We are very pleased to announce that the BAFTA-winning British composer Jessica Curry has been appointed as the third composer-in-residence for our five15 project to champion the musical talent of women composers.
Jessica’s music has been performed in concert venues and on radio stations around the world. She was co-founder of the games company The Chinese Room and won her BAFTA for the PS4 title Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture, which was named soundtrack of the year by MOJO magazine. Amongst many other distinctions, she collaborated with the poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy, setting her poems to music for a performance in Durham Cathedral in July 2016 to mark the centenary of the Battle of the Somme. An enthusiastic singer herself, Jessica is also a presenter on ClassicFM, presenting High Score, a Saturday night show about video game music.
Her appointment as five15 composer-in-residence was announced at our concert at Cutty Sark in Greenwich on 21 st June, entitled The Sirens’ Voice: Magnificent Women, featuring an international all- female music programme stretching from the 11 th century to the present day. For five15, Jessica will be writing three pieces – a Christmas composition, an orchestral work and a final a cappella item which will receive its première at a concert at Cutty Sark in the summer of 2019.
Dominic Ellis-Peckham, our musical director, said: “We are thrilled that Jessica has agreed to become our third composer-in-residence and are sure that our collaboration will produce some stunning music and a continuation of the legacy from these special commissions. Our two previous composers both brought their own distinct characters and styles to their work and we can’t wait to see what Jessica has in store for us.” Commenting on her appointment, Jessica said: “I couldn’t be more thrilled to be the third composer in residence. I am passionate about choral music and I’m particularly excited as I have been following five15,
the incredible initiative pioneered by the London Oriana Choir, very closely as it’s such great news for women composers. I’m already buzzing with ideas and can’t wait to get going in earnest.”
Launched in April 2016, five15 has been going from strength-to-strength in its first two years with the completion of six commissions by Cheryl Frances-Hoad and Rebecca Dale, who has just been signed to Decca Publishing and Decca Classics, the first woman to achieve this distinction. In addition, there has been more general programming of works by female composers, the appointment of Simon Funnell as its first professional project manager and educational outreach to 16-18-year old budding female composers. Plans are underway for recordings, a competition, a compendium of all the commissioned works and a closing
festival.