Allegro from Lesson 1 Eliza Turner (1700-1756)
From 5 Betjeman Songs Madeline Dring (1923-1977)
A Bay in Anglesey
Undenominational
Ophelia’s song Elizabeth Maconchy (1907-1994)
Minuet from Lesson 3 Eliza Turner
Song of the Mad Prince Ailsa Dixon (1932-2017)
Come away Death
Scotaza from Lesson 1 Eliza Turner
Andante from Lesson 2 Eliza Turner
Nixe Binsefuss Pauline Viardot (1821-1910)
In der Frühe
Tambourin from Lesson 1 Eliza Turner
O Mistress Mine Amy Beach (1867-1944)
Take O take
Fairy Lullaby
Savoyard from Lesson 5 Eliza Turner
From 7 Shakespeare Songs Madeline Dring
Come away, death
Take o take those lips away
It was a lover and his lass
When daisies pied
Kate Semmens has sung extensively with some of the country’s most eminent choirs and consorts, including the Monteverdi Choir, Dunedin Consort, Gabrieli Consort and Eric Whitacre Singers. Kate was a soloist on Andrew Parrott’s recording of Taverner’s Western Wind Mass which won the Gramophone Award for Early Music in 2017. Kate also enjoys working in Opera and last summer played the role of Lisetta in Paisiello’s La Frascatana for New Chamber Opera. She has performed roles ranging from Ottavia in Monteverdi’s L’Incoronazione di Poppea and Mrs P in Michael Nyman’s The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat. Kate is increasingly known as a vocal coach and has worked with Nancy Argenta at the Victoria Baroque Oratorio Summer School as well as directing masterclasses at Baroque Week and vocal workshops at Dartington International Summer School. Kate has worked extensively in education projects with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, exploring improvisation through the works of Purcell. She has recently been enjoying exploring the work of women composers with particular emphasis on the songs of Fanny Mendelssohn and Clara Schumann. Kate regularly performs in festivals and has recently presented a recital of English 18th century songs as part of the Valetta Baroque Festival in Malta as well performing a concert of Mozart and Haydn accompanied by Boxwood and Brass at Baroquestock in Hampstead.
Steven Devine combines a career as a conductor and director of orchestral, choral and opera repertoire with that of a solo harpsichordist and fortepianist. He is Conductor and Artistic Advisor of The English Haydn Festival; Music Director of New Chamber Opera, Oxford and Director of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment’s “Bach the Universe & Everything” series.
He is the Principal Keyboard with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and performs regularly with many other groups around Europe. His recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations (Chandos Records) wa described by Gramophone magazine as “among the best”. He is currently engaged in recording the complete harpsichord works of JL Krebs, Bach’s favourite student.
Steven Devine was educated at Chetham’s School of Music before reading Music at St Peter’s College, Oxford.