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Falls Church resident Chris Dudley, 31, has been blessed by Pope John Paul II, held a private audience with Queen Elizabeth II and soon will ride an elephant in Nepal.

But during a typical week, Dudley splits his work schedule between saving lives as an emergency medical technician, singing in chorale concerts throughout the region and running his own voice studio.

"I like to stay busy and I've lived somewhat of a charmed life thus far," he said in his distinct British accent.

On Sunday, Dudley will perform for the first time with the nonprofit 240-member New Dominion Chorale in a concert at Northern Virginia Community College's Rachel Schlesinger Concert Hall in Alexandria.

Dudley grew up in Great Britain, the son of an American mother and an Australian father, both professional classical singers who once toured the world together.

When Dudley was 7, his father, a classical concert singer, performed at the Vatican.

"One of my earliest memories is being kissed and blessed by the Pope," Dudley said.

In addition to his parents' musical influence, Dudley gained early voice training as a choirboy while enrolled at St. George's School at Windsor Castle in England. "I also learned to play both piano and cello there," he said.

In 2001, while attending a reunion with his former classmates, he was touring the gardens at Windsor Castle and happened upon an impromptu meeting with Queen Elizabeth II.

"She was walking her 14 or so Corgi dogs without any type of security around and I just came upon her," Dudley remembered. "I asked her if I could join her in her walk, and to my surprise, she invited me to do just that. She told me that her granddaughter was about to attend St. George's, and I told her I was thinking about going to the United States. She then told me about her visits there."

That same year, after graduating from the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England, Dudley decided to look for a job in the U.S.

He contacted National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., to see if they needed a countertenor.

"Within a day, I received a reply saying I could start as soon as I could get there," Dudley said. "Because they are so commonplace in England, I didn't realize how rare countertenors are in the United States."

"A countertenor generally sings one octave higher than one would expect a man to sing. It is generally somewhat more of a male alto, than it is a high tenor," explained Thomas Beveridge, New Dominion Chorale's conductor and artistic director.

Beveridge said he was contacted by Dudley late last year and was immediately impressed by his ability.

"I was very struck by the quality of his singing," he said. "I had originally planned for a boy soprano to sing the part Chris will now do, but after hearing Chris's voice I feel that it will lend a sweeter, more mature aspect to the piece."

When he is not performing or teaching his 15 or so private voice students, Dudley often helps to save lives as an EMT with the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad.

"I see gunshots, car accidents and all sorts of mayhem," Dudley said.

"Dudley is very competent, level-headed and well-respected by the squad," said squad Chief Ned Sherburne. "During the holidays, he can also get some great pageant tickets."

"I never expected to ever get into the medical field," Dudley said. "But I used to live in Gaithersburg, Md., and one day in 2002 I was passing the Bethesda-Chevy Chase station and saw a sign that said, 'Opportunity of a lifetime, apply now.' How could I resist that?"

While living in England, Dudley volunteered his time working with the disabled, but was told he was not qualified to perform the same duties when he came to the U.S.

"The EMT training was only about six months, so I gave it a shot," he said. "Most of the people there have government jobs or do medical research in addition to the rescue squad. I am probably the only one involved in music."

Not long after volunteering, Dudley met the love of his life at the squad and plans to marry his fiancée and fellow squad member, Shristhi Puri, in Nepal.

"Her family lives there," he said. "It will be a big elaborate ceremony in which I will be painted red and get to ride an elephant."

After that, the couple will return to Falls Church and participate in another ceremony at National Cathedral which will be attended by people from both of his normally separated worlds: rescue squad crew members and chorale singers.

"Of the two ceremonies, that will be the strange one," he said.

See dudley perform

Countertenor Chris Dudley will be a featured vocalist when the 240-voice New Dominion Chorale, conducted by Thomas Beveridge, performs at 4 p.m. Sunday at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall on the Alexandria campus of Northern Virginia Community College, 3001 N. Beauregard St. Tickets are sold at the door or at www.newdominion.org or 703-442-9404.