People

ADDUP People

PAWEL CHOINA

Conductor, pianist, arranger and choral singer. He received his musical education at Frederic Chopin Music University in Warsaw (PL), graduating with distinction in class of Slawek A. Wroblewski. Presently he is a PhD candidate of this University. In 2010-2015 he was working with Medical University of Warsaw Choir as a conductor-tutor. In 2014 he became a assistant conductor in Frederic Chopin State Music School Orchestra, conducting several concerts in the Chamber Opera & Royal Castle in Warsaw. Since 2015 he has been working as assistant conductor in Warsaw University of Life Sciences Chamber Choir and in 2018 he became main conductor of the choir. In 2015 he became a conductor and artistic director of Harfa Male Voice Choir in Warsaw. He has participated in masterclasses in conducting and singing with i.a Stanislav Diatchenko, Boris Abalyan, Volker Hempfling, Jonathan Valesco, Eamonn Dougan and Sharon Paul. He has worked with University of Oregon Chamber Choir, Festino Chamber Choir and Reading Male Voice Choir, and also as a choral singer with many Polish ensembles such as Warsaw Chamber Opera Choir, Warsaw Chamber Opera Soloist Choir and Polish National Youth Choir.

His interests include Polish choral music especially of period 1800-1950, promoting this at home and abroad. He is also very interested in folk influences in 20th century choral compositions. He was invited to cooparate and conduct during Polish and world premiere of contemporary music, eg 14 Stations by Marius Constant and The diminishing minutes of peace by Adrian Williams. Since 2017 he has been member of main board of Polish Union of Choirs and Orchestras.

LORENZO DONATI

Composer, conductor and violinist Lorenzo Donati studied at the Liceo Musicale of Arezzo, and at the Conservatory "Luigi Cherubini" in Florence, following advanced courses in Composition at the Scuola di Musica in Fiesole, and at the Accademia Chigiana of Siena. In a course organised by the Guido d'Arezzo Foundation and with support from the European Community he successfully gained his diploma after three years of professional training as a conductor. He pursues his concert interests as director of the Insieme Vocale Vox Cordis, Arezzo; he is also director and singer with the Hesperimenta Vocal Ensemble. He has achieved excellent results with these groups in national and international competitions.

Much appreciated as a composer of vocal music, his works have been performed in a number of European countries, recorded by ensembles and soloists, and published by various prestigious Italian publishers (Carrara, Erreffe, Pizzicato, Edizioni Musicali Europee). His compositions have been studied in a number of contemporary choral music courses, and his Pater Noster for three choirs was performed at EXPO 2000 at Hanover. Of notable acclaim in international competitions Donati won prizes at “Guido d’Arezzo” (Arezzo 1996 and 1999), “C.A. Seghizzi” (Gorizia 1999 and 2002), “ROMA 2000” (Rome 1999), “Carlo Gesualdo” (Avellino 2003), "Città della Vitoria" (Vitorio Veneto 2005).

He collaborates with a number of international cultural institutions, such as the Associazione Cori della Toscana, the Fondazione Guido D’Arezzo, the FENIARCO (Federazione Nazionale Italiana Associazioni Regionali Cori), and is invited to hold seminars as an expert in vocal music. He has taught at the conservatories in Pesaro, Florence and Trento and collaborates in musical activities with la Scuola Maria SS. Consolatrice in Arezzo.

PASCAL HELLOT

Born in Normandy, Pascal Hellot obtained the Masters of musical education and choral singing at the Faculty of Arts of Rouen. It is in this context that he received the teaching of Jacques Feuillie (professor of analysis, composition and choir direction). In parallel with his teaching activity, he created and directed the Ensemble Proscenium from 1986 to 2006.

He as been Professor of choral singing at the Rouen Conservatory since 2000, he created the Maîtrise (Children's Choir) in 2001, the Ensemble Vocal in 2005 and the Jeune Choeur (Youth Choir) in 2010. With these choirs he works in collaboration with Rouen Theatre of Arts, Les Hivernales des Cuivres, Normandy Summer Music, Saint Martin Abbey of Boscherville and participated in the creation of Laurent's works Outside, Jacques Petit and Antoine Berland.

GRAHAM COATMAN

Graham Coatman enjoys a varied and active career as composer, musical director, piano accompanist, harpsichord/organ continuo player and choral trainer. He gained his first degree at Bristol University, following this with Postgrad studies in Advancd Composition at Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London, and subsequently on Masters & PhD programmes at Nottingham and Huddersfield Universities. He was Senior Lecturer at Leeds College of Music prior to his recent relocation from Yorkshire to the south west, where he took up a position as Associate Lecturer at Bath Spa University

He has an active portfolio as a freelance musical director and as an established composer working in many areas of the music industry. His sound installation “Being InBetween”, originally commissioned for an exhibition by award winning photographer Carolyn Mendelsohn in 2013, has been reinvented three times, and the latest manifestation was playing at Dean Clough Galleries, Yorkshire until May 2018 before touring. He was commissioned to write a violin concerto, premiered at the Swaledale Festival for the violinist Harriet Mackenzie, the only stipulations being that 1) it was based on Balkan themes, and 2) that Harriet should have plenty of room for improvisation! This exciting 35 minute work is due to be recorded shortly. Other commissions include works for jazz & contemporary saxophonist Matt London, the National Saxophone Choir of Great Britain, the contemporary vocal ensemble Exaudi, the duo of Polish cellist Evva Mizerska & Italian pianist Emma Abbaté, and his ACE commissioned chamber opera Giovanni's Women, written for Compact Opera, has received more than 30 performances. The solo opera Still Stories, first commissioned by Stoke Newington Festival, was performed at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden's Linbury Theatre.

Graham has directed many choirs since his schooldays, but amongst memorable occasions have been a recital of sacred music a cappella at Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris in freezing mid-winter to a full house, receiving a standing ovation; conducting a specially formed multi-racial, inner city youth choir from Leeds, Enchanté, at London's Royal Albert Hall - a truly ground-breaking experience for the young singers who had never performed before, and more recently, conducting some 200 singers of Leeds Methodist Choir, and friends, with soloists, brass band, and other instrumentalists in a choral spectacular. It was supposed to be their swansong, but was such a sellout succes, it has encouraged the choir to continue and thrive! Oh, and a Flashmob with his Leeds Guild of Singers and community choir Florilège at the festival Les Musicales de Redon which took the unsuspecting covered market by storm!

At the invitation of Maestro Lorenzo Donati, Graham was invited to be on the international jury for annual National and International Composition Competitions organised by the Fondazione Guido d’Arezzo in Arezzo, Italy in 2017. He is Director of 20,000 Voices, a small charity originally founded in 1993 in Northumberland to promote the benefits of singing to all. He founded HISS (Historically Informed Summer School) in 2010, which in 2018 has continued to expand, drawing nearly 100 participants, both singers and instrumentalists, from across the world to explore the common roots of early, traditional and folk music.