Paul Miles-Kingston

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Paul Kenneth Miles-Kingston (born 8 April 1972, in London, England) [1] is a British director of music, bass singer and organist who achieved fame as a boy soprano classical singer.

Contents

Childhood and singing career

Paul Miles-Kingston was born in 1972, the son of William Henry Miles-Kingston (1932-1999) and Carole Miles-Lovelock (formerly Miles-Kingston), née Brett (1945-2022). He has two brothers. [2] [3] [4]

Miles-Kingston received his primary education at St Faith’s Primary School, Winchester. [2]

In 1982, he won a choral scholarship to Winchester Cathedral Choir. [5] While a chorister, he sang many solos in services, broadcasts and oratorios. He toured the US and Canada with the choir in 1983, and sang with them at the BBC Proms. He won several prizes as a chorister for his solo singing and also for his musical contribution at The Pilgrims' School (the Winchester Cathedral Choir School).

He achieved success as a treble soloist in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Requiem , appearing with Sarah Brightman, Plácido Domingo and the Winchester Cathedral Choir at the world premiere in New York City [6] and the British premiere in Westminster Abbey. [7]

Miles-Kingston was awarded a silver disc for the single 'Pie Jesu', which reached number 3 in the charts, [8] and also received gold and platinum discs for the album, [5] [9] which sold over 400,000 copies by 1985 and won a Grammy Award in 1986. [3] [5] Jacob Siskind gave this review in Ottawa Citizen of Miles-Kingston's performance on the recording:

"Paul Miles-Kingston is the superb boy-soprano. He is so good he may almost give trebles a good name." [10]

In 1985, Miles-Kingston sang twice at the Barbican Centre in London and also took part in a Gala Royal attended by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh in Edinburgh. [11] [12] On 18 August 1985, he appeared in Opera for Africa at the Arena di Verona in Italy, where he sang Lloyd Webber's 'Pie Jesu' with Sarah Brightman (with Lloyd Webber himself conducting for the first time in his career) and with singers such as Gwyneth Jones, Agnes Baltsa, Zdzisława Donat, Sherrill Milnes, José Carreras, Renato Bruson, Yevgeny Nesterenko and Giorgio Zancanaro making up the chorus. His performance was included on the CD that was released subsequently. [13] [14]

Miles-Kingston was head chorister of Winchester Cathedral [3] from January to July 1985. At that time Martin Neary was organist and master of the choristers. Together they released the album Music From Winchester Cathedral in 1985. [15] The magazine The American Organist gave Miles-Kingston the following review for his singing talent in the July 1987 issue:

"His voice is quintessentially English: that is to say, it is not especially big, nor does it have the reedy continental color. But it is pure, clear and flawlessly even throughout its range. Although I doubt it was intended for the purpose, this recording will be an invaluable study instrument for trainers of childrens' voices and choirs." [16]

Miles-Kingston continued his education at Cranleigh School [17] in Surrey and later at Durham University where he graduated in music and achieved a first in his finals recital as an organist. [5]

For several years he worked as an oratorio soloist and consort singer, where he sang bass. [5]

Adult career and personal life

Miles-Kingston has a Master of Arts in music from University of York, 2009, [18] based on his thesis "Training Boys to Sing" from 2008. [19] He has been St Peter's School, York director of music since September 2010, having served in the capacity as assistant director of music at the school since 2006. [3] [5] [20]

He emphasizes that being a chorister or teaching choristers is not only about the music, but also about acquiring skills that benefit one later in education and life:

"Being a cathedral chorister involves commitment, hard work and sustained focus — skills which transfer directly to academic learning." [21]

His son, William 'Will' Miles-Kingston, was tutored by him in singing, and as a chorister at York Minster won the BBC Radio 2 Young Choristers of the Year competition in 2019. [22] [23]

Recordings

Singles

CD

References

  1. ↑ "Records for 'Paul Miles-Kingston' in MyHeritage". MyHeritage . Retrieved 15 October 2025.
  2. 1 2 "Obituary: Tribute to talented singer Carole Miles-Lovelock". Hampshire Chronicle . 16 November 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Napier, Andrew (7 January 2020). "Will Miles-Kingston named as one of BBC Radio 2's Young Choristers of the Year". Hampshire Chronicle . Retrieved 15 October 2025.
  4. ↑ "Records for 'William Miles-Kingston' in MyHeritage". MyHeritage . Retrieved 15 October 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "IN CONCERT, 27 July at 2:00 p.m. Students from Saint Peter's School, York, UK". Grace Church in New York . July 2025. Retrieved 20 October 2025.
  6. ↑ Brightman, Sarah. "Reflecting on "Recordare"". sarahbrightman.com . Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  7. ↑ "Requiem At Westminster Abbey Andrew Lloyd-webber Right With His Wife Sarah Brightman And Young Paul Miles-kingston Between Them And Conductor Lorin Maazel Top Left With Placido Domingo". Shutterstock . 21 April 1985. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  8. ↑ "Choirboy hits silver record". Gainesville Sun . 30 March 1985. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  9. ↑ "Gold Award For Requiem : Archbishop Of Canterbury Dr Robert Runcie Presenting Gold Albums To Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber (centre) His Singer Wife Sarah Brightman And Choirboy Paul Miles-kingston". Shutterstock . 29 March 1985. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  10. ↑ Siskind, Jacob (6 April 1985). "Easter and Passover celebrated - Classical recordings". Ottawa Citizen . Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  11. ↑ "Royal Gala Performance in the presence of Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness the Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh in the Playhouse Theatre, Edinburgh on Wednesday, 3rd July, 1985, at 7.30 p.m." The Glasgow Herald . 17 June 1985. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  12. ↑ Brightman, Sarah (26 March 2025). "This week, 40 years ago". Facebook . Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  13. ↑ "Opera for Africa - Gala - Arena di Verona - 1985". YouTube . 18 August 1985. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  14. ↑ "Arena Di Verona: Opera For Africa (Live From Verona)". Discogs . 1986. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  15. ↑ "Music From Winchester Cathedral". Discogs . 1985. Retrieved 20 October 2025.
  16. ↑ "Recordings: Music From Winchester Cathedral. Paul Miles-Kingston" (PDF). American Guild of Organists / The American Organist . July 1987. Retrieved 20 October 2025. (Vol. 21, No. 7, p. 29)
  17. ↑ "Paul's Link with the Top Stars". West Sussex County Times. 13 October 1989. p. 16.
  18. ↑ Lewis, Haydn (29 January 2009). "York University awards its scholars". The Press . Retrieved 15 October 2025.
  19. ↑ Feldman, Martha (2015). "The Castrato. Reflections on Natures and Kinds (p. 319)". Google Books . Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  20. ↑ "Partnership programme - St Peter's York – a new Community Choir". Choir Schools' Association . Retrieved 20 October 2025.
  21. ↑ "Chorister Skills Shine in Outstanding A Level Results". Choir Schools' Association . 21 August 2025. Retrieved 20 October 2025.
  22. ↑ "Perseverance pays: The chorister who wouldn't give up". BBC Radio 2. BBC. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  23. ↑ "Will Miles-Kingston Wins Young Choristers of the Year, 2019". The Minster School of York. 23 December 2019. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  24. ↑ "A Dedication With Carole & Paul Miles-Kingston". Discogs . Retrieved 15 October 2025.
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