SUZANNE FATTA
June 2010
Another paper proposal has been accepted for an academic conference; this one is "Collaborations in Practice Led Research," for the University of Leeds and the Royal Musical Association Postgraduate Study Day in late October. I willco-present this Lecture-Demo with composer Emily Kalies, including a performance of noitcelfeRReflection in "Reflecting on Reflection: Examining the Composer-Performer Partnership."
June 2010
Playing the lead role (baritone) of Sancho Panza, I will appear in The Three Don Quixotes, a Viriditas Opera production, directed by Graham Bier. This comic opera mash-up is based on music-dramas by Purcell, Telemann and Boismortier, and will take place at the Music at Paxton Festival near Berwick-upon-Tweed.
June 2010
I have been asked to sit on the Committee of York Cantores Choir, which I joined this past spring - our news website will be up soon. I especially look forward to giving input into future repertoire!
June 2010
Juniper, my female trio, has just been booked by the Harrogate International Festival to sing at the Hotel du Vin in Harrogate, for the 'Thank Festival it's Friday' series. Composer FL Dunkin Wedd is composing a song cycle for us based on the Exeter Riddle Book, to be premiered in the late 2010 season -- check back soon for further details about dates and repertoire...
May 2010
My paper proposal on my dissertation topic was just accepted by the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Century Music Network, a study group of the RMA based at Oxford. I will give the talk in late September 2010 at the conference Re-examining the Transition from the Renaissance to the Baroque, about which you can find more information here.
May 2010
I am now a part of the team at Models of Diversity in London! Run by model and agent Angel Sinclair, MoD aims to challenge the fashion industry by supporting models of all races, sizes, shape and ability levels. Look for me on London catwalks, in the media, and in fashion shoots, in July -- see the Calendar for more detail. In addition to modeling with the organization, I will be part of the political campaign - find us at Covent Garden on 11 June.
April 2010
I was just hired by the Centre for LifeLong Learning at the University of York to teach a class, Spring Term 2011. This will be a version of a course I taught in the States called Sacred Musics of the World.
April 2010
Announcing the official launch of Trinacria Productions! collaboration across the arts - a facilitating network. Sue and her partner have co-founded a new artists' network. We are a York, UK based consortium of artists, collaborating between different art forms and disciplines, in order to create new and unique artistic expressions. We have a generous and expansive view of arts and creativity, exploring where they overlap, with an emphasis on collaboration. Find out more at our website and Facebook page.
March 2010
The play's the thing... I have been cast in one of the lead roles in the 2010 York Mystery Plays. This event takes place only every 4 years, and I'm very excited to be a lead role in the play "The Transfiguration," as John the Apostle. On 11 and 18 July, and on 6 June at the York Carnival, The Lords of Misrule will perform the play four times in locations throughout town, including the Museum Gardens and Dean's Court, on a movable wagon! The York Mystery Cycle began as an expression of guild solidarity in York in 1376 and continued until 1568; the tradition was revived in 1951. See the Calendar and York Mystery Plays for more information - this event is held in conjunction with the York Early Music Festival.
March 2010
I have just joined York Cantores, a chamber choir based in the city, as a Tenor. Upcoming performances include the 6 Bach motets, Entente Cordiale, and Bushes & Briars. See the Calendar for more information.
February 2010
"Unter dem Zug zu singen." At the Hall of Harmonies concert on 27 February at The National Railway Museum, I will sing the Tenor solo "Nigra sum" from Monteverdi's Vespers of 1610, with a Javanese gamelan accompaniment, from underneath an old train! The text, taken from The Songs of Songs, is clearly in a female's voice, but Monteverdi chose to set it for a Tenor. We are seeing what happens when a female Tenor sings the beautiful aria. See the Calendar for more information.
February 2010
I have just started a voice studio, giving lessons and tuition to female Tenors and Basses exclusively. Stay tuned to hear more about this... and last night, I got to come on stage on sing with my idol and most favorite singer/songwriter Neil Finn in London!
