"A natural actor... he is as comfortable singing Mozart
as he is performing Sondheim."
-Garth Bardsley
"Neil Balfour used his attractive voice, smooth with a slight dark edge, to his best advantage."
-SeenandHeard International
Indian-Scottish Neil Balfour is an award-winning British Baritone and Voiceover Artist. He started musical life as a pianist, punk-rocker and conductor, graduating from Leeds College of Music, the Royal Northern College of Music and the National Opera Studio, before falling in love with all-things-voice to tell stories. A former Britten-Pears, Samling, Momentum and Concordia artist, he has performed at the Glastonbury Festival and is the first to beatbox in an opera at Longborough Festival Opera..
In the upcoming season engagements include Maslenitsa/Herald The Snowmaiden for English Touring Opera; Guillermo Kahlo Frida for the Northern Opera Group; King Hrothgar Beowulf (world premiere) for Proper Job Theatre; Jacob Displaced (world premiere) for Tête-à-Tête/English National Opera; Navin The End of the World Party (world premiere) for Hull Urban Opera; Bartley Riders to the Sea OperaUpClose; Handel’s Messiah for the City of London Sinfonia; Horovitz’s Captain Noah and his Floating Zoo for the Yorkshire Philharmonic Choir; a recital paired with perfumes for Oxford International Song Festival; and new recordings of songs by Fanny Hensel, Reena Esmail and Cheryl Frances-Hoad.
Highlights in recent seasons include his American debut as Father Thumbprint for Portland Opera; Prince Yamadori Madama Butterfly and The Shoemaker (world premiere) for Welsh National Opera; Alice Through the Looking Glass (world premiere) for the London Symphony Orchestra; Jean Arp Sophie (world premiere) for Tête à Tête; a recital with Roderick Williams for Thaxted Festival and recitals on Schumann and Sondheim for Oxford International Song Festival.
Operatic performances include Colline La bohème (Mananan Opera & OFMAN Madrid Opera Studio); Mercurio La Calisto (Longborough Festival Opera); Don Alfonso Così fan tutte, Quince A midsummer night’s dream and Lord Ellington La vie Parisienne (RNCM); Eustache The Six of Calais (Pegasus Opera); Diktator Der Diktator (Northern Opera Group); Dottore La Traviata (Devon Opera); Cold Genius King Arthur (Glastonbury Festival); Broadcaster The Flying Dutchman (OperaUpClose); Young Artist Macbeth (Buxton International Festival) and the nationwide tours of Aida and Fidelio (Chorus of Opera North). He has also understudied Figaro Le nozze di Figaro (Longborough Festival Opera).
Contemporary opera roles created for Neil include Ibn Al-Haytham Al-Haytham’s light and Texy/Everywhere Back into the world (English Touring Opera); Jean Arp Sophie (Tête à Tête Opera festival); Father Mysterious 44 (the first electronic opera); Dad/La-La A shoe full of stars (YAM Awards Best Opera 2018) and Punch Crocodile (a dark-web animated opera).
Concert performances have included Gershwin’s Porgy & Bess (Leeds Philharmonic Orchestra); Haydn’s Mass in time of War; Bach’s St. Matthew Passion as well as an eclectic mix of song recitals for Leeds Lieder, &Piano, Britten-Pears Arts and the Leeds Opera Festival.
Neil is the first classical artist for sE Electronics and NORD (world-leading microphones & digital pianos), director of ArtSongStory (compelling videos of art-song) and is proud to be supported by Penhaligon’s British Perfumers, VivoBarefoot shoes, Tailfin and Mason Cycles. His work as a voiceover artist has had over 100 million plays.
Outside of opera, Neil is a keen barista, climber and adventure cyclist.
Steven Swales Artist Management represents Neil Balfour worldwide.
MUSIC
The discovery, practice and performance of song enriches understanding of emotion, relationships and all human interaction for performer and audience. Neil collaborates regularly to create artistic videos of songs and stories that are relevant, beautiful and fascinating in today's modern world. To see the full collection visit: www.artsongstory.com
DISCOGRAPHY
CREATOR
SID
SHORT FILM
2023
WINNER
SOUND DESIGN
Vesuvius International
Film Festival
SHOWS
Multiple DatesSat, 20 AprPrinces Quay Event Space, Hull20 Apr 2024, 19:00 – 22:00Princes Quay Event Space, Hull, Waterhouse Ln, Hull HU1 2PQ, UK
Sat, 08 JunWakefield Cathedral08 Jun 2024, 19:00 – 21:00Wakefield Cathedral, Northgate, Wakefield WF1 1HG, UK08 Jun 2024, 19:00 – 21:00Wakefield Cathedral, Northgate, Wakefield WF1 1HG, UKNeil joins the Yorkshire Philharmonic choir and local schools as the soloist in Horowitz's fantastic children's cantata Captain Noah and his Floating Zoo composed in a popular style for unison voices, piano, bass and drums.
