Graham Coatman
composer musical director
choral trainer accompanist & continuo
artistic & festival director workshop leader
lecturer, teacher, adjudicator
composer musical director
choral trainer accompanist & continuo
artistic & festival director workshop leader
lecturer, teacher, adjudicator
LATEST . . . . .
So, the past year has seen major changes! The spring and summer 2017 was a series of farewells to most of my activities in Yorkshire, notably after 17 years as their musical director, to Leeds Guild of Singers. We had some great times and occasions, with Monteverdi Vespers (twice) and Cavalli's equally large scale Vespro della Beata Vergine (1656), Britten's Sacred and Profane for the centenary year, and more recently all the Bach Motets. Relocating to the south west has opened up new possibilities, as Associate Lecturer at Bath Spa University, and taking on a variety of choral adventures!
First to say, my chapter contributed to The Middle Ages in the Modern World was finally published by OUP, as the proceedings of the British Academy in October 2017! Hooray! Also in October, following my trip to Warsaw for the launch of ADDUP - a Europe wide choral training scheme (with Erasmus+ EU funding) was a week in Arezzo, Italy working with students from France, Italy, Poland and UK, and Italian choirs in some splendid venues. In 2018 we return to Warsaw for the polish residency, then Rouen in May, and finally the students come to UK in October. And the fab team of project leaders are in the pic below! And some pics of the exciting week in Arezzo here!
A follow up to this, I was on the international adjudicator panel for both the 2017 CONCORSO INTERNAZIONALE DI COMPOSIZIONE – (International Composition Competition) and 2017 CONCORSO DI COMPOSIZIONE CANTA PETRARCA (National Composition Competition) run by Fondazione Guido d'Arezzo.
Got involved in another new project in the autumn - working with the research programme Life of Breath, this will set up groups linking with the national programme Singing for Lung Health, run by the British Lung Foundation. A pilot group ran first at Southmead Hospital, then at another venue in the area. Hopefully we'll be setting up another group (closer to home!) in the next few months.
For 2018 the immediate project is a new, expanded version of the sound installation for the exhibition Being InBetween, opening at Dean Clough in Halifax, West Yorkshire. The award winning photographer Carolyn Mendelsohn has added a new series of portraits.This photo series explores the complex and confusing time when girls are around the ages of 10 and 12."The aim is to give girls of this age a platform, to empower them and create a beautiful portrait of them as they really are. They are so many things; strong, characterful, wise, fearful, fearless, funny, and unique, but often people underestimate them and don’t listen to them." Opens 24 February 2018
And finally, for the moment, a nice affirmation from piano student Sam, who got a first in his recital last year at Bath Spa University: "Having had the same piano teacher for over 10 years back home, I thought it might be strange switching to a new one at university. I was introduced to Graham and he was a ‘breath of fresh air’ for my playing. He was supportive, friendly, inspiring and enthusiastic about my playing. I feel he may have changed his teaching style to suit my needs, something not every teacher can do. I came into our first lesson with little attention to touch and detail but came out of our last with a refined, controlled style. We achieved great results working together and I would highly recommend him as a teacher."
First to say, my chapter contributed to The Middle Ages in the Modern World was finally published by OUP, as the proceedings of the British Academy in October 2017! Hooray! Also in October, following my trip to Warsaw for the launch of ADDUP - a Europe wide choral training scheme (with Erasmus+ EU funding) was a week in Arezzo, Italy working with students from France, Italy, Poland and UK, and Italian choirs in some splendid venues. In 2018 we return to Warsaw for the polish residency, then Rouen in May, and finally the students come to UK in October. And the fab team of project leaders are in the pic below! And some pics of the exciting week in Arezzo here!
A follow up to this, I was on the international adjudicator panel for both the 2017 CONCORSO INTERNAZIONALE DI COMPOSIZIONE – (International Composition Competition) and 2017 CONCORSO DI COMPOSIZIONE CANTA PETRARCA (National Composition Competition) run by Fondazione Guido d'Arezzo.
