French Impressions
A 30min free recital, followed by tea and coffee. Donations to the cathedral music fund are very welcome.
Katherine Williams
Katherine Williams has sung since she was a young girl, brought up in a strong Methodist hymn singing tradition. She took singing lessons at secondary school and ventured into Anglican church music, oratorio and operetta. While studying for an MA (Hons) in History of Art at Aberdeen University she had singing lessons with Kate Hughes in Old Aberdeen and Raimond Herrincx at North East of Scotland Music School. This inspired her to do post graduate studies at Trinity College of Music in London with soprano Sally Le Sage. She returned to Aberdeen and married Dr Roger Williams raising three children in Barthol Chapel, combining family life with solo performing, teaching piano and singing and then taking a PGDE in Primary Education in 2005. She sang oratorio solos with local groups such as the Aberdeen Bach choir and gave more intimate recitals in many country houses, National Trust for Scotland properties and churches throughout Aberdeenshire accompanied by her husband. Katherine now combines her love of teaching and heritage as Education Officer at St Machar’s Cathedral. Recent recitals include St Andrew’s ‘Cathedral at Noon’ series and Cowdray Hall Lunchtime concerts. In the 2022 SOUND Festival she premiered the song cycle Animal Voices written for her by Dr Roger Williams. She recorded this alongside French art songs by Debussy, Faure and Poulenc with the pianist Ben Marsden in 2023. Forthcoming recitals include premiering two new works by Roger Williams and Robert Milne for SOUND 2025 on the 25 October in Forgue Church.
Ben Marsden
Ben Marsden studied mathematics at the University of Cambridge, piano at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (with Claudio Arrau’s student Brigitte Wild) and history of science at the University of Kent. He is currently a Senior Lecturer in History at the University of Aberdeen. Since coming to Aberdeen in 1999 he has been actively involved in the musical culture of the city and further afield, working as an accompanist, operatic repetiteur, orchestral pianist, chamber musician and soloist in association with groups including: Aberdeen Choral Society, Aberdeen City Orchestra, Bach Choir, Banchory Singers, Con Anima, Concordia, Deeside Orchestra, Edinburgh Fringe, Grampian Concert Orchestra, Grampian Youth Orchestra, Haddo Arts, Haddo House Choral and Operatic Society, Opera Uploaded, Sound Festival, Spectrum New Music Ensemble, University of Aberdeen Symphony Orchestra, University of Aberdeen Choral Society and the University of Aberdeen Opera Society. As an accompanist he has performed at the Musical Hall (Big Sky Studio), at Cowdray Hall, in the ‘Cathedral at Noon’ series at St Andrew’s Cathedral, Aberdeen, at St Machar’s Cathedral, at the Phoenix Centre (Newton Dee), in the University of Aberdeen’s Ogston Prize, and in masterclasses at NESMS including with Donald Maxwell. His recent recording with soprano Katherine Williams, Songs of life, including works by Debussy, Faure, Poulenc and Roger B. Williams is available on Spotify or https://www.birnamcdshop.com/product/katherine-williams-and-ben-marsden/!