Countertenor: Meet The Team

By Liberty Collard

Welcome to the Countertenor blog - a space to showcase the exciting work being done on the Countertenor project, a three-year AHRC-funded research programme, aiming to rediscover and reprofile Black musical voices from the past. 

Countertenor began in 2021 with the aim of creating a series of research and performance outputs to contribute to the necessary and overdue task of diversifying the canon. The project pledges to establish an accessible platform for a range of audiences to learn about and enjoy early Black music and opera. The project focuses on Charles Ignatius Sancho (1729?-1780) as a case study for exploring broader Black narratives in the arts. Sancho was arguably the most famous eighteenth-century Black Briton and one of the first and only Black musicians to publish original compositions in Britain before the nineteenth century. A formerly enslaved African, Ignatius was a Georgian polymath most famously known for being one of the earliest Black English voters and for the posthumous publication of his Letters. He spent most of his life in domestic service before running a grocery store in the heart of Westminster.

Reginald Mobley

Despite being 250-years later, the musical industry continues to be euro-centric. As an advocate for diversity in music,

Grammy-nominated American countertenor, Reginald Mobley [right] is the research lead for the project, speaking to both Reggie’s personal and professional interests. Reginald’s experiences as a Black countertenor in the current industry makes him uniquely positioned to relate and explore Sancho’s experiences in an authentic and novel way. Reginald’s work as the first ever Programming Consultant for the Handel and Haydn Society is a reflection of his vast skills and experiences as a scholar, artist and activist of Black opera and music.

Paterson Joseph

As well as exploring the music of Ignatius Sancho, trans-Atlantic musical connections between Black Americans and Black Britons, from the eighteenth-century to today, will be explored through the project. This creative process will be conducted through collaboration with Black British actor and novelist, Paterson Joseph [left]. With years of experience as an actor, performing on stages and screens around the world, Paterson brings both theatrical expertise but also rich historical knowledge to the team. Paterson has dedicated many years of his life to studying Sancho, directing and performing two shows on the man himself - Sancho: An Act Of Remembrance and Sancho&Me - For One Night Only. Paterson’s debut novel, The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho, was published in 2022, creatively reconstructing the lost years of Sancho’s life. 

Ben Park

Paterson has worked on composing and developing his Sancho performances alongside musical director, Ben Park. Park is a distinguished British composer, producer, and educator who consistently pushes the boundaries of music and performance. In 2022, Park released an album "Sancho - His Life and His Music” and he is currently collaborating with Reginald on a new album featuring the published songs of Ignatius Sancho, aiming to bring Sancho’s compositions to a wider audience. Park will bring his musical expertise to the team, helping shape both the research and performance narrative. 

Tracy Cheung

With a background in musicology, Tracy Cheung is the producer for Countertenor, Cheung works closely with both sides of the project, the research and creative outputs, as well as external partners and collaborators. Tracy's dedication has been the driving force behind Countertenor’s success so far. 

Liberty Collard

Liberty Collard is the latest addition to the team, joining us in January 2025 as a research assistant. Liberty is a History PhD student at Northeastern University London and a research assistant on the Mapping Black London project. She will bring her expertise on Sancho and eighteenth-century Black history to frame the project. 

The team are super excited to share updates from the Countertenor journey here to keep you up to date with the latest research findings and creative developments. Countertenor seeks to devise a transferable methodology to inspire others. thinking about how we can collaborate more broadly to reconstruct the lives of those from the past who have been marginalised and lost in traditional historical narratives. 

We’re so pleased to have you follow our journey! If you wish to get involved or find out more, please contact Tracy, we’d love to hear from you.