22 August 2010: Colette Boushell (soprano), Andrew Boushell (tenor), Simon Harden (organ)
Simon Harden was born in Dublin and has lived in and pursued his career as a concert organist in Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt and Paris. Initial organ lessons with Gerard Gillen and Peter Sweeney began whilst in Dublin. Supported by German government scholarships, his performance studies at the Musikhochschulen in Berlin (Leo van Doeselaar) and Hamburg (Wolfgang Zerer) led to a first-class Diplom. Further studies in Paris (Eric Lebrun) gained him a Premier Prix and a scholarship from the City of Hamburg enabled the completion of a postgraduate degree (Konzertexamen) in the organ soloist class. Prizes at international competitions include 1st prize and audience prize at the International Schnitger Organ Competition 2007 in Alkmaar, Holland and 2nd prize at the Swiss Grand Prix Bach de Lausanne 2006. Simon was selected from all the instrumental students at the Hochschule fürMusik und Theater Hamburg in 2006 to receive the DAAD prize for ‘outstanding performance and intercultural involvement’. Following several years as Kantor at a large German parish, Simon became director of music at the Anglican Church in Frankfurt. He teaches at the Frankfurt International School and is busy as a recitalist. Regular concert engagements have taken him to France, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, the UK, Belarus, Bulgaria, and Japan.
Colette Boushell is a graduate of the Benjamin Britten International Opera School at the Royal College of Music where she studied under Lillian Watson. She also holds BMus and MMus Performance degrees from the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama in Dublin. Colette is an experienced recitalist and concert performer, having sung in many prestigious venues throughout Ireland, the UK, Germany and Japan. She has participated in masterclasses with such distinguished singers as Dennis O’Neill, Nelly Miricioiu, Valerie Masterson and Rosalind Plowright. During her time at the RCM, Colette performed the title role in Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen, the role of Sandrina in Mozart’s La Finta Giardiniera, Titania in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream for the BBIOS and the role of Tina in the London première of Jonathan Dove’s Flight for British Youth Opera in 2008. Recent engagements include an opera showcase with Clonter Opera Company, Monteverdi’s Vespers with the Culwick Choral Society and the cover of Gilda in Verdi’s Rigoletto for Iford Arts Festival in Bath.
Andrew Boushell is the Douglas and Hilda Simmonds scholar at the Royal College of Music where he studies with Tim Evans-Jones. He is an honours graduate of the BMus course at the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama, Dublin, where he studied voice with Deirdre Grier-Delaney. He has participated in many masterclasses with artists such as Ann Murray, Roger Vignoles and Dennis O’Neill and is an accomplished recitalist, having performed in Ireland, the UK, Belgium and the US. Operatic experience includes the role of The Young Collector in Opera Ireland’s première of Previn’s A Streetcar Named Desire, Older Brother in Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking, Ferrando in Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte in a joint production between the D.I.T and Opera Ireland, a national tour of Ireland performing the title role in Mozart’s Bastien and Bastienne as a member of OTC’s Young Associate Artist Programme and the cover of Sellem in Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress for British Youth Opera in September 2009. Recent engagements include the role of King Oebalus in Mozart’s Apollo et Hyacinthus at the Rose Theatre, London. Andrew gratefully acknowledges the support of the Josephine Baker Trust and the Travel and Training award from the Arts Council of Ireland.
Matthias Weckmann (1616–1674) : Magnificat II Toni
George Frederic Handel (1685–1759): Meine Seele, HWV 207, Süße Stille, HWV 205 from Neun deutsche Arien
Johann Kaspar Kerll (1627–1693): Passacaglia in D minor
Dietrich Buxtehude (1637–1707): Ciacona in C minor, BuxWV 159
Max Reger (1873–1916): Zwei geistliche Lieder (1900)
Giacomo Puccini (1858–1924) : Salve Regina
Jehan Alain (1911–1940) :Première fantaisie, Deuxième fantaisie
Gabriel Fauré (1845–1924): Ave Maria, op. 93, Maria, Mater Gratiae, op. 47, no. 2, Pleurs d’or, op. 72