Deborah Roberts Memorial Concert

I’m sorry, I can’t soften the blow. If you weren’t there you missed a one-off wonder – and that goes for the audience and performers, amateur and professional alike! I really shouldn’t have been astonished by the extraordinary list of star artists attending this memorial concert, after all, Deborah had played such an important part in their musical life: colleague, promoter, mentor, friend – inspiration.

Deborah Roberts, BEM

The concert celebrated the life of Deborah Roberts BEM, who died 9 September 2024, a soprano of extraordinary quality, a musician and scholar, and a founding artistic director of the Brighton Early Music Festival (BREMF).

The programme was typical ‘Deborah’: wide-ranging, familiar music and unusual, rare and lots of it. Kudos to the organisers for the seamless flow from the opening phrase of Josquin’s sumptuous six-part canon for 24 voices Qui habitat in adjutorio altissimi to the overwhelming splendour of Striggio’s 40 part motet Ecce beatam lucem. Those massive works book-ended a feast of quality sound and beautiful interpretation. Rather than try to list any best bits, because that would comprise the entire event, here is a link to the published programme, which includes a message from Deborah’s colleague and co-founder of BREMF, Clare Norburn.

The evening had enough star turns to fill a whole festival season – Deborah would have loved it. At the reception afterwards there were some recollections from Deborah’s family and friends including the patron of BREMF, Dame Emma Kirkby. Donations to BREMF made on their website will be added to the Deborah Roberts Memorial Fund to support and continue the projects that Deborah championed and loved.

St Martin’s Church,
9 February 2025
Andrew Connal

Rating: