Kate Semmens

Kate Semmens has sung extensively with some of the country’s most eminent choirs and consorts, including the Monteverdi Choir, Dunedin Consort, Gabrieli Consort and Eric Whitacre Singers. Kate was a soloist on Andrew Parrott’s recording of Taverner’s Western Wind Mass which won the Gramophone Award for Early Music in 2017.  Kate also enjoys working in Opera and has performed roles ranging from Ottavia in Monteverdi’s L’Incoronazione di Poppea to Mrs P in Michael Nyman’s The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat. Roles last year included Ernestina in Salieri’s School for Jealousy for New Chamber Opera and Prince Ozia in in Alessandro’s Scarlatti’s La Giuditta at the Valetta Baroque Festival. Kate is particularly known for her performances of Early English song and works closely with Steven Devine, keyboard player, with whom she has performed at festivals across the country as well as abroad, including recent performances in Malta, Redon and The Ghent festival. She has worked on education projects with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, particularly working with instrumental colleagues through spontaneous improvisation around Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas in response to children with Complex Needs.

Kate has a background in Voice and Speech and has become increasingly known as a vocal coach. She has worked with Nancy Argenta at the Victoria Baroque Oratorio Summer School as well as directing masterclasses at Baroque Week and vocal workshops at Dartington International Summer School.