Commission for the inaugural London International Choral Conducting Competition: The Cries of Music

Janet was delighted to be commissioned by the organisers of the inaugural LICCC to write the set test piece for the competition. The invitation presented a hugely exciting opportunity to set a wonderful new text by renowned librettist Euan Tait. The poem beautifully draws the parallel between the singer’s experience of choral music and our common human experience of life’s trajectory from beginning to end. A strong international field of six finalists will conduct the combined forces of chamber choirs Chantage, Coro and FREIA at…

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Première of Imagine It! for NYCGB and O Duo

Janet’s new commission for NYCGB and O Duo, setting a text by John Taylor, was sung in the final concert at their Training Choir’s residential course at Giggleswick School in Yorkshire.  Written for double SATB and percussion duo, the piece considers the extraordinary range of the human mind; from astrophysics to sublime poetry and music, the mind encompasses it all. Course director Greg Beardsell said afterwards: The singers’ positive response to ‘Imagine It’ was testament…

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Première of Better is Wisdom at Newnham College, Cambridge

For the Centenary celebration of the Newnham College Roll, Janet composed Better is Wisdom. She co-wrote the text with fellow Newnham College alumna Deborah Chancellor, basing it around the text of the magnificent embroidered banner which was carried during many suffrage marches during years of campaigning for the vote. The piece for SSAA choir and piano was premièred very successfully by a choir of Newnham Alumnae conducted by Janet and accompanied by Janet’s daughter Sarah Cattley –…

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“I Sing and Ever Shall” at Saffron Hall – March 24th 2018

Saffron Walden Choral Society, Saturday 24th March,7.30 Janet will conduct the second performance of this choral and orchestral work (Baritone soloist: Timothy Nelson) which was commissioned in 2016 by David Gibson and Southampton Philharmonic Society. Mozart’s Great C Minor Mass and Eine Kleine Nachtmusik complete the programme. Click here for details:  

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