Got involved in another new project in the autumn - working with the research programme Life of Breath, this will set up groups linking with the national programme Singing for Lung Health, run by the British Lung Foundation. A pilot group ran first at Southmead Hospital, then at another venue in the area. Hopefully we'll be setting up another group (closer to home!) in the next few months.
For 2018 the immediate project is a new, expanded version of the sound installation for the exhibition Being InBetween, opening at Dean Clough in Halifax, West Yorkshire. The award winning photographer Carolyn Mendelsohn has added a new series of portraits.This photo series explores the complex and confusing time when girls are around the ages of 10 and 12."The aim is to give girls of this age a platform, to empower them and create a beautiful portrait of them as they really are. They are so many things; strong, characterful, wise, fearful, fearless, funny, and unique, but often people underestimate them and don’t listen to them." Opens 24 February 2018
And finally, for the moment, a nice affirmation from piano student Sam, who got a first in his recital last year at Bath Spa University: "Having had the same piano teacher for over 10 years back home, I thought it might be strange switching to a new one at university. I was introduced to Graham and he was a ‘breath of fresh air’ for my playing. He was supportive, friendly, inspiring and enthusiastic about my playing. I feel he may have changed his teaching style to suit my needs, something not every teacher can do. I came into our first lesson with little attention to touch and detail but came out of our last with a refined, controlled style. We achieved great results working together and I would highly recommend him as a teacher."
The summer has been exceptionally busy. Leeds Guild of Singers made 2 highly successful appearances at Les Musicales de Redon, with full and enthusiastic audiences, in repertoire ranging from Bach motets, Renaissance polyphony to contemporary repertoire by Macmillan, Weir, Whitacre (oh yes, and me!), and the inevitable Piaf and other French popular songs! Also, combining with Redon's community choir, Florilege, took part in a flashmob in the Saturday morning market at Les Halles - hugely entertaining!
HISS (Historically Informed Summer School) in its 6th year welcomed nearly 70 participants from 4 continents to the most successful course yet. Repertoire included Purcell's The Fairy Queen, with some talented soloists from our Student Bursary recipients, and exploring for example, Hebrew Psalm settings by Salomone Rossi. See the gallery and find out what we got up to here - and sign up to be notified about next year's course.
In between there were concerts with Bedlington Singers, at Meltham Memories 40s weekend, much organ playing for weddings, special services, a workshop playing for Michael Harper and a choir residency at Manchester Cathedral.
HISS (Historically Informed Summer School) in its 6th year welcomed nearly 70 participants from 4 continents to the most successful course yet. Repertoire included Purcell's The Fairy Queen, with some talented soloists from our Student Bursary recipients, and exploring for example, Hebrew Psalm settings by Salomone Rossi. See the gallery and find out what we got up to here - and sign up to be notified about next year's course.
In between there were concerts with Bedlington Singers, at Meltham Memories 40s weekend, much organ playing for weddings, special services, a workshop playing for Michael Harper and a choir residency at Manchester Cathedral.
Being InBetween - Carolyn Mendelsohn's photographic exhibition with specially commissioned soundscape by Graham Coatman to be shown at Salt's Mill, Saltaire in Hockney Gallery 2 28-20 May 2016
Exhibition of Photographic Portraits, Words and Sound.
Luminous photographic portraits with words exploring the thoughts and lives of girls aged between 10 and 12.
The focus of this new photographic work is the complex transition between childhood to young adulthood. ‘Being Inbetween’ explores the ages of ten to twelve where you are no longer “child’ and not yet young adult; an age where girls are often unintentionally rendered invisible or unimportant.
“A wonderfully moving show, loved the use of AV alongside these luminous photographs”
Rosie Millard - Journalist and Broadcaster
Exhibition of Photographic Portraits, Words and Sound.
Luminous photographic portraits with words exploring the thoughts and lives of girls aged between 10 and 12.
