These last couple of months since the release of 'DIVISION OF MEMORY' have been great, and it's been lovely seeing lots of positive response to both the album, and my piece. Back in November 'Carolina's Jig' was featured on WSMR Radio's show 'Modern Notebook', and most recently I was featured on PARMA Recordings blog 'The Inside Story' - click on the link below to read the blog in full

The album is available through all streaming platforms

https://www.parmarecordings.com/inside-story-lydia-jane-pugh-and-division-of-memory/

I am delighted to announce that 'DIVISION OF MEMORY', featuring my solo cello piece 'Carolina's Jig' has been released through Navona Records! Performed by Thomas Mesa, the album is an incredible display of both the cello and new music

The album is available through all major music streaming and download platforms - follow the link below to Navona's Catalogue Page to find your preferred platform 

https://www.navonarecords.com/catalog/nv6373/

I'm absolutely delighted to say that DIVISION OF MEMORY has a confirmed released date of OCTOBER 8th 2021 with Navona Records! The album will be available on all major music platforms and retailers.

This project has been essentially 2 years in the making, and the results are absolutely amazing. It has been wonderful working with Thomas Mesa and all the team at PARMA to and I cannot wait to share the final results with you all. 

Check out the following links for more information about the project: 

Carolina's Jig Promo Video:            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzYQqqcmaKo 
Division of Memory Album Trailer:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcH1enF99e4 
My Artist Page with Navona:           https://www.navonarecords.com/artists/lydia-jane-pugh/

After many months of delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I'm delighted to say that my choral pieces 'My Hiding Place' and 'Adiraï' were recorded by The Kühn Choir in Prague on August 31st 2021, kicking off this amazing opportunity for myself and my music. As I did with the Thomas Mesa project (which is reaching it's conclusion very soon as well), I got to listen in and work with the recording team via Zoom and Audiomovers. It's so exciting to be at this creative stage in the project! 

I'm so thankful to PARMA and The Kühn Choir for this amazing opportunity, and thank you also to everyone who has supported me thus far for this project. For more details about the project and ways in which you can continue to help and contribute, please go to the recording project page. 

I had the great joy of discussing writing music for voices on the lovely podcast Total Choir Resources 

You can listen to the episode by following the link below:

https://www.totalchoirresources.com/207-writing-inspiring-music-for-voices-with-lydia-jane-pugh/?fbclid=IwAR1O338OL6ZG7fImae7CU1ozyxsJ6S1b1lo45eCrIBp-7yeton3WTQjBj48 

'All-Nighter' the musical was a huge success - it was quite unbelievable what we managed to pull together and produce in just a week. And riding on the back of the shows initial success, the writers Laura Simpson and Rickey Long decided to continue to develop the show, and asked us to commit to performing it again at the end of September, this time in the Performing Arts Centre, for a 2-night (and 4-show) run.   

The state of the performing arts industry is not great, let's be honest, so to be perhaps the only place in the world right now that can produce live theatre is amazing - not only that, but to be part of the creation of a brand new musical at all is wonderful, and I'm honoured to be involved. 

The show runs on Saturday 26th, and Sunday 27th September
- 6pm & 8pm performances
- At the Performing Arts Centre, Guernsey 

Tickets available from guernseytickets.gg
Head over to All-Nighter the Musical's website for more details about the production and it's development

I was utterly delighted to have been asked my my dear friends Laura Simpson and Rickey Long to perform in their new musical initiative.  

With theatres around the world still closed and arts industries in jeopardy, Laura and Rickey took the initiative to write and stage a brand new musical.... in the space of ONE WEEK! No mean feat, which saw a cast of 7 (including myself), a band of 4 and a production team of 3 write, rehearse, produce and bring alive a brand new music, playing to a packed house at the Avril Earl's Dance and Theatre Centre in Guernsey.  

It was an amazing event - a live recording of the premiere was filmed and will be posted shortly.  
However, this is not the end! The show is still in development, and there are some exciting things on the horizon. For more information, head over to All-Nighter the Musical's website

This year would have marked the 10th Anniversary of Choral Chameleon's Summer Institute; an amazing forum in New York City, who I credit with giving me the huge career surge I have seen in the last few years. Undeterred by the COVID19 pandemic and it's devastating impact on the arts, Choral Chameleon Hosted an online institute this year, which included online interviews/masterclasses with the faculty, performers, and composer/conductor alumni.

I was thrilled to be asked to take part in alumni interview alongside some dear friends.
You can watch in full on Choral Chameleon's Youtube Channel

Despite everything that's going on, the amazing people I get to work with are all still finding ways to push through with optimism and hope for the arts when we return to a sense of normalcy. At the end of 2019 I was commissioned by Choral Chameleon to take part in their project, 'Bigger than my Song', which sees 11 commissioned composers arranging any Top 40 Hit they choose for Choral Chameleon to perform. These performances would then be recorded and remixed by a DJ for a 'choral rave' event 

I'm absolutely gutted that this event is on hiatus for the time being, but I am delighted to have been asked to take part in the online interview with artistic director Vince Peterson, as well as 4 other composers involved in the project 

Here's the full interview on Choral Chameleon's Youtube Channel - and if you're in a rush, jump to 25' to hear me talk a little bit about getting to write for Choral Chameleon (and for a little moment of comedy delight as well!) 



 

I am delighted by this wonderfully written review by Dan Lis, of my piece 'Carolina's Jig' on his blog site Composers Toolbox. 
- Dan has reviewed my work before, having written another great article about 'Vous-lous enne P'tite Goute?', and I'm glad he saw fit to talk so highly of this piece as well 

You can read the post by following the link below

https://composerstoolbox.com/2020/05/18/lydia-jane-pugh-carolinas-jig/