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…
Janet’s new arrangement of a beautiful Shaker work song contains three variants which can be sung continuously or as separate interludes in a concert. Granta Chorale gives the première in their concert: ‘All in the end … is harvest’ in Corpus Christi College Cambridge on 17th October. The piece can be sung by a flexible line-up of at least 4 voices with piano.
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…