The focus of this new photographic work is the complex transition between childhood to young adulthood. ‘Being Inbetween’ explores the ages of ten to twelve where you are no longer “child’ and not yet young adult; an age where girls are often unintentionally rendered invisible or unimportant.
“A wonderfully moving show, loved the use of AV alongside these luminous photographs”
Rosie Millard - Journalist and Broadcaster
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Comments from recent workshops:
“With excellent good humour, Graham contrived to inform and illuminate us as well as introducing us to some superb and little-known music.” – Review, workshop on music of the Capilla Flamenca for Border Marches Early Music Forum “Everyone, including myself, thoroughly enjoyed the workshop. Many people were asking me when the next one would be. We'll certainly be using all of the material we used in future. I hope to see you again in the future. All the best.” – Keith Dale, Director of Music, All Saints, Northallerton |
All Saints Church, Northallerton
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onstage with Russell Watson Billingham Forum 4 April 2016
Choral workshop: Music of the Capilla Flamenca
This was a workshop led in March 2016, for around 40 singers at Border Marches Early Music Forum in Yarpole Church. A delightful place for a workshop - and huge fun discovering music of the Capilla Flamenca in remotest Herefordshire! It was described as "lively and informative" - and yes, it was!
In the workshop we explored both sacred and secular music, by Thomas Crequillon, Cornelius Canis (a fabulous 5 part Ave Sanctissima Maria), alongside chansons as well as a motet and mass movements by Nicolas Payen and Pierre de Manchicourt, and the magnificent ethereal and heavenly Regina Coeli by Rogier for 8 part double choir. A real feast of music depicting the transition of writing in the shadow of Josquin, and looking forward to the polychoral music of the Venetian composers.
Read the full review of this workshop:
| capilla flamenca workshop review.pdf |
Pictures of Yarpole church
Being Inbetween - photographic exhibition with commissioned soundscape
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The preview night of #beinginbetween a photographic work exploring the transient time between childhood and young adulthood with music & interviews edited into a sound work by Graham Coatman @artlinkhull supported by @aceagrams by @tarlyn . A research paper is being written alongside this work by Hull University . Please do come and visit . On until 19th March #artlinkhull #exhibition #carolynmendelsohn #photographicportraiture#sound #installation #beinginbetween #art
2015 was again a manic year with considerable upheaval and changes of direction - and a sting in the tail. Lots of choral events and projects filled the year - eg directing 70 singers for the opening of Russell Watson's 2015 national tour "Up Close and Personal - An Intimate Evening with Russell Watson", at Whitley Bay in March. Then, also in the north east, conducting massed choirs, soloists and Jayess Brass in Haalin' the Lines - a big choral project telling stories of the now vanished fishing and mining communities of Newbiggin by the Sea. After its première in June further sellout performances caught the eye and camera of Robson Green, and a probably rather embarrassing interview will be screened on TV in Robson's next Tales from Northumberland series!
Meanwhile, Leeds Guild of Singers has enjoyed a highly successful year, with performances ranging from a characterful Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, to the current series Bach and Beyond, which includes all the Bach Motets, performed in the context of music that inspired him, and in turn, by composers in recent times who were inspired by his example. Thus music all the way from Monteverdi and Schütz, via Brahms, the enigmatic Hugo Distler, and Britten, Schnittke and Taverner, to Eric Whitacre, Jaakko Mäntyjärvi and more.
Meanwhile, Leeds Guild of Singers has enjoyed a highly successful year, with performances ranging from a characterful Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, to the current series Bach and Beyond, which includes all the Bach Motets, performed in the context of music that inspired him, and in turn, by composers in recent times who were inspired by his example. Thus music all the way from Monteverdi and Schütz, via Brahms, the enigmatic Hugo Distler, and Britten, Schnittke and Taverner, to Eric Whitacre, Jaakko Mäntyjärvi and more.
sound installation for Carolyn Mendelsohn's exhibition Being Inbetween
Some forthcoming engagements:
Being Inbetween: The exhibition by Carolyn Mendelsohn. Sound installation by Graham Coatman
29th January to 19th of March. Art Link Gallery, 87 Princes Avenue Hull
Border Marches Early Music Forum: Workshop day Capilla Flamenca: Music of the Flemish Chapel in the royal Spanish court. Venue: Yarpole Church, near Leominster 12 March 10 - 5 pm. Click here for more information or for an application form. Organiser: Sue Russell, 01568 780559.
