A true pioneer, an impeccable musician and a tireless worker. All the foregoing can describe Alfred Deller. He discovered his unusual voice while a student in the Cantebury Cathedral Choir. At that time (the early 1940's) the countertenor voice as a professional occupation was unheard of. With the support of composer Michael Tippet however, Deller made his London debut in the deepest days of WWII.

His fame spread rapidly owing to the unusual beauty of his voice and Alfred Dller sang in the inaugural broadcast of BBC Radio 3 in 1946. By the following year, his international career was in full swing. Deller founded The Deller Consort which was a pioneer in the revival of interest in early music, but he was also a champion of living composers. Benjamin Britten wrote the part of Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream especially for Deller.

He was a prolific organiser as well, founding a music festival in1963 whose roster included Frans Bruggen and Gustav Leonhardt, among others. Deller has paved the way for two further generations of countertenors whose early 21st century zenith finds itself now with world stars such as David Daniels and Andreas Scholl.