Lorna Day

Lorna is a mezzo soprano based in the North West of England, highly accomplished in solo and ensemble singing.  Lorna has given recitals at the English Music Festival, Wye Valley Music, Rekstensamlingene in Bergen, Leeds Lieder Composer’s Forum, and works regularly with duo partner Olivia Dance, where they recently performed a successful programme celebrating Madeleine Dring for Wigan Music Society. Lorna’s solo concert highlights include Elgar The Music Makers with Stafford Choral Society, Dvořák Stabat Mater with Heswall Choral Society, Handel Messiah with Amadeus: the Chamber Choir, Jenkins The Armed Man with Cantores Olicanae and Rossini Petite messe solennelle with Chipping Norton Choral Society.  She looks forward to performing the solos and chorus in Handel Messiah, with Manchester Camerata and Kantos Chamber Choir, in Autumn 2024. She performs regularly in the chorus of Bergen National Opera (Parsifal, Rusalka, Die Fledermaus, and coming up in 2024, Die Tote Stadt) and has also performed with Longborough Festival Opera (Orfeo ed Euridice).

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Lorna is an experienced ensemble singer, and performs and records regularly with several ensembles, including Kantos Chamber Choir, directed by Ellie Slorach, Jervaulx Singers, directed by Charlie Gower-Smith, The Mancunium Consort, directed by Harry Mobbs, the Edvard Grieg Kor in Bergen, directed by Edward Gardner, and The Daily Service Singers for BBC Radio 4. She recently performed in a recording of Delius' A Mass of Life with Sir Mark Elder and the Edvard Grieg Kor, Bergen Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra, which won a Spellemanprisen in  Norway and was nominated for a Gramophone award..  Lorna has performed at the BBC Proms 2019 with Britten Sinfonia Chorus and Genesis Sixteen alumni, and at the BBC Proms 2023 with the Edvard Grieg Kor, under Edward Gardner. She is an alumnus of Genesis Sixteen, led by Harry Christophers and Eamonn Dougan.

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Lorna studied under the tutelage of Jane Irwin at the Royal Northern College of Music, receiving a First Class BMus (hons) degree and MMus degree with Distinction. She won the RNCM Elsie Thurston Prize, was a finalist in the Kennedy Strauss Award, was highly commended in the Frost/Brownson Song Cycle Competition, and she performed various operatic roles in the RNCM Opera productions during the course of her studies, including Woodpecker The Cunning Little Vixen, Suora infermiera Suor Angelica, Esther The Path to Heaven (world premiere) and various roles in the RNCM Opera Scenes. Her studies were generously supported by the Alice Orrell and A&N Kendall Award, Headley Trust, Help Musicians UK Postgraduate Award, Mario Lanza Educational Foundation and the Sir Richard Stapley Educational Trust.

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​In her spare time, Lorna enjoys bouldering, hiking, making and decorating cakes and playing the flute.  Lorna was principal flute in the Hallé Youth Orchestra and the National Youth Wind Ensemble of Great Britain before commencing her vocal studies at the RNCM. Lorna currently teaches singing at the Cheshire School of Music.

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