Author Archive
by Juliette | 01.19.12 | Domestic Diva, Latest News
James is back on tour with Alfie Boe whilst I’m holding the fort at home. We’ve the added complication of an impending house move to contend with. James is flying back from Glasgow to assist on the big day before leaving for Sheffield the next morning. Not ideal but when stressed, I say throw money at the problem and pay the removal firm to pack the house too. The house we’re buying needs rewiring, plumbing, new roof, kitchen, the list goes on but basically, we have to rent while we get the builders in. We’re converting the garage into a studio first but whilst we’re waiting for that it’s a great opportunity to sit round the piano with no distractions and finish our new children’s orchestral piece, The Great Enormo which we’re writing with Michael Rosen. It’s being premiered in the Brighton Festival next year and because we don’t earn any money for it upfront, we always find it hard to justify taking the time out to compose despite being desperate to finish it.
Having said all that, however stressful the imminent move is, what’s keeping me awake at night is the trumpet cake I’ve been commissioned to make for Anna’s birthday party next weekend. Now that’s stressful! More »
Tags: Alfie Boe tour, birthday cake, home studio build, The Great Enormo
by Juliette | 01.03.12 | Domestic Diva, Latest News
I’d love to start with some line about batteries being recharged after the relaxing festive period etc etc but that would be a lie. Does anyone actually manage to recharge anything over Christmas and New Years?
This is the time of year that small children get vomiting bugs, siblings pick fights over who left the lid off the mayonnaise, you spend a months salary on food and another month being surgically attached to the sink or cooker, you feel compelled to eat the contents of your fridge over the course of 3 days (and lets not start on the drink), elderly relatives become incontinent on your sofa, you get a cold that lasts for the entire break and to top it all, when it’s all over you have to go back to work and face the daunting pile of admin awaiting your return. More »
by Juliette | 12.19.11 | Latest News, Record Producing, Singing
I knew the training in composition James and I received from Cambridge University would one day stand us in good stead. That day just dawned, when ITV approached us to set Jedward’s tweets to music for Alfie Boe to sing. My Director of Studies at Cambridge would have turned in his grave. It was the BEST fun though and Alfie is a brilliant straight man; those of you who have been to see him on tour will know he has a great sense of humour.
James has just got back from the icy north on tour with Alfie. He flew down to conduct me, the Brighton Festival Chorus and Youth Choir yesterday at the Brighton Dome – a lovely family Christmas concert. Meanwhile, I’m providing arrangements etc to the O2 for Joe McElderry’s appearances after Christmas with the Birmingham Royal Ballet, whilst redecorating the Christmas Tree every night with all the baubles my 2 year olds have removed during the day. Which reminds me, great review for Joe’s Christmas album in The Times last weekend: More »
Tags: Alfie Boe on tour, Cambridge University composition, Jedward, Joe McElderry at the O2
by Juliette | 12.06.11 | Current Projects, Latest News, Record Producing, Singing
Many thanks for your support over Joe McElderry’s Classic Christmas CD. Much appreciated.
A request came in last week. Could we write a Bond medley using 4 theme tunes for Alfie to sing on Strictly Come Dancing? Of course we could, we are both massive fans of so many of the Bond themes. But then comes the tricky part of our job, to arrange something to please the television company, the record company and of course, most importantly, Alfie has to be 100% happy with what he is being asked to sing in front of millions of people. Oh, and did I mention it needed to last exactly 3 minutes and 1 second.
We were all crowded around the telly on Sunday night and Alfie was fantastic. He added in a top B flat at the end which was thrilling and exhilarating. A talented guy.
Alfie’s tour begins tonight in Bristol so James is down there conducting. You can see him in a More »
by Juliette | 11.29.11 | Current Projects, Latest News, Record Producing
Release day for Joe McElderry’s new album, Classic Christmas was yesterday. He has been hard at work on a nationwide tour which ends today. We went to see him at the Royal Festival Hall with Anna and couldn’t get over what a great show it was. High energy, wonderful singing and a real range of songs. You forget he’s only been doing this for a couple of years and is still so young.
