Our director, James Dougal, is an experienced choral musician and director. As a singer he has performed with St Catharine’s and Pembroke Chapel choirs and the specialist early music ensemble De Profundis. He sings regularly at Our Lady of The Assumption and The English Martyrs and deputises for choirs in Cambridge and beyond. He also directs the Woodlarks, a graduate choir in Cambridge performing a wide range of repertoire from early music to contemporary compositions. He studies conducting with conductor and composer Graham Ross.
After spending his teenage years playing the organ and singing in parishes in and around North Hertfordshire, James came to Cambridge to study mathematics and immerse himself in college music. Alongside his maths studies, he joined first the St Catharine’s Chapel Choir and then the Pembroke Chapel Choir, where he was responsible for the choir consort as conducting scholar under Anna Lapwood. He also spent two years as conductor of the St Catharine’s College orchestra and directed Catzappella, a relaxed student choir at St Catharine’s.
Today, James combines teaching undergraduate mathematics at Cambridge with a growing focus on choral music. Amongst other roles, he is a College Teaching Officer, Tutor and Fellow of Murray Edwards College, a College Teaching Officer, Tutor and Director of Studies at Pembroke College, and a Bye-Fellow of Homerton College. He is also director of The Orsino Singers and of The Woodlarks, a choir of young graduate singers. Alongside his musical knowledge and choral experience, he brings a great deal of good humour and positive energy to rehearsals – an approach much appreciated by members of the choir.
The Orsino Singers 