RCCO Vancouver Centre

Loreto Aramendi began her musical studies at the Conservatory of San Sebastian, where she obtained advanced degrees in piano, harpsichord, organ, and chamber music. She studied organ at the Conservatoire National Regional de Bayonne, winning a Gold Medal and First Prize. Entering into the National Higher Conservatoire of Lyon (CNSMD), she worked with Jean Boyer, Louis Robilliard, J. Von Oortmersen and Liesbeth Schlumberger, obtaining her National Diploma of Advanced Studies with specialisation in the organ.

She was awarded scholarships from the local government of Guipuzkoa for two years, as well as from the Lartundo Foundation, and furthered her studies over a period of five years at the National Regional Superior Conservatoire in Paris with Noelle Spieth, receiving the First Prize upon finalising her Advanced Degree in the harpsichord and her General Music Studies Diploma.

Loreto has given recitals at in Spain, Italy, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Belgium, UK, and USA, and she has collaborated with the Basque Symphony Orchestra for many years, with which she has recorded two discs. In 2015 she released a double CD recorded on the Cavaillé-Coll organ (1863) of the Basilique of Santa María del Coro, and in 2017 she released another double CD recorded on The Cavaillé-Coll of the Saint Ouen of Rouen Abbey. Loreto is currently a professor at the F. Escudero Conservatoire in San Sebastian, Spain, and main organist of the Cavaillé-Coll organ of the Basilique of Santa María del Coro.

The Choir of Jesus College Cambridge, directed by Richard Pinel, has gained an international reputation for its music-making, based on performances around the globe, broadcasts, highly praised recordings and regular services in the College’s beautiful and ancient chapel.  Jesus College, founded out of the ancient nunnery of St Radegund in 1496, has a long and rich tradition of church music. It is unique in maintaining two choirs : the Chapel Choir, made up of boy choristers and adult male singers, and the College Choir – formed in 1982 – which has female voices for its top line. The adult male singers form the ‘back row’ for both choirs.  Each choir has developed a distinctive reputation and repertoire, whilst combining for key events and large-scale projects.  In addition to the weekly schedule of choral services, members of the Choirs enjoy concerts, recordings, broadcasts and foreign tours.

Richard Pinel took up the post of Director of Music at Jesus College, Cambridge in 2017. Prior to this he spent nearly eight years as Assistant Director of Music of St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, during which time he gained international recognition as an organist. He also held similar posts at Magdalen College, Oxford and Perth Cathedral, Australia and the organ scholarship of St Albans Cathedral and Magdalen College, Oxford.  Beginning his musical life as a chorister at All Saints’ Church, Northampton, Richard was awarded the prestigious organ scholarship to Magdalen College, Oxford in 2002. Whilst reading music there, Richard worked under the direction of the composer former King’s Singer, Bill Ives. During this time, the Grammy-nominated college choir undertook several recording projects on the Harmonia Mundi USA label, on which Richard’s playing was hailed as ‘a force of nature’.  He has enjoyed competition success on an international level, culminating in winning the First Prize, Ad Wammes Prize, and Haji Hakim Prize at the Breda International Organ Competition in The Netherlands.   Recital engagements have taken him across the UK, to Europe and the United States of America and he has broadcast, as both organist and pianist, on BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4, Classic FM and Radio France Culture.