CHANTEFABLE

Chantefable is an idea born from an all-encompassing love of art, and the wish to find a new way to perform poetry and music. Originally a 13th century French tradition of ‘song and story’, Chantefable combines improvised piano music—drawing inspiration from jazz, folk, and classical music— behind spoken poetry and conjoined songs with similar themes to create a brand new concert experience. Debuting at the David Josefowitz Recital Hall in the Royal Academy of Music, Chantefable has gone on to perform around the UK and internationally at the Vilalte Festival in the south of France. Initially beginning with Portuguese poetry and songs, the duo has expanded to English, French, German, and Italians works. The duo has featured as the annual debut concert at Southwark Cathedral in 2024, as well as opened the Student’s Create Festival 2024 to great success at the Royal Academy of Music. Future performances will be held in RAM, Regent´s Hall, and across the UK and abroad.

Here´s a little bit about our members:

  • Portuguese soprano Mariana Rodrigues is developing a career particularly in Early and Contemporary music, Classical Opera and Art Song, as well as ensemble singing – where her main interests lie. She is currently in her first year of postgraduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London with a full scholarship, studying with Marie Vassiliou, Raymond Connell and Philip Sunderland.

    Recent engagements include ‘Arcadian Nocturne’ at the Islington Festival with Sergio Bucheli (lute/baroque guitar); Monteverdi ‘Vespers’ and ‘The Nightingale’s Own Brother’ with The Queenes Chappell, Estoril International Music Festival in ‘Amores, Desamores e Dissabores’, ‘Vivaldi on the Double’ with Brandenburg Sinfonia, and recent recitals ‘Love and Nature’ and ‘The Alchemy of Melody and Word’ with Chantefable. She has performed the roles of Clorinda, Despina, Cobweb, and Nanetta for the Opera Scenes at RAM; Damon for Muziektheatre Transparant De Singel. She joined the prestigious Bach’s project - Bach in Leipzig at RAM in 2021, was Very Highly Commended at the Nancy Nuttal Early Music Competition 2023 and Flora Nielsen Prize 2023.

    Mariana is the recipient of the Regency Award and the Edna Bralesford Vocal Prize.

  • Andrew Cowie has been an active performer on both the UK and European scene since starting his studies in trombone at the Royal Academy of Music in London. An eclectic musician, Andrew performs regularly on various instruments, including historical keyboards, sackbut and piano.

    Recent performances stretch from the Southbank Sinfonia and the Royal Academy Jazz Orchestra with Gwylim Simcock and RAM Symphony Orchestra with Edward Garner on trombone to the London Händel Festival with Baroksolisten on harpsichord and European tours with Girton College Cambridge on sackbut. Over the summer, Andrew performed a trombone and organ recital as the inaugural concert celebrating the reopening of Fyvie Hall at the University of Westminster, and will soon perform at Westminster Central Hall.

    Andrew is also a regular accompanist for coachings and masterclasses at RAM, playing for Richard Stokes, Florence Daguerre de Hureaux, Nuccia Focile, and others. His new project “Chantefable” with soprano Mariana Rodrigues is an exciting blend of improvised music, poetry and song and has received international acclaim from audiences in the UK and Europe.

© Copyright - Andrew Cowie

Photos by IOA Photography and Henry Roberts