January 2010
I am happy to say that I have been elected the new Student Representative on the Council of the Royal Musical Association. Two students hold this position in the entire UK, and in my first year of the appointment, I will sit on the Publications Committee, and contribute to the RMA Journal. This came on the heels of the very successful Students' Research Conference of the RMA hosted by University of York PostGrads in early 2010. Learn more about the RMA here.
December 2009
I had a really amazing day yesterday, ending with some incredible news! First, I helped conduct a workshop for NorthEastern Early Music Forum on Venetian Christmas music, and although I have little directing experience, it went well and I got very good feedback. I conducted two works by Andrea Gabrieli, and met lots of great people. Then I came home to find that I have been accepted to a fantastic event: I have been invited to sing, as a Tenor, in the Monteverdi Vespers in Venice next September! 2010 is the 400-year anniversary of Monteverdi's masterwork (Vesperae Beatae Mariae Virginis 1610), and we will perform it, with period instruments, directed by the amazing Philip Thorby, in Venice at the Frari Church - where the master himself is buried! Only 10 singers were selected for this momentous occasion, and I will be singing some of the tenor solos. To perform one of my favorite pieces of all time, in the anniversary year, on the correct feast day, in Venice, in the main church - I mean, could this be any more incredible?!? 8 September 2010, 9.30 pm... And in other good upcoming news - I've been booked to perform Schoenberg's Pierrot Lunaire in Rome in the 2010-11 season! And look for a possible revival of the amazing opera Antigone in the next year...
December 2009
All the publicity for Sensorium is out, and everything looks terrific. Sensorium presents a diverse evening of interactive visual, aural and haptic installation work and performances designed to stimulate the senses. Experience a series of immersive, cross-media artworks presented within winding paths and pockets of light in the Guildhall, York. I will give the world-premiere of noitcelfeRReflection by Emily Kalies, and my husband will contribute the graphic and digital art to another installation by Ms. Kalies. For more information, find us on Facebook, and explore our website and a preview in The Press.
December 2009
I've just been asked to join a research network for scholars interested in Late Renaissance / Early Baroque music by colleagues at Oxford. We're planning a study day and conference in Oxford sometime in 2010...
September 2009
On Sunday 20 September at 7pm, Sky Arts TV airs the third of four episodes of the series Peter Ackroyd's Veniceentitled "The City As Music" -- SPAV has provided the music, visuals and subject matter for this episode. Learn more about Vivaldi's Venice as demonstrated by SPAV. Our first DVD, made with footage from the documentary, will be available for purchase before Christmas 2009; this new performance of Vivaldi's Gloria will be broadcast by Sky Arts on Wednesday 23 September at 5.30.
September 2009
Juniper is now on MySpace! We have posted some tracks from a recent recording, and you can listen to them here.
July 2009
Sue is participating in a new opera workshop on July 19, with composer Edward Caine and librettist Nikolaus Morris, to workshop a world-premiere opera. Through theatre, musical and improvisation workshops, the performers will work directly with the writers in the creative process. Read more about Edd here.
July 2009
SPAV's performance at the famous Chichester Festivities gained an excellent review in the Chichester press, as the most outstanding concert of the festival! "...Their period costumes make them look very authentic. The women cover the full traditional vocal range, soprano, alto, tenor and bass producing a beautiful combination of sounds. Their musicianship has great clarity and balance. They sang the famous Gloria with emphatic joy from the very first chords." Read more here. And we also got a great review from the Newbury press for the Hungerford concert, which was described as "a privilege and a delight... singular and beautiful... faultless... marvellous." The review is called Baroque's Glorious Girlpower and says, "Then came the highlight of the evening, the popular 'Gloria' performed as never before, energetic and with dynamic contrast in every line..." with special praise for the power of the Tenors and Basses.
