Our series of live lunchtime concerts in the Fratry continues on Tuesday 1st July with a performance of Erik Satie’s chamber cantata ‘Socrate’ – a moving reflection on the life and death of the ancient Greek philosopher.
While entry to our concerts is complimentary, we encourage contributions during the collection at the end of each performance to support both the talented artists and the Cathedral. Your generosity will help us continue to bring such enriching events to the community. We look forward to seeing you there!
Socrate’ – Erik Satie’s masterwork
Well-known local singers Fiona Weakley, Anne-Marie Kerr and Catherine St Ville have teamed up with accompanist David T Shingler to offer this performance on the 100th anniversary of Satie’s death. Though famous around the world for his Trois Gymnopédies and other piano pieces, Satie’s more substantial works are undeservedly underperformed. Today’s concert is a rare chance to hear the work which caused Stravinsky to exclaim: “there is Bizet, Chabrier, and Satie!”
About the performers:
Anne-Marie Kerr grew up in Glasgow in a large family imbued with the musical and literary cultures of her French mother and Scots-Irish father. After studying music and languages in Glasgow and London, she settled in Cumbria in 1999. Since then she has enjoyed singing solo and as a member of various chamber choirs, including The Wordsworth Singers alongside Fiona and Catherine. Anne-Marie also sings in folk duo Fain, and directs Cockermouth’s women’s choir The Castlegate Singers.
Fiona Weakley is based in Cumbria and enjoys a varied musical life of recital and concert engagements as well as teaching voice and playing piano for choral groups.
Fiona’s vocal repertoire encompasses a wide range of styles, from Renaissance to contemporary classical, and she is equally at home collaborating with other musicians in choirs, as guest soloist in choral events and solo recitals.
Solo engagements have included ‘Last Night of the Proms’ concerts at Theatre by the Lake in Keswick, recitals at Carlisle Cathedral and numerous collaborations with Michael Hancock, including a CD of poetry and song, On Linnet’s Wings.
Fiona is the Assistant Musical Director for the Cockermouth-based choir Castlegate Singers and rehearsal pianist for Cockermouth Harmonic Singers. She is an official accompanist for Whitehaven and Workington Musical Festivals and maintains a busy teaching practice.
Catherine St Ville enjoys performing as a soprano soloist and in chamber ensembles. Her solo repertoire includes Mozart’s Missa Solemnis and the C Minor Mass, Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle, the Monteverdi Vespers, Finzi’s In Terra Pax, Haydn’s Nelson Mass and Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas and The Fairy Queen.
The ensembles include Caritas Chamber Choir, based in Canterbury, with whom she toured, recorded 6 CDs, sung 10 concerts each year, and many services at Canterbury Cathedral; Temenos, an early music ensemble based in Kent; and since moving to Cumbria 18 months ago, The Wordsworth Singers, Adamas Voces and the ‘Church Mice’ of Kirkandrews on Esk.
Catherine has studied with several voice coaches, latterly Graham Titus, a former BBC Singer and composer, based in Kent.
David T Shingler is currently Organ Scholar of Carlisle Cathedral, having previously been assistant/deputy organist at St Mary’s Parish Church in Wigton. In addition to a six-day week at the cathedral (both accompanying and conducting services, and helping to train the choristers), David teaches piano at the Nelson Thomlinson School in Wigton and frequently appears as a concert accompanist for local choirs including Wigton Choral Society, Cockermouth Harmonic Society, Keswick Choral Society, Brampton Chamber Choir and the Wordsworth Singers. He has been accompanist to the Abbey Singers (of Carlisle) since 2021, and is the current rehearsal accompanist to Cumbria Singers (formerly Cumbria Rural Choirs). In recent months David has also accompanied services at Chichester and Llandaff cathedrals, and has given organ recitals at Kendal and Grasmere parish churches, and Carlisle and Newcastle cathedrals.
We hope you can join us. No booking or tickets are required.
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