We are all keeping everything crossed that the album is a huge hit, everyone at his launch party yesterday certainly seemed very excited about the buzz surrounding it. Go on, buy it to accompany your Christmas turkey. It will appeal to old and young so you can have it loud enough to avoid the need to make conversation with Aunty Pat over the brussel sprouts…you all know the relative I’m talking about! More »
by Juliette | 11.15.11 | Latest News, Performances, Singing
I’ve been too busy in recent months to do much in the way of singing, but I certainly made up for it this weekend. Elijah on Saturday, which really is a 1st rate example of 2nd rate music. Then at 9 o’clock the next morning the phone rang. At the risk of sharing too much information, I was still in my dressing gown and 2nd cup of coffee. It did seem odd that my agent had decided to ring at 9am on a Sunday morning to enquire about my plans for the day, so despite being touched by her concern, I did immediately smell a rat. A mezzo had just phoned in sick and she was due to sing the Verdi Requiem in Brighton Dome later that day. I LOVE singing the Verdi Requiem. Singing a Requiem on Remembrance Day is always a very moving experience and Barry Wordsworth was conducting, Brighton Phil playing and my favourite chorus, Brighton Festival were to be the choir. No-brainer, but then the stress-factor; 10:30 rehearsal and 2:30 performance. So then followed a mad half hour sorting childcare and getting my concert stuff together, (the bright red dress already in my case from last night would hardly be appropriate for a Requiem). Typical woman worrying about the dress rather than having a sing through to check I could remember the piece well enough.
But, standing in for someone else at the last minute is a marvellous way to perform. If you can let go of the fact that you weren’t chosen to sing in the 1st place, you are onto a total winner. Everyone is so delighted you’ve turned up and saved the day before you even open your mouth. The audience love the drama. If you sing well you are amazing and if you sing badly, well, it’s only to be expected at such short notice and you still remain a trooper. More »
by Juliette | 11.05.11 | Latest News, Record Producing
Alfie’s new record is out this week, imaginatively titled, Alfie. It’s strange to see it in the shops as we finished it months ago. We have our fingers firmly crossed that it does well as we are really pleased with this record. I think it shows just how versatile a singer Alfie is and some of the song choices are real classics. He is up against some stiff competition in the charts at this time of year, all the big guns are piling in, but he is the real deal and I hope Joe public can see that.
James did a concert with the BBC Singers last week featuring the pianola. The what? It’s basically a piano that plays itself but needs a pianola player to pump the pedals which makes the whole thing operate. The player can control the dynamics and the speed but there is still no getting away from the fact that the pianola player does seem more like a pianola operator. More »
by Juliette | 10.21.11 | Latest News, Record Producing
We’ve had a wonderful week recording Christmas songs with Joe McElderry. Rumour has it, Mariah Carey insisted on fake snow and decorations when she made her Christmas album. I could only find a manky old bit of tinsel to put in the studio, but luckily Joe doesn’t have a high maintenance bone in his body. Give him a diet coke and he’s happy.
Mixing the record this week so rather sleep deprived and mastering on Monday which means we deliver by the Tuesday of half term week which will keep my daughter happy. It also gives us time to get excited about Alfie Boe’s new release on October 31st. More »
Tags: Alfie Boe new album, Christmas albums, Classic Roack, Mariah Carey
James is back on tour with Alfie Boe whilst I’m holding the fort at home. We’ve the added complication of an impending house move to contend with. James is flying back from Glasgow to assist on the big day before leaving for Sheffield the next morning. Not ideal but when stressed, I say throw money at the problem and pay the removal firm to pack the house too. The house we’re buying needs rewiring, plumbing, new roof, kitchen, the list goes on but basically, we have to rent while we get the builders in. We’re converting the garage into a studio first but whilst we’re waiting for that it’s a great opportunity to sit round the piano with no distractions and finish our new children’s orchestral piece, The Great Enormo which we’re writing with Michael Rosen. It’s being premiered in the Brighton Festival next year and because we don’t earn any money for it upfront, we always find it hard to justify taking the time out to compose despite being desperate to finish it.
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