A new album by Papagena includes Tomorrow is Today as its title track. Janet wrote this for the group in 2021, setting a text by Sarah Cattley which likens each new dawn to the new life of a chick emerging from its egg. The music incorporates layered birdsong effects to create a dawn chorus. This is interspersed with more rhythmic and energetic, dance-like music full of the excitement of a new morning and new life.…
As a companion piece for her cantata The Measure of a Tree, Janet has composed a setting of Kate Wakeling’s poem ‘and a tree’ for the Scunthorpe Co-operative Junior Choir. Kate’s poem was commissioned by the Poetry Society to celebrate the decoration of the annual Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree in 2022. Janet chose to set this text because it echoed many of same ideas explored by ‘The Measure of a Tree’. She has dedicated her…
Following its première in June 2025 by Granta Chorale, Slideways Trombone Quartet and Richard Carr on the organ, Janet’s setting of Psalm 150 was given its second performance by Ely Choral Society – again with Slideways – in Ely Cathedral on October 18th. The concert also featured new pieces by the choir’s conductor Andrew Parnell. Psalm 150 was the result of a commission from David and Rachel Musgrove to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary. The…
Birds of Paradise première Edinburgh’s Cadenza Choir commissioned Janet to compose a retirement gift for Jenny Sumerling, who directed the choir for 22 years. With new conductor Tim Coleman, the choir premièred Janet’s setting of Christina Rossetti’s ‘Birds of Paradise’ at Greyfriars Kirk on August 24th in their Edinburgh Fringe Festival concert. The music features aleatoric birdcalls from upper voices layered against a full SATB texture. The organ loft in Greyfriars Kirk made the ideal…
In 673 St Etheldreda founded a double monastery on the site of Ely Cathedral. To mark the 1350th anniversary of this event, the Friends of Ely Cathedral have commissioned Janet to compose a new Ely Service. Janet has used the numbers 673 and 1350 as inspiration for some if the melodic material in the service. It will be sung on June 4th and also on June 21st when it will be broadcast live on BBC…