatic Society - only their 2nd MD in 40 years!
Previous MD roles include:
Chorus Master at Stowe Opera for many years: Rusalka, Don Carlos, Hansel & Gretel, and the critically acclaimed production of Carmen.
From 2010-2013 Martin was Musical Director for the Deddington Festival "Come and Sing" workshop and performance days. In this time he guided singers through Carl Orff`s masterpiece Carmina Burana, Karl Jenkins` The Armed Man, and a concert performance of The Mikado.
From November 2010 until July 2012 Martin was engaged as Joint Musical Director with Banbury Choral Society.
Martin has worked with many of Britain`s leading opera companies. Roles include: Ruiz Il Trovatore and Morales Carmen (Stowe Opera), Leonard Merryll The Yeomen of the Guard (BYO, Lindbury Studio, Covent Garden), Strephon Iolanthe (Guildford Opera), Ernesto Don Pasquale (Pavilion Opera, Manilla, Philippines), Dr Blind Die Fledermaus and Goro Madam Butterfly (Opera Box).
He has also worked extensively in opera chorus: The Abduction from the Seraglio (BYO, Lindbury Studio, Covent Garden), Lucia di Lammermoor, Eugene Onegin, Rusalka , Don Carlos (Stowe Opera), Der Rosenkavlier (Spoleto Festival, Italy) conducted by Richard Hickox, Pearl Fishers / Daughter of the Regiment (Swansea City Opera) and La Traviata /Don Giovanni (English Touring Opera).
Concert engagements have included: Mozart Requiem (Christchurch Cathedral, Oxford) and Coronation Mass with Emma Kirkby, Messiah, West Side Story Suites "Action" (Oxford Philomusica), Bach B-minor Mass (Leicester Bach Choir), Song of Creation by Will Todd (premiere performance), Mahler`s Symphony No.8 (Wholsey Orchestra, Ipswich under Peter Stark) and Britten`s Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings (Stamford Chamber Orchestra), Beethoven Symphony No.9 (Bardi Orchestra), Beethoven Mass in C (Leicester University Chamber Orchestra), St. John Passion (Voices of Little Venice), Messiah (City of Leicester Singers), Mozart Vespers / Haydn Harmony Mass and Evangelist in St. John Passion (Brackley Jubilee Choir), Mozart Coronation Mass (Woodstock Music Society), Rossini Petite Messe Solennelle / Bach St. John Passion / Israel in Egypt (St. James Singers, Warwick) and Don Jose Carmen (Bicester Choral and Operatic Society).
In 2011 Martin toured with Swansea City Opera in their production of The Barber of Seville, singing the role of The Policeman/Ensemble, understudying the role of Count Almaviva and acting as Assistant Stage Director.
Martin has recorded for Chandos, BBC Music Magazine, BBC Television and has appeared at the Classical Brit Awards 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2008.