Leeds Guild of Singers: Bach & Beyond - 2 Bach motets, with music by Blow, Purcell, Lotti, Bruckner, Rheinberger & Whitacre. Saturday 19 March 7.30 pm at St Margaret's Church, Horsforth, Leeds. (3rd concert in this series in June)
Leeds University Staff Choir with Maria Mullin (saxophone): Concert in aid of PAFRAS (Refugee Relief): date, venue and time tbc. Leeds University. Traditional songs and Songs from the shows with music by Glazunov, Milhaud, Francaix, Villa-lobos, etc
Leeds Guild of Singers: Bach & Beyond - 3 Bach motets, with music by Josquin, Schütz, Duruflé, Messiaen, Lukaszewski, Tučapský, Macmillan & Weir. Saturday 11 June 7.30 pm at St Margaret's Church, Horsforth, Leeds.
Leeds Guild of Singers at Musicales de Redon, Brittany: 8 - 11 July details to follow
other dates will be added as details are confirmed
Some Past Events in 2015:
Grassington Methodist Church: Karl Jenkins The Armed Man; Sunday 19 April with music by Mozart & African songs & Spirituals. Soloist: Lucy Morton (mezzo-soprano) Graham Coatman (conductor)
Leeds Guild of Singers & Hepton Singers (conductor): joint choral concert: Sat 25 April St Matthew's Church, Chapel Allerton, Leeds (tbc): music by Tucapsky, Whitacre, etc
Pennine Singers with Lindley Junior Choir (conductor): Sat 16 May St Stephen's Church, Lindley, Huddersfield: concert in aid of CART (Christian African Relief Trust)
International Medieval Congress: 6-9 July 2015 University of Leeds: Guest Special Lecture: Contemporary Composers and the Renewal of Medieval Practice. see IMC2015
HISS (Historically Informed Summer School) (director): 17-21 August Scarborough Campus: music by Carissimi, Josquin, Morales, Palestrina, etc www.hiss.org.uk
Pergolesi & Vivaldi: Sun 8 March 2015 Clothworkers Centenary Concert Hall, Leeds University: continuo with Leeds Baroque, directed by Peter Holman
Russell Watson . . . Up Close & Personal . . . first date on 2015 UK Tour Wed 4 March 2015 Whitley Bay Playhouse with 20,000 Voices & Bedlington Singers
Vivaldi Gloria: Sat 7 Feb 2015 Clothworkers Centenary Concert Hall, Leeds University: continuo for North East Early Music Forum workshop with Christopher Roberts
Last Post Project Sun 23 November St Cuthbert's, Bedlington, Northumberland: Bedlington Singers (cond: Graham Coatman), with St Cuthbert's Band and Bedlington Ukuleles. WW1 commemoration programme
Songs of remembrance and reconciliation Hepton Singers (cond: Graham Coatman) Sat 22 November Portico Library Manchester & Sat 29 November Heptonstall Church: featuring Graham's dramatic choral work The Raven (setting text from Anglo-Saxon Finnsburh Fragment) with works by Byrd, de Monte, Janequin, James Macmillan, Judith Weir & Einojuhani Rautavaara
Grassington Methodist Church: Karl Jenkins The Armed Man; Sunday 19 April with music by Mozart & African songs & Spirituals. Soloist: Lucy Morton (mezzo-soprano) Graham Coatman (conductor)
Leeds Guild of Singers & Hepton Singers (conductor): joint choral concert: Sat 25 April St Matthew's Church, Chapel Allerton, Leeds (tbc): music by Tucapsky, Whitacre, etc
Pennine Singers with Lindley Junior Choir (conductor): Sat 16 May St Stephen's Church, Lindley, Huddersfield: concert in aid of CART (Christian African Relief Trust)
International Medieval Congress: 6-9 July 2015 University of Leeds: Guest Special Lecture: Contemporary Composers and the Renewal of Medieval Practice. see IMC2015
HISS (Historically Informed Summer School) (director): 17-21 August Scarborough Campus: music by Carissimi, Josquin, Morales, Palestrina, etc www.hiss.org.uk
