Catherine Wilmers, LRAM, ARCM, cellist Catherine with pianist Ilga Pitkevica
Catherine's CD "A Cello Century of British Women Composers" won the rare "Diapason" gold award and was issued by ASV. APRIL 2024 'During an Austrian radio program by the musicologist Ingrid Fuchs on Radio Klassik Stephansdom I came across your CD "A Cello Century of British Women Composers" and listened with great pleasure to the short audio samples of May Mukle's Two Fancies in your interpretation!' Cellist in Austria.A Cello Galaxy of British Wome CATHERINE'S SECOND SOLO CD IS DUE OUT IN JUNE 2025! Available 6 June, 2025 Format CDMP3 320KbpsFLAC 16-bit/44KHD 24-bit A Cello Galaxy of British Women Composers quantity Label: Divine Art Catalogue No: DDX 21134 EAN/UPC: 809730113420 Artists: Catherine Wilmers, Jill Morton Composers: Alice Verne-Bredt, Amy Elsie Horrocks, Dora Bright, Elizabeth Poston, Ethel Barns, Joan Trimble, Peggy Spencer Palmer, Rebecca Clarke, Sarah Rodgers, Susan Spain-Dunk Release Date: June 2025 Genres: Cello Periods: 20th Century, Romantic Discs: 1 Total Playing Time: 81:41 In A Cello Galaxy of British Women Composers, Catherine Wilmers brings to light an extraordinary collection of works by British women presenting us with twelve premiere recordings. Drawing on diligent research, Wilmers unearths strikingly original compositions presenting us with premiere recordings by Amy Elsie Horrocks, Ethel Barns, Elizabeth Poston, Joan Trimble, Dora Bright, Susan Spain Dunk, and Sarah Rodgers, whose Mountain Airs was written for the cellist. Some of these works lay forgotten in the archives of the Royal Academy of Music, their potential stifled by societal limitations rather than artistic merit. The album is more than a rediscovery—it is a testament to the resilience and artistry of these composers. The satisfyingly detailed liner notes reveal the challenges they faced, often in their own words or through the prejudices of their time. As late as the 1920s, the critic Cecil Gray echoed Dr Johnson’s notorious remark: “A woman’s composing is like a dog walking on its hind legs; it is not done well but you are surprised to see it done at all.” Such dismissals only fuel the need to champion these voices today. Wilmers’ deep connection to this repertoire is evident in every performance, matched sensitively by accompanying pianist, Jill Morton. A former cellist with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Catherine Wilmers has long questioned why so few works by women have entered the standard repertoire. This album is part of her answer—a luminous and long-overdue celebration of their music, appealing to listeners attuned to the intellectual and emotional possibilities of modern chamber music. https://divineartrecords.com/recording/a-cello-galaxy-of-british-women-composers/ COMMENTS RECEIVED SEPTEMBER 5th 2020 after open air concert at the Elmitt Piano Academy!! 'Today’s recital was like a box of fabulous chocolates - every one delicious, different and rewarding. Thank you all for a delightful morning.' Catherine is a professional musician who has played the cello in various orchestras, including the London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO). In 1979 she was only the second woman cellist member in the history of the London Philharmonic. She was a member for 25 years and sub-principal cellist for about ten years. (see www.LPO.org.uk/archive/behind.html for Catherine's description of recording music for The Lord of the Rings) She also enjoys playing chamber music and giving recitals for cello and piano, and solo cello. With actor Colin Greenslade she performed at an evening of poetry with solo cello interludes at Knebworth House. She played in the first performance of John McCabe's Oboe Quartet while still a pupil at the Royal Academy of Music (with Christopher Hooker, Irvine Arditti, and Stephen Levine.) In January 2020 she was invited to be Honorary President of the Letchworth Recorded Music Society. Her recording of the Polka a la Strauss by Dora Bright was broadcast on West Deutsche Rundfunk WDR3, the cultural channel on Saturday January 4th 2020 at 10.27 am 'Klassik Forum'. Catherine loves to perform with pianists Kate Elmitt and Jill Morton. The Montagnana Trio is a Flute Trio with eminent musicians Emma Halnan flute and Kate Elmitt piano. They give regular chamber music concerts with interesting and unusual programmes! "The Magic Carpet" is an exciting cello and piano concert for primary schools taking children on a musical world tour. The children direct the journey by selecting different objects from the "Magic Carpet". Each object represents a country and style of music. There is also a workshop for one class. With the Lydian Palm Court Trio she plays for music for weddings, receptions and social events, programmes of "salon music" and light classics. Catherine is a cello teacher, teaching all ages from young children to adults, privately at her home in North Hertfordshire. Catherine also gives talks to adult audiences - her themes include the neglected women composers featured on her CD (with interesting and amusing anecdotes about researching the music and its composers and making the CD); the life and times of pioneer female cellist May Mukle (1880-1963) and 'The Life of a 'cellist in the London Philharmonic' including stories from Catherine's experiences in the LPO. Read some comments on Catherine's performances (click here). SIR GEORG SOLTI picked Catherine to teach his daughter! One morning mid-rehearsal of the London Philharmonic at Henry Wood Hall she was summoned to his room and invited to teach his daughter on a regular basis at Sir Georg's house! Catherine has a letter from Secretariat (Charles Kaye) dated 4.2.1990 'Sir Georg would be delighted to give you a glowing letter of recommendation'. Listen to 1. Aquamarine Waltz by Judith Bailey played by Catherine and Nicola Grunberg on International Women's Day 2012, BBC Radio 3 Breakfast (Sara Mohr-Pietsch), http://www.pwaller.net/jean-waller-radio3.mp3 2. 'Chemistry' by Alison Wrenn played by Catherine and Ilga Pitkevica http://soundcloud.com/alisonwrenn/chemistry or direct to www.alisonwrenn.co.uk 3. 'Song for H' for solo cello composed by Peter Nickol, played by Catherine http://www.impulse-music.co.uk/peternickol.htm#audiosamples Watch this WW1 cartoon with music! Helping out at a student composition workshop led by Michael Eastwood in August 2018. The second link has videos of the musicians! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Q4TIFMLD6s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FHesTVgaJY WATCH this! Cello duets with Carolyn Hopkins-Marti (cello) and Ilga Pitkevica (piano) raising money for Flexicare Oxford (www.flexicare.org) June 2015 at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. |
November 2021
Sold out concert November 2021
Montagnana Trio
at Oxford Natural History Museum
raising money for Flexicare-Oxford
|
Catherine was chosen to take part in a television commercial for Bassett's Liquorice Allsorts and had a fabulous day making it at a stately home. The setting was a classical piano trio concert. Bertie Bassett suddenly walks in and offers a bowl of Liquorice Allsorts to the very smart audience and they jump up and start dancing. The musicians go crazy too!