Born in Lewes in 1966, Belinda Sykes was raised listening to English folk songs. She studied the oboe and recorder at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London, then researched European Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque music, and music of the old Ottoman and Arabic Empires. She also has a Master's Degree in Ethnomusicology and Arabic music from London University’s School of Oriental and African Studies.
Belinda Sykes studied the Arabic language, vocal and dance styles, and Judeo-Spanish song, voice and improvisation during her extensive fieldwork in Morocco, Bulgaria, Spain, Jordan, Israel, Syria and India.
In 1992 she founded Joglaresa, the most popular and busiest British medieval band, of which she is the director. Constituted of remarkable international performers from different musical backgrounds (classical, jazz, world and folk), the group has a sound that is both traditional and contemporary, incorporating elements of Flamenco and Celtic, Medieval and Middle Eastern music.
As an oboist Belinda Sykes has played for the King’s Consort, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Gabrieli Consort, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, The Hanover Band and The English Concert, and won the Reichenberg Award for Baroque Oboe in 1990.
Belinda Sykes has recorded and sung solo with many early music ensembles, such as Tragicomedia, Unicorn Ensemble, Harp Consort and Red Byrd to name a few.
As a soloist, she has performed at such venues as The Royal Albert Hall and The Carnegie Hall and collaborated with The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Belinda Sykes has collaborated with many great composers, including Harrison Birtwistle, George Fenton, Matthew Ferraro, Orlando Gough, Harry Gregson-Williams, Richard Harvey, Christian Henson, James Horner, Karl Jenkins, Adrian Johnston, Trevor Jones, Rob Lane, Dominic Muldowney, Jocelyn Pook, Graeme Revell, Howard Shore, Richard Wells and Gabriel Yared.
She has sung on soundtracks with diverse artists, like the Master Musicians of Joujouka, Norma Winstone and Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
Since 2000, Belinda Sykes is Professor of Medieval Music at Trinity College of Music. She has also taught at the Guilhall School of Music, the Royal College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music.
Belinda Sykes studied the Arabic language, vocal and dance styles, and Judeo-Spanish song, voice and improvisation during her extensive fieldwork in Morocco, Bulgaria, Spain, Jordan, Israel, Syria and India.
In 1992 she founded Joglaresa, the most popular and busiest British medieval band, of which she is the director. Constituted of remarkable international performers from different musical backgrounds (classical, jazz, world and folk), the group has a sound that is both traditional and contemporary, incorporating elements of Flamenco and Celtic, Medieval and Middle Eastern music.
As an oboist Belinda Sykes has played for the King’s Consort, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Gabrieli Consort, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, The Hanover Band and The English Concert, and won the Reichenberg Award for Baroque Oboe in 1990.
Belinda Sykes has recorded and sung solo with many early music ensembles, such as Tragicomedia, Unicorn Ensemble, Harp Consort and Red Byrd to name a few.
As a soloist, she has performed at such venues as The Royal Albert Hall and The Carnegie Hall and collaborated with The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Belinda Sykes has collaborated with many great composers, including Harrison Birtwistle, George Fenton, Matthew Ferraro, Orlando Gough, Harry Gregson-Williams, Richard Harvey, Christian Henson, James Horner, Karl Jenkins, Adrian Johnston, Trevor Jones, Rob Lane, Dominic Muldowney, Jocelyn Pook, Graeme Revell, Howard Shore, Richard Wells and Gabriel Yared.
She has sung on soundtracks with diverse artists, like the Master Musicians of Joujouka, Norma Winstone and Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
Since 2000, Belinda Sykes is Professor of Medieval Music at Trinity College of Music. She has also taught at the Guilhall School of Music, the Royal College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music.