Performance
Our performance staff perform and record internationally across a wide range of musical repertoire, from early music to contemporary music and jazz. There are research students working across a similarly wide area. The MPhil/PhD by Performance at York is a unique doctoral programme, which allows professional performers as well as performer-composers to conduct practice led research, with submission by portfolio. There are extensive practice and performance facilities at York, and the concert series regularly brings world class performers to the department, with associated coaching and master-classes. We have professional ensembles in residence as well as associate ensembles and departmental ensembles of all kinds.Staff projects
Dr Nicky Losseff
Nicky Losseff is a pianist and piano accompanist as well as a musicologist. She trained at the Yehudi Menuhin School and the Royal Academy of Music. She is particularly interested in contemporary repertoire. She has performed at the Huddersfield and Cheltenham festivals and her recent research includes the volume of contemporary piano music, Pianthology, with recordings, for UYMP.
Dr John Potter
John Potter works in the field of vocal music as a singer and writer. His books are published by Cambridge University Press and Yale University Press, and he records for ECM.
John Potter's Dowland Project (John Surman sax/bass clarinet, Milos Valent volin/viola, Jacob Heringman (lute/guitar) performed at the Mito Festival in Milan.
Prof. Peter Seymour
Peter Seymour's research is in late Renaissance, Baroque and Classical Performance Practice especially in vocal and choral music but also in keyboards and ensemble direction. Other specialisms include early Lieder (to 1850) and editing. He is an artistic adviser to York Early Music Festival and directs Yorkshire Baroque Soloists and Yorkshire Bach Choir.
Recent commercial recordings have included Monteverdi Vespers in the composer's version for voices and continuo instruments only and a CD of Bach Family motets some specially edited for this recording.
See also: Yorkshire Bach Choir
John Taylor
John Taylor is one of Europe's most celebrated jazz pianists and composers. Taylor has played with Cleo Laine, Enrico Rava, Gil Evans and many other leading performers. His solo album Angel of the Presence was the winner of the Parliamentary Jazz Award 2007. His most recent CD, Whirlpool, with his trio (Palle Danielsson and Martin France), has received outstanding reviews in the national and international press.
See also: http://www.johntaylorjazz.com/