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Music at Lancaster Cathedral |
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Director of Music Damian Howard
Damian Howard began his musical training as a chorister at Lichfield Cathedral. He gained a Music Scholarship to Sedbergh School before entering the Royal Northern College of Music in 1993 where he studied Organ, Harpsichord and Piano as well as holding down the prestigious position of Organ Scholar of Blackburn Cathedral. Having gained the Lancaster Award for playing, he completed postgraduate training at Durham University. In 1998 he became Organ Scholar of Lincoln Cathedral, where he was mentored by Colin Walsh. During the period 1997-2005 he won funding from the Eric Thompson Trust to study the organ with Professor Marie-Louise Langlais at the Conservatoire Nationale Superior de Musique, Paris specialising in the music of the French Romantic and Modern periods.
He has given many recitals, those recently include Blackburn, Chester and Kendal and the Ribchester Festival performing with the Chetham’s School of Music Choir and artists such as Sarah Fox (Kathleen Ferrier Award Winner) and John Christos. He has performed on radio as well as television even reaching acclaim and review in the Washington post for his interpretation. A player and teacher in demand he was an Organist/Choirtrainer at Kendal Parish Church working with its Choir and Choral Societies and has further been an accompanist to the Northern Cathedral Singers. He has been a Tutor in Organ, Harpsichord, Piano and specialist in Early Music studies at Sedbergh School where he was also formerly the School Organist.
He is acknowledged as a leading authority on the music and compositions of the French composer-organist Jean Langlais (1907-91). Next year he is booked for recitals at a number of major venues including Bath Abbey.
In January 2008, Damian began his new post of Titulair-Organist and Director of Music at St Peter’s Cathedral, Lancaster where he presides over two choirs and a recently finely restored Willis-Ainscough Organ of 1889.
Assistant Director of Music Rachael Lee BA, LTCL, PGCE Born in Norwich, Rachael was educated at the Hewitt School. She gained her degree in Creative Arts at Bretton Hall, West Yorkshire. She taught for twelve years at Poulton-le-Sands C of E Primary School, leading the music there. In 1996 she accepted an invitation to become Director of Music at Lancaster Priory and during her time there she founded the Girls Choir. In 2002 she was appointed Head of Music at Cartmel Priory Secondary School. She has been a part-time lecturer in Primary Music Education at St Martin’s College. She now concentrates on teaching voice and piano.
Rachael founded the Rushley Singers in 1990. This versatile chamber choir performs from a wide repertoire, and raises funds for local and national charities. She also directs Cantores Ambrosiani, and occasional choir which has sung each summer in cathedrals for the past ten years. She has been a tutor on the RSCM’s Easter Course for young voices for several years.
Rachael is married to Douglas, a Consultant Haematologist. They have one son, Simon, who is in his third year at Leeds University, studying music. |