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Spring Concert 2011

From the programme notes:

Elijah by Felix Mendelssohn (1852-1924)

During the 19th century outsiders considered England as 'the land without music'. This was, perhaps, a little unfair. Unlike much of mainland Europe, England was governed by a parliament and was set on economic and imperial growth. We therefore lacked the aristocratic influence and patronage that produced the operatic and symphonic traditions of central and southern Europe. But every British industrial city maintained a large amateur choral society and supported music festivals funded by the captains of those industries. It was a tradition that owed much to the English oratorios of George Frederick Handel and stretched back through Purcell to the great Tudor composers.

The Birmingham Triennial Festival was founded in 1768, just ten years after Handel's death, and was built around large-scale choral performances. From the 1830s Mendelssohn became closely associated with the festival, giving his oratorio St Paul in 1837 and performing his piano concertos at subsequent festivals. Elijah was written for the 1846 festival and was performed under the composer's baton in the Town Hall.

Mendelssohn's genius flowered early and brilliantly with the astonishing Octet written in his 16th year and the overture to Midsummer Night's Dream just one year later. From that moment his life was a whirlwind of musical activity: composing, conducting and editing. The composer's music was particularly popular in Victorian England, indeed he was a favourite of Victoria and Albert. Mendelssohn made 10 visits to Britain, the first of which, in 1829 included his famous trip to the Hebrides that resulted in both the Hebrides Overture and the Scottish Symphony. He prepared critical editions of Handel's oratorios for English publishers as well as composing original music for performance in London and the provinces.

The composition of Elijah when the composer was 37 was a summation of all he had achieved. After its rapturous reception Mendelssohn's health began to break down and a rapid decline was hastened by overwork and the sudden death of his sister. Within 15 months of the premiere the composer was dead.

Catherine Futcher - Soprano

Catherine was runner-up in the BBC Radio Two Choir Girl of the Year competition in 1994, and also won Opera Opportunity in that year. She was a member of the National Youth Music Theatre from 1995-1997 performing at the Edinburgh Fringe, The Lyric in Hammersmith and The City Center Theater, Broadway in New York. As an undergraduate at Royal Holloway, University of London she held a soprano Choral Scholarship and performed in masterclasses given by Susan Bullock and Nancy Long.

Catherine is equally at home singing Classical Opera and Oratorio as Musical Theatre, and her solo roles include Rossini's 'Petite Messe Solennelle', Chilcott's 'Jubilate', Rutter's 'Gloria', Vivaldi's 'Gloria', Dido in Purcell's 'Dido and Aeneas', Galatea in Handel's 'Acis and Galatea', and Marcellina in Mozart's 'The Marriage of Figaro'. Gilbert & Sullivan roles include Rose Maybud in 'Ruddigore', The Plaintiff in 'Trial By Jury' and Mabel in 'Pirates of Penzance'.

Her most recent role was Dorabella in Canterbury Cathedral Garden Opera's summer production of Mozart's 'Cosi Fan Tutte' and she is thrilled to be playing Pamina in 'The Magic Flute' with CCGO this year.

Helen Stanley - Alto

Helen Stanley studied at Trinity College of Music with Teresa Cahill and Rianka Bouwmeester. During her time there she sang with various college ensembles including the TCM Chamber Choir, conducted by Stephen Jackson. She has also been a choral scholar at The Old Royal Naval College Chapel, St Sepulchre-without-Newgate, and St Martin-in-the-fields.

Helen has performed the roles of Dido ('Dido and Aeneas', Tallis Chamber Choir/Opera in the Garden, and Southbank Sinfonia/Bury Court Opera cover), Mrs Herring ('Albert Herring', TCM Opera), Savitri ('Savitri', Freezeframe Opera), Leocasta ('Giustino', TCM Opera). Opera scene credits include Lucretia ('The Rape of Lucretia', TCM Opera Scenes), and Cherubino ('Le Nozze di Figaro'), The Duchess ('A Dinner Engagement'), Angelina ('La Cenerentola') and Carmen ('Carmen'), all with Meridian Opera. Most recently she took part in British Youth Opera's Easter workshops on scenes from 'Le Nozze di Figaro' and 'Company'.

