Projects
I work as director, co-director or choral director for large-scale performance projects.
Working alongside diverse teams of professional artists, I make big shows featuring professionals and amateurs performing together; inclusive projects often staged in unusual venues.
Whether it’s a 150-strong chorus under a motorway, an opera in a shopping centre carpark, a cabaret in a working men’s club or a concert in a city hall, these projects bring cohesion, engagement, wellbeing, learning and fun to participants and audiences in the communities with whom they’re produced.
Choral direcor, Calderland, the People’s Opera. Halifax Piece Hall 2017. Produced by 509 Arts
Choral director, Songs of Flight by James Redwood with Hull Freedom Chorus and Youth Orchestra. PRS New Music Biennial 2017
Director, Drover’s Road by Peter Spafford, Helmsley Arts Centre 2015
Composer/director/performer, What If..? Freedom Chorus at Hull Jazz Festival 2018
‘I Wanna Make You Sing!’
With a background as a jazz singer, and having led choirs for decades, I also write songs for choirs.
My songbook is published by Banks Music Publications and is available here:
“Em's skills as a vocal coach and choral leader are matched only by the way she is able to engage people of all ages and experience when facilitating community events - she has a rare knack of helping people believe they can do what they thought they couldn't, and gently giving very specific pointers both on getting started and improving the sound and performance produced. She is a special person who makes everyone working with her feel special too.”
Sue McLaughlin, Musicport Festival
“Em’s skill as a music director is in creating a supportive and inclusive environment where every participant feels confident in performing their very best. Her expert direction of the ambitious concerts that brought together diverse ensembles and professional composers as part of the New Music Biennial/Hull 2017 was the perfect example of this.”
Jenny Harris, Executive Producer, PRS New Music Biennial
“Co-Directing Back to Bransholme with Em was an absolute pleasure, Em brings a wealth of experience and when you're working on an outdoor show in a shopping centre car park, in the middle of a council estate, in late October, you need energy and Em brings that in abundance. This show was ambitious; working alongside Em I knew we could push the boundaries of convention and achieve artistic quality. Together we created something very special, a punk-pop circus opera.”
Louise Yates, Back to Ours
