On 17 May 2025, we returned to the lovely St Martin’s Chapel at the University of Cumbria in Lancaster for a day led by Deborah Catterall. With 8 instrumentalists and 14 singers, we covered music by Johannes Prioris, Pomponio Nenna and Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, discussing breathing and singing techniques along the way. The weather stayed fine, and all in all it was a most enjoyable day. A full review will appear in a future Newsletter.
More information about the day:
Three talented men who were inextricably bound by the musical constraints within the style of the day. What can we unearth of them as human beings, their lives and their connection to the divine, were we just to dig deeply into their music?
Johannes Prioris (c1460-1514): lesser known but superbly gifted with a fascinating style unlike any other composer of his era. His music beckons the spirit to lift softly to heaven, as incense rises to the heights of a church.
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525-1594) : incredibly well suited to the writing constraints imposed by the Council of Trent. His technical ability and spiritual connection marry in stunning fashion, culminating for our workshop in his Missa Papae Marcelli. We will look at a few movements from this Mass.
Pomponio Nenna (1556-1608) : brings more overt modes of expression in both sacred and secular music. His integration of life and spirit as one is there in his madrigals and his compositions for Holy Week.
Deborah, an experienced singing teacher, will also cover vocal and breathing techniques for singing this beautiful repertoire. In this short video, Deborah talks about her inspiration and focus for the day.
The Tutor
Deborah Catterall has been an early music specialist since her days at the Royal Northern College of Music and she now teaches there on a semi-regular basis. She is the lead tutor of the Higham Hall Early Music Summer School, and Conductor of Voci, and Dyffryn Clwyd Singers. She was a Musical Director of the Liverpool Renaissance Singers and the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain, and has also taught at Chetham’s School of Music.
Deborah is also a soloist with the York Waits and sings regularly with Richard MacKenzie and Hugh Cherry (lutes). Recent performances include BBC Radio 3 as a soloist, and at the National Centre for Early Music.
Deborah lives with her husband, David and Yorkshire terrier, Charlie, in the Vale of Clwyd in North Wales.
