Brass Quintet for Onyx Brass – JAM Masterclass Series

Janet’s sketch for brass quintet was selected by the John Armitage Memorial Trust for a Masterclass workshop with Onyx Brass and Paul Mealor at St Leonard’s Church in Hythe. The four selected composers heard their sketches realised by the fantastic brass players of Onyx Brass, and had the opportunity to try out various ideas in preparation for completing their compositions. The detailed focus on aspects of brass writing at the workshop was both helpful and…

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Mentoring ORA Young Composers

From Spring 2021, Janet has been very pleased to mentor Raj Bhaumik and Samuel Oliver-Sherry, two of the young composers that were shortlisted for the ORA Young Composers Competition. The ten finalists were asked to write a reflection on a Renaissance composition, which provided a fruitful springboard for compositional exploration, discussion, and development. The final took place in July and Janet was delighted that Samuel won the runner-up prize. Congratulations to him and all the…

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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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Hendrix College Carol Competition

Hendrix College, Arkansas, established its Candlelight Carol services, modelled on the Christmas Eve services from Kings College Chapel, in 1964. Janet’s entry Behold, I Come, was selected from over 65 submissions for the 2017 Candlelight Carol Competition and will be premiered on 30 November at the start of a regional tour by the choir.

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