Hello Everyone
I have not posted here for months and months but as you have been so kind and generous in your support for Living Songs, I thought it only right that I should update you as to what I have been doing!
You may remember that The Living Songs Series I went up on my Living Songs website. This is a list of songs for soprano and piano or unaccompanied soprano (plus a few mezzo pieces) composed after 2000. So, this list has a baby brother which is now live: The Living Songs Series II - for baritone. A smaller list than the soprano one, but a start nonetheless. My hope is that one day, a singing teacher or performer will look at either of these lists and choose a contemporary song, over an old one! Big dreams...
Hot off the press, I have a new friend and partner in Mundo Arts and Patricia Caicedo. Patricia is a prolific advocate of Latin American song and has a large song project which is really impressive with a festival, publications, regular social media content and even merchandise! I hope I can meet her to discuss her work further...I mean, who would turn down a trip to Barcelona?! Anyway, she really likes Living Songs and I think it is a interesting connection for the project to have.
Concerts wise...well I spend an awful lot of time promoting others (!) but I have done one or two myself. I sang at Sound Over Silence, a gala fundraiser for Medical Aid for Palestinians in St James' Church, Paddington and I asked Richard (Causton) to write me a song. He got in touch with George Szirtes, who was recently awarded the King's Gold Medal for Poetry, and between them they wrote something extraordinary based on Robert Southwell's poem 'The Burning Babe'. 'Scorched Earth' is an intense, raw song and I will be selling the score on the Living Songs website, along with Thomas Gibbs' song for counter tenor also composed for the concert, in return for a donation to MAP. Watch this space.
In 2025, I have also been working with pianist Fei Ren, a wonderful Chinese New Zealand pianist, formerly of the Marsyas Trio. We have given a few recitals and included a stunning song by Linda Catlin Smith ('In Black Ink') and another beautiful piece by Mark Anthony Turnage 'No Sad Songs'. Jelena Makarova and I also recently performed Camden Reeves' 'Echo from the Styx', a song, although very short, I have wanted to do for a long time.
That's it for now! Do like and follow Living Songs on Instagram if you can - much appreciated!
Thank you for your support as ever,
Jessica x