by Paul Matheson

Medieval Irish music and miracle stories in honour of Saint Brigit of Kildare, performed by the professional singers of CANTY with Bill Taylor (medieval harp); Gillean McDougall (narrator); Schola Cantorum of St Bride; and Community Singers.

Rebecca and Alan Tavener founded Cappella Nova in 1982 as Scotland’s first professional concert choir specialising in early music. Alan Tavener is Cappella Nova’s Conductor & Outreach Director, and Rebecca Tavener is Creative Director. In 1998, to mark the 800th anniversary of St Hildegard of Bingen, Rebecca Tavener founded her vocal ensemble CANTY, specialising in medieval music.

In the years that followed, Cappella Nova and CANTY have built a mighty reputation for championing Scotland’s unique treasury of early vocal music. They also perform and record music by contemporary composers such as James MacMillan, John Tavener, Roxanna Panufnik, Judith Bingham and Gabriel Jackson. Cappella Nova and CANTY have recorded 20 CDs, including ten of medieval and renaissance music for the Gaudeamus label. They have toured widely in Britain and abroad. Cappella Nova also does community education outreach work.

That was how I found myself, one Saturday afternoon in Glasgow, learning to sing medieval plainsong in praise of Saint Brigit (also known as St Bridget, St Brigid and St Bride).

Paul Matheson is a diversity officer with the police.