My ever changing career has again seen me treading many new paths as well as old leading back to those with whom I have made music since childhood. I gratefully  embrace them all.

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Last week I was engaged to sing The National Anthem at The Conservative Party Conference closing.

Two years ago I sang our Anthem at The Commonwealth Games, the last time it was done as 'Queen'. The then Prince Charles, requested to see myself and Malala to thank us for our involvement.

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After singing the now God Save the King version of the Anthem at the Wolves v Man City Premier League match, I shook hands with Pep Guardiola. I also met our Red Roses Rugby team at an international versus Italy.

 

This may all seem a big contrast to the many Care Homes I love singing in (sometimes daily) but it is not. I meet so many splendid, wonderful and interesting people from every walk of life from Second World war pilots to those who nursed them!

Performing at the Memory Cafe is also significant.

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A place where someone who no longer recognises a loved one, can stand beside me and remember and sing a song or aria! We are learning more about the value of this "singing phenomena" and the great soprano Renee Fleming after co operation with doctors and scientists is about to publish a book about this condition.....and singing!

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I have also sung at several funerals in both Lancashire and the Midlands. Initially anxious about these requested engagements, I now feel honoured that someone enjoys my singing enough to make a request for me. But sometimes singing is not easy!     

I look forward to singing with soprano Grace O Malley again as we two young singers brace ourselves to go just over the Yorkshire border to Skipton as guests of KVU Singers (Oct 20th).

 I also sing alongside KVU in Messiah on 8th Dec at the Freckleton Chapel where history is written yearly (over 100years) with a Messiah like no other. Unique. 

 

I work also with Birmingham Opera delivering projects, often with community groups and in unusual venues and two much praised performances of  New Year by Tippett and Eisler's The Decision where I was a chorus mentor working with volunteer choruses made up of residents across the Midlands who all share a love for performance.

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 Just weeks ago I was the soloist in a workshop for a piece about loneliness and surviving the 20th century. This is still being developed alongside community singers by the young composer Vahan Salorian. Then to discover that he comes from Barnoldswick and knows childhood singing friends of mine. More paths!

 

I enjoyed being guest at a Last Night of the Proms concert in Coventry Cathedral with Coventry Youth Orchestra and playing Mrs Noah in Britten's Noyes Fludde alongside a hundred Birmingham children enlisted by The Birmingham Choral Education Project. I sing recitals and concerts regularly at the Cedar Church Birmingham where I will also feature on the 22nd of December at their 'Carols by Candlelight' concert.