Commissions
Janet would be delighted to discuss requests for commissions. She
is equally interested in setting existing poetry or newly-written
lyrics. Her insight into the poet's intent has led several
renowned writers including Kevin Crossley-Holland to approach her
to set their words.
Janet is currently working on three commissions. For the choir of St
Michael’s Bishops Stortford she is writing All Heaven Before
Mine Eyes, an anthem for the celebration of the rebuilding of
the organ. This will be premièred in May.
For Saffron Walden Choral Society she is writing The Ceaseless
Round of Circling Planets, a choral and orchestral piece to be
performed by the choir at the Thaxted Festival in July.
Finally for Southampton Philharmonic Choir she is writing a 20
minute choral and orchestral piece entitled I SIng and Ever
Shall, to be performed in October 2016.
In
2015 Janet composed Sleep O Cluster of Friends a setting for
choir and harp of Matthew Arnold’s words
written in Haworth Churchyard and celebrating the
Brontës.
It was commissioned by Granta Chorale and performed by them in
Saffron Hall on June 6th 2015 with Anne Denholm on harp.
Other recent
commissions include music for two dramatic works by Nick Warburton, both
premiered in Cambridge. HisOther recent
commissions include music for two dramatic works by Nick Warburton, both
premiered in Cambridge. His Christmas Diaries were performed at
St Mark’s, Trumpington in December 2014 and his adaptation of The Old
Curiosity Shop was staged at the ADC Theatre in December 2013, both
featuring Janet’s music.
A commission
from Yellow Car Charitable Trust for a large-scale concert work led to
Magnificat cum Angelis, premiered in May 2012. YCCT also
supported the performance.
Other
previously commissioned works include four substantial compositions for
Saffron Walden Choral Society:
Sea Tongue
(secular oratorio setting words by Kevin Crossley-Holland) 2004
Train in the
Rain
(libretto by Nick Warburton) 2005
On the Breath
of the Sky
(libretto by Nick Warburton)
2007
MAZE
(libretto
by Nick Warburton) composed for combined choirs together with Britten
Sinfonia. 2012. This was performed in March 2012 in a gala concert that
was part of Music Nation, a countdown event for the Cultural Olympiad,
organised by LOCOG and the BBC.
In 2009 Janet
composed Time becomes a song, a cycle of John Clare settings in
memory of Alfred Tealby (a Clare enthusiast). This was commissioned
jointly by OCR/Cambridge Assessment and the Tealby-Watson family to
celebrate the life and work of the poet.
|