Helen has appeared as a soloist in Schmitt's 'La Tragedie de Salome' with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and in Daniel-Lesur's 'Cantique des Cantiques' with the BBC Symphony Chorus at the BBC Proms. Other solo performances have included Haydn's 'Nelson Mass', Mozart's 'Requiem' and Vivaldi's 'Gloria', also with Sittingbourne Orpheus Choral Society. Most recently she sang the role of Didymus in Handel's 'Theodora'.

Future engagements include DuruflŽ's 'Requiem' and another production of 'Dido and Aeneas' in Kent. In September she will take up a place on the MA course at the Royal Academy of Music, where she will be fully supported in her studies by the J & C Findlay Charitable Foundation.

Paul Young - Tenor

Paul began singing in the choir of Hythe parish church, where he became Head Chorister. This experience inspired him to pursue music at Exeter University, where he was a choral scholar at the cathedral. He ran several music groups including the Exeter Early Music Group, through which he developed his interest in Medieval music. On leaving Exeter he took up employment as a member of the Music staff of the Benedictine school Ampleforth College in North Yorkshire. He also sang frequently in the choir of York Minster. As with the Exeter choir this involved tours and recordings. In 1993 he moved back to Kent to become Director of Music at the Junior King's School, Canterbury. He also became a Lay Clerk at the cathedral. Here he took part in BBC recordings, tours to the USA and around Europe. With his family he spent a year living in Andalucia in Spain, enjoying the relaxed way of life, climate and culture, before returning to England to take a new post of Director of Music at Dover College in Kent.

Throughout his career he has sung professionally as a soloist, mainly in oratorio roles, specialising in repertoire of the Baroque. However, his performances have ranged from music from the early church to 20th century works such as Britten's 'St Nicholas' and Orff's 'Carmina Burana'. Recent performances have included Bach's 'St Matthew Passion', Haydn's 'Creation' and Monteverdi's 'Vespers' as well as taking the principal tenor roles in Mozart operas for Canterbury Cathedral Garden Opera.

James Lawrence - Bass

James was awarded a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music at seventeen where he studied with Kenneth Bowen. He won many singing prizes and developed a busy concert schedule. He took part in masterclasses with Robert Tear, Luigi Alva, James Bowman and Tom Krause. James took the title role of Don Giovanni in the inaugural production of the joint faculty between the Royal Academy and Royal College, and after gaining a Dip.RAM sang four major roles as a post-graduate including the part of Faber in 'The Knot Garden' by Sir Michael Tippett. After leaving the Academy James was sponsored by the Countess of Munster Trust to continue his studies with Yvonne Minton, CBE.

Concerts include Mahler song cycles with orchestra, 'Don Giovanni' with Sir Colin Davis, Faure's 'Requiem' in Cardiff Cathedral, Beethoven's '9th Symphony' in the Barbican, Brahms 'Requiem' in St John Smith's Square and numerous performances in St Martin in the Fields including Bach's 'Cantata 82'. James returned to the role of Don Giovanni with British Youth Opera at the QEH.

James spent two years in Germany, where he studied for the prestigious Konzert Examen at the Folkwang Hochschule in Essen. In Germany he concentrated predominantly on the Lieder repertoire, giving song recitals on live Radio. He also sang the title role in Mendelssohn's 'Elijah' in both Germany and England. S ince returning to the UK he has extended his busy concert schedule and now regularly performs at St.Martin-in-the Fields and for Choral Societies throughout the country. He has recently performed Lieder recitals at the Petersham Festival and appeared in concerts with the Gramophone award winning Maggini Quartet and the acclaimed recorder player Michala Petri. James' vocal range is large and he has sung the tenor parts successfully in Bach's 'Magnificat' and Mozart's 'C minor Mass' in the QEH. He recently repeated this metamorphosis to great acclaim when booked as the Bass Soloist he stepped in to also sing the tenor part of the 'Messiah' at St.Martin-in the-field, when the tenor soloist was taken ill during the performance. His versatility also extends into the jazz field as both singer and trombonist.