Betty Roe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Betty Roe
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| Born | 30 July 1930 North Kensington, London, England
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| Nationality | English |
| Alma mater | Royal Academy of Music |
| Occupation | Composer, singer, vocal coach, conductor |
| Years active | 1976–present |
| Spouse(s) | John Bishop |
| Children | Three |
Betty Roe MBE (