Country

:

United Kingdom

Birth

:

February 15, 1928 in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, England

Period

:

Baroque

 

 

Romantic

Genre

:

Choral

 

 

Symphony

 

Norma Procter was a British contralto singer who was born on August 2, 1928, in Yorkshire, England. She was the daughter of a coal miner and grew up in a working-class family. Her love for music was evident from a young age, and she began singing in her local church choir when she was just six years old. Procter's talent was recognized early on, and she was awarded a scholarship to study at the Royal Manchester College of Music. She continued her studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where she was a pupil of the renowned contralto singer Kathleen Ferrier. Procter made her professional debut in 1952, singing the role of the Angel in Elgar's "The Dream of Gerontius" at the Royal Festival Hall in London. Her performance was widely praised, and she quickly established herself as one of the leading contraltos of her generation. Over the course of her career, Procter performed with many of the world's leading orchestras and conductors, including Sir John Barbirolli, Sir Adrian Boult, and Sir Colin Davis. She was particularly renowned for her performances of works by Bach, Handel, and Mahler, and her recordings of these composers' music remain highly regarded to this day. One of Procter's most memorable performances was her rendition of Mahler's "Das Lied von der Erde" with the London Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Sir Colin Davis. The performance was recorded live at the Royal Festival Hall in 1966 and is widely regarded as one of the greatest interpretations of the work ever recorded. Procter was also a frequent performer at the BBC Proms, the world-renowned classical music festival held annually in London. She made her Proms debut in 1953 and went on to perform at the festival many times over the course of her career. In addition to her performances, Procter was also a respected teacher and mentor to many young singers. She taught at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and was a visiting professor at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Procter's talent and contributions to classical music were recognized with many awards and honors over the course of her career. She was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1977 and was awarded the Royal Philharmonic Society's Gold Medal in 1995. Despite her many achievements, Procter remained humble and dedicated to her craft throughout her life. She continued to perform and teach well into her seventies, and her legacy as one of the greatest contraltos of the twentieth century lives on to this day. Norma Procter passed away on May 2, 2017, at the age of 88. Her contributions to classical music will be remembered and celebrated for generations to come.

More....