Kate Whitley

Last updated

Kate Whitley
Born1989 (age 3435)
Occupation(s)Composer
Instrument(s)Piano

Kate Whitley (born 1989) is an English composer, comedian and pianist.

Contents

Career

She is classically trained and studied music at King's College, Cambridge. [1] Her music is recorded by NMC Recordings and her debut release, I am, I say was released in 2017. [2] It was described as "unpretentious and appealingly vigorous music" [3] and "an excellent introduction to her sonic world". [4] She won a Borletti-Buitoni Trust Special Award in 2014. Her music has been broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 and performed as part of the BBC Proms. [5]

In 2017, Whitley was commissioned by Radio 3 to compose a piece for International Women's Day, setting the words of Malala Yousafzai's 2013 speech to the UN. [6] The piece, called Speak Out, was premiered on 8 March 2017 in the Hoddinott Hall in Cardiff, with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Chorus of Wales alongside the children's choir Cor y Cwm, conducted by Xian Zhang. [6]

Her concert piece Sky Dances, was commissioned by the London Symphony Orchestra and performed in the summer of 2018 at Trafalgar Square. Sir Simon Rattle conducted the LSO and 70 young musicians from East London. The ballet Ignite, written for Birmingham Royal Ballet, toured the same year. [7] In July 2022 a new oratorio, Our Future In Your Hands was performed at the Buxton Festival, with an orchestra of young musicians from the Royal Northern College of Music and a choir drawn from local schools. The text, by Laura Attridge, voices climate change concerns from the point of view of young people. [8]

Multi-Story Orchestra

Whitley co-founded the Multi-Story Orchestra with conductor Christopher Stark in 2011. [9] The orchestra's first performance was of Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring in a car park in Peckham, London. The project won the 2016 Royal Philharmonic Society Music Award for Audiences and Engagement. [1] The orchestra also works with school children and local community groups. [10]

Personal Life

As of 2023, Whitley lives in Deptford, with fellow comedian and musician Sam Griffin, as well as former professional bassoonist and cycling champion Joe Qiu.

List of works

Solo/chamber works

Orchestral

Choral

Dramatic

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References

  1. 1 2 "King's alumna wins RPS Music Award". King's College, Cambridge. 15 May 2016. Archived from the original on 9 November 2018.
  2. Whitehouse, Richard (20 April 2017). "Whitley I Am I Say". www.gramophone.co.uk. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  3. Molleson, Kate (30 March 2017). "Kate Whitley: I Am I Say CD review – unpretentious and appealingly vigorous music". the Guardian. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  4. Morrison, Richard (14 April 2017). "Classical: Multi-Story Orchestra/Stark/Whitley: I Am I Say/ Howard Skempton: The Rime of the Ancient Mariner". The Times. ISSN   0140-0460 . Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  5. "Kate Whitley | About". katewhitley.net. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  6. 1 2 "Musical premiere of Malala speech". BBC News. 8 March 2017. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  7. Sarah Kirkup. 'Kate Whitley: igniting dance with her music', in Gramophone, October 19, 2018
  8. Buxton Festival: Our Future in Your Hands
  9. Willson, Flora (27 August 2017). "Multi-Story Orchestra review – concrete commitment brings car park chorus of approval". the Guardian. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  10. "Bold Tendencies | Multi Story Orchestra". boldtendencies.com. Retrieved 2 September 2018.