JANETTE BRASS
Born in the North East, JANETTE BRASS, soprano, completed an Honours degree in Music followed by a Master of Music Degree in Performance at Newcastle University under the guidance of Dr Eric Cross. Her singing teachers have included Norman Tattersall, Yvonne Seymour and Nancy Argenta. As well as extensive choral work in the region, Janette has spent many years performing in festivals and for music societies all around the British Isles with early music ensembles Red Campion and Philomel, delivering programmes mainly centred around the lute-song repertoire, as well as French chanson and folk music - in particular Border ballads. She has worked closely with lutenists Martin Eastwell, Gordon Ferries (also recording work on the Delphian label) and with Jamie Akers.
As well as performing and being a mum, Janette is very busy with her full time music teaching in a school in Cumbria where she enthusiastically directs various choirs of staff and students for whom she enjoys composing and arranging music. Seniors recently took part in the Young Prague Festival and juniors are off to Paris in the spring. School choral concerts take place in Carlisle Cathedral and Lanercost Priory as well as local churches, including performances of Vivaldi’s Gloria, Fauré’s Requiem and Rutter’s Mass of the Children with a traditional Nine Lessons and Carols Service each Christmas.
