This concert has unfortunately been cancelled due to COVID.
We invite musicians from near and far to share their musical talent with us. All are welcome!
This Wednesday we look forward to welcoming soprano Elaine Dave and alto Dawn Walters, accompanied by Scott Phillips.
They will be performing Pergolesi’s ‘Stabat Mater’ which imagines the sufferings of the Virgin Mary at the foot of the cross. The 18th-century setting remains a choral favourite.
Lunchtime recitals are free! Donations are welcome.
Dawn Walters
A singer and composer, Dawn Walters is currently reading Music at the University of York, where she sings with the prestigious chamber ensemble, The 24, directed by Robert Hollingworth. She has sung as a professional choral Alto and as a soloist from a young age.
As a composer, Dawn has been setting Shakespeare’s songs and sonnets for well over a decade. She has so far completed all the songs from the plays and 26 sonnets under the remit of emerging internet company, ‘the bardcode’, and some of her choral music has been performed internationally. Dawn has a strong background in Sacred and Secular Choral music, and is currently working as a deputy Lay Clerk for Lincoln, Bradford, Derby and Sheffield Cathedrals, and also York Minster, and has sung with the prestigious chamber ensemble ‘The Swan Consort’, for whom she wrote the Choral piece ‘Pro Dolorosa’; a lament set to the words of ‘The Chaplet of Divine Mercy’, specifically set as a prayer for those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, which is to be published by Banks Music this spring. Some of her Shakespeare settings are to be performed at the International Composers’ Festival. Recordings of her works can be found on SoundCloud, and some sheet music is available via her website, dawnwalters.wordpress.com.
Elaine Dave
Before relocating to Gargrave in 2020 Elaine was a singing teacher for the East Riding Schools’ Music Service, and up until 2018 was the Music Director of the Youth Singers. She was a founder member of the Beverley Chamber Choir and a Chorister at Beverley Minster having on occasion sung the Allegri Miserere for both Choirs.
As a soloist Elaine has sung amongst others Mendelssohn St. Paul, Bach B Minor Mass, Mozart Requiem, Handel Messiah, Vivaldi Gloria RV 589, Haydn Creation Mass, Schubert Mass in G, Pergolesi Stabat Mater, Tippett’s Five Negro Spirituals form A Child of Our Time and both the Faure and Rutter Requiems as well as giving recitals. Elaine has also performed the Berlioz ‘Les Nuit D’ete’ and Gliere’s Concerto for Coloratura Soprano with the Scarborough Symphony Orchestra.
Forthcoming performances this year include a recital at Beverley Minster and at Allandale as part of Allegoria, a quartet who perform works by East Yorkshire composer Dawn Walters. Dawn and Elaine will also be performing at Hastings as part of an international composers’ festival.
Elaine enjoys her role as MD to the Grassington Singers and Libertas Singers, as well as being the accompanist for Steeton Male Voice Choir.
Scott Phillips
Scott Phillips began his musical studies at the age of seven learning the piano. He also took up the violin and trumpet in the following years. Scott was a boy chorister at St. David’s Cathedral, Pembrokeshire from 2007 and continued singing there before becoming deputy head chorister and later occupying the position of Junior Tenor Choral Scholar from 2015-17.
Scott took up the organ in 2014 and continued his studies in St. David’s for three years. In September 2017 Scott moved to Ellesmere College, Shropshire to study for his A levels and was also the organ scholar there. He has been under the tutelage of Simon Pearce, Kevin Whitley, and Ben Horden. During his time studying music, Scott has achieved a grade five, three grade eight’s (two distinctions) and a gold award (with honours). As well as exams, he has also won a number of competitions and scholarships and performed with choirs on television and radio.
In September 2019, Scott took up residency as Music Intern at Ellesmere College, where he taught students music. During his time at the college, Scott ran the lower school choirs and was assistant conductor for the chapel and chamber choirs. He has also been the director of an eight-part a capella choir. In October 2019, Scott joined the team at Shrewsbury Abbey, Shropshire holding the positions of organ and choral scholar. He played regularly for services as well as directed the choir.
In September 2020 Scott moved to Italy to take up the position of Director of Music at St Mark’s English Church, Florence. During his time there he re-built the choir, established a regular concert series, and developed the cultural programme. In addition to this, he co-led an overhaul of the liturgy at the church, helping to secure choral music and the high Anglican tradition of worship at the church.
He conducts and plays regularly for services and concerts and has toured Italy and the UK performing in notable venues including The Pantheon, Rome and St. George’s Chapel, Windsor. Scott is building a reputation as a choral conductor, accompanist and recitalist, as well as a teacher.