Karolina Csáthy
born in Budapest in 1997 to parents of Hungarian and Russian origin, has lived in England since the age of three. Her love of the British choral tradition began on a choral residential course with the Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge, after which she returned for her final year of school, creating a small ensemble called Quintus. The following year she returned to Cambridge, having been offered a place to read Music at Trinity College as well as a choral scholarship under Stephen Layton. A concert of Russian choral music in Trinity College Chapel marked her conducting debut. She regularly consults Jonathan Brett for conducting tuition and is grateful for his guidance in preparing the present album, her first choral recording as director. Beyond conducting, she is a freelance choral singer, violinist and composer. Formerly a choral scholar at St Martin-in-the-Fields, she has since performed with conductors including Robert Hollingworth and Owain Park. As a violinist, she has appeared across the UK and Europe, recently making her solo debut in Hungary, playing Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending with the Gödöllő Symphony Orchestra. She gives frequent solo recitals in London and Cambridge. Recent compositions include The Star Song, premiered online on Christmas Eve 2020, as well as a commission for St Margaret’s School, Singapore, directed by Ellissa Easita Sayampanathan.