Pergolesi & Vivaldi: Sun 8 March 2015 Clothworkers Centenary Concert Hall, Leeds University: continuo with Leeds Baroque, directed by Peter Holman
Russell Watson . . . Up Close & Personal . . . first date on 2015 UK Tour Wed 4 March 2015 Whitley Bay Playhouse with 20,000 Voices & Bedlington Singers
Vivaldi Gloria: Sat 7 Feb 2015 Clothworkers Centenary Concert Hall, Leeds University: continuo for North East Early Music Forum workshop with Christopher Roberts
Last Post Project Sun 23 November St Cuthbert's, Bedlington, Northumberland: Bedlington Singers (cond: Graham Coatman), with St Cuthbert's Band and Bedlington Ukuleles. WW1 commemoration programme
Songs of remembrance and reconciliation Hepton Singers (cond: Graham Coatman) Sat 22 November Portico Library Manchester & Sat 29 November Heptonstall Church: featuring Graham's dramatic choral work The Raven (setting text from Anglo-Saxon Finnsburh Fragment) with works by Byrd, de Monte, Janequin, James Macmillan, Judith Weir & Einojuhani Rautavaara
Leeds Guild of Singers: Across the Water
a choral recital to mark the completion of the restoration of a series of font panels at All Souls Church, Blackman Lane, Leeds. They're 19th century, painted by a suffragist artist, Emily Ford, sister of the more politically well known Isabella Ormiston Ford, who numbered the Russian anarchist Kropotkin amongst her colleagues. The series of eight panel paintings by Emily Ford (1850-1930) depict the themes of Baptism, crossing the Red Sea, Pentecost, Resurrection. The figures in the paintings also show local people, including Emily herself. An article in the Guardian gives more background to this project here.
All Souls Church was built by public subscription in one of the poorest districts of Leeds as a memorial to Dr W. F. Hook, Vicar of Leeds for some 22 years and later Dean of Chichester. It was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott, "to stem the tide of spiritual destitution" in the area, and is the last church he designed before his death in 1878: his son, John Oldrid Scott, supervised the building. The foundation stone was laid in September 1876; the church was consecrated on the 29th of January 1880. See more about the building here.
The music reflects the themes depicted in the font panels: Baptism, crossing the Red Sea, Pentecost, Resurrection. Thus apart from water theme, the programme includes the rarity Dum Vastos Adriae Fluctus by Jacquet de Mantoue (1483-1559), attributed to Josquin, the composer's teacher, written while crossing the Adriatic sea, and artfully including quotes from 5 of Josquin's works; William Byrd's Pentecost hymn Veni Sancte Spiritus; Orlande de Lassus' Easter motet Angelus Domini descendit.
see a gallery of more of Ruth Baumberg's photos of the restored panels here:
a choral recital to mark the completion of the restoration of a series of font panels at All Souls Church, Blackman Lane, Leeds. They're 19th century, painted by a suffragist artist, Emily Ford, sister of the more politically well known Isabella Ormiston Ford, who numbered the Russian anarchist Kropotkin amongst her colleagues. The series of eight panel paintings by Emily Ford (1850-1930) depict the themes of Baptism, crossing the Red Sea, Pentecost, Resurrection. The figures in the paintings also show local people, including Emily herself. An article in the Guardian gives more background to this project here.
All Souls Church was built by public subscription in one of the poorest districts of Leeds as a memorial to Dr W. F. Hook, Vicar of Leeds for some 22 years and later Dean of Chichester. It was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott, "to stem the tide of spiritual destitution" in the area, and is the last church he designed before his death in 1878: his son, John Oldrid Scott, supervised the building. The foundation stone was laid in September 1876; the church was consecrated on the 29th of January 1880. See more about the building here.
The music reflects the themes depicted in the font panels: Baptism, crossing the Red Sea, Pentecost, Resurrection. Thus apart from water theme, the programme includes the rarity Dum Vastos Adriae Fluctus by Jacquet de Mantoue (1483-1559), attributed to Josquin, the composer's teacher, written while crossing the Adriatic sea, and artfully including quotes from 5 of Josquin's works; William Byrd's Pentecost hymn Veni Sancte Spiritus; Orlande de Lassus' Easter motet Angelus Domini descendit.
see a gallery of more of Ruth Baumberg's photos of the restored panels here:
The restored font opened in all its glory
(photo by Ruth Baumberg)
première 4 April at Hoot, Huddersfield
April 2014
Songs in the city
is a choral song cycle, semi-staged, a sequel to In A Strange Land, written by Graham Coatman, originally for the Leeds College of Music Chamber Choir in 2008, and performed widely in the following two seasons.
Songs in the city is a similarly eclectic work commenting on urban life in a series of choral tableaux. Texts are often found, graffiti, or taken from official documents. These are interspersed with apposite texts, frequently using traditional music, from Africa, Eastern Europe and across the world. Adding an additional polyphonic layer and historical resonance, Renaissance music from composers such as Jacquet de Mantoue, and Pierre de Manchicourt are also interpolated into this rich sonic tapestry. The work may be adapted to a variety of performance opportunities, and presented with light show and back projections. It was given its first performance on 4 April at Café Ollo, Huddersfield as part of HOOT Contemporary Festival.
Songs in the city
is a choral song cycle, semi-staged, a sequel to In A Strange Land, written by Graham Coatman, originally for the Leeds College of Music Chamber Choir in 2008, and performed widely in the following two seasons.
Songs in the city is a similarly eclectic work commenting on urban life in a series of choral tableaux. Texts are often found, graffiti, or taken from official documents. These are interspersed with apposite texts, frequently using traditional music, from Africa, Eastern Europe and across the world. Adding an additional polyphonic layer and historical resonance, Renaissance music from composers such as Jacquet de Mantoue, and Pierre de Manchicourt are also interpolated into this rich sonic tapestry. The work may be adapted to a variety of performance opportunities, and presented with light show and back projections. It was given its first performance on 4 April at Café Ollo, Huddersfield as part of HOOT Contemporary Festival.
Choral project with the Unthanks & 20,000 Voices
a creative project working with members of The Unthanks and their band developing new choral work in conjunction with Niopha Keegan and Becky Unthank for performance at the Miners Picnic at Woodhorn Colliery in June 2014 to an audience of over 2000.
Archive discovery: orchestral premiere from several years ago found online: Patrick Moore narrating, with Orchestra da Camera, and school groups from Dudley, in When The Sun Rises - first of about ten years of similar commissions with OdaC, Sinfonia 21, Orchestra of St John's, English Northern Philharmonic, etc working with schools & LEAs in Midlands, Oxford and London. It's here!
a creative project working with members of The Unthanks and their band developing new choral work in conjunction with Niopha Keegan and Becky Unthank for performance at the Miners Picnic at Woodhorn Colliery in June 2014 to an audience of over 2000.
Archive discovery: orchestral premiere from several years ago found online: Patrick Moore narrating, with Orchestra da Camera, and school groups from Dudley, in When The Sun Rises - first of about ten years of similar commissions with OdaC, Sinfonia 21, Orchestra of St John's, English Northern Philharmonic, etc working with schools & LEAs in Midlands, Oxford and London. It's here!