Sun, 30 JunHallé at St Michael's30 Jun 2024, 10:00 – 17:00Hallé at St Michael's, 36-38 George Leigh St, Ancoats, Manchester M4 5DG, UK30 Jun 2024, 10:00 – 17:00Hallé at St Michael's, 36-38 George Leigh St, Ancoats, Manchester M4 5DG, UKNeil creates the role of Bartley for a new prologue to Vaughan Williams' Riders to the Sea, composed by Michael Betteridge. Today is a recording day with orchestra and The Sunday Boys Choir ahead of a full-production tour in early 2025.
Sat, 06 JulThaxted Church06 Jul 2024, 19:30 – 20:30Thaxted Church, 1 Margaret St, Thaxted, Dunmow CM6 2QN, UK
Mon, 08 JulThe Cairn Hotel08 Jul 2024, 19:00 – 22:00The Cairn Hotel, Cairn Hotel, Ripon Rd, Harrogate HG1 2JA, UK
27 Jan 2025, 19:00 – 23:00Location is TBDThis masterful miniature is partnered with a specially commissioned choral prelude, The Last Bit of the Moon, bringing hope, light and the modern world to a classic. Combining projection, recorded sound and live performance, this is powerfully direct musical storytelling at its most visceral.
Wed, 15 OctHolywell Music Room15 Oct 2025, 15:00 – 16:00Holywell Music Room, Holywell St, Oxford OX1 3SB, UK
PAST SHOWS
PRESS
VOICEOVER
CAPTIVATING. CONVERSATIONAL. COMFORTING.
Neil Balfour is an award-winning Baritone, Actor and Voiceover Artist with 15 years' experience. His natural-neutral voice is captivating, conversational and comforting. A versatile performer, able to weave interchangeably between styles, he specialises in narration, animation, gaming and explainer videos. Fun Fact: Neil was the original artist (recording all voices) for the viral sensation that was Baby-Shark on the Little Angel Kids Channel.
Equipped with a TV broadcast quality home studio, Neil uses (and is endorsed by) sE Electronics Rupert Neve Tube microphones in an acoustically treated room by GIK Acoustics.
Neil has recorded over 100 VO's for clients including NHS England, Barnardo's, NowPressPlay, Gear4Music and Little Angel (Moonbug) and numerous radio stations. He is represented by agents the UK and USA and his animation work has had well over 100 million plays.
COMMERCIAL
CORPORATE
E-LEARNING
CHARACTER
MEDICAL
ON HOLD
NARRATION
COMEDY
ANIMATION
“Neil is a gifted actor, skilled audio technician, and by far the most professional voice talent I've had the pleasure of working with.”
- Jake Sanders - Director
“Neil was an audio director's dream. His range of voices and ability to adapt accents/timbre and energy is incredibly nuanced.”
- Anna Wheatley, Voice Director
"Neil's accents are strong and he brought the characters to life with a wide range of registers. The sound proofing/isolation on the [home studio] recordings was excellent.”
- Tim Bamber, Head of Sound for Now>Press>Play
VOICE YOUR CHANGE
Neil Balfour is using his voice for change.
He believes in an inclusive, equitable and regenerative world for all people on our shared planet. At least 1% of all his profits go to human and environmental causes that help make these values a reality.
Recognising that climate change poses a threat to the economy, nature and society-at-large, Neil Balfour commits to take action immediately in order to:
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Instantly and dramatically reduce his carbon emissions
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Use green energy and products in all areas of life
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Use cycling, walking and public transport as primary modes of travel
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Eat an 'ultra-flexitarian' diet
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Achieve net zero emissions before 2025
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Detail his progress on a yearly basis
In doing so, he is proud to be recognised by the United Nations Race to Zero campaign, and join governments, businesses, cities, regions, and universities around the world that share the same mission.
To date, Neil Balfour has offset 32 tonnes of carbon dioxide by supporting a Global portfolio of Verified Carbon Reduction Projects as well as planting trees across the UK and the Great Rift Valley, Kenya.
In recognition of Neil's efforts to continuously prove that cycling and walking are viable options for primary travel he is proud to be supported by VivoBarefoot shoes, Tailfin and Mason Cycles.
To view the climate report or for any questions please email:
GET IN
TOUCH
NEIL BALFOUR
IS THE FIRST
CLASSICAL ARTIST
FOR sE ELECTRONICS
Manufacturer of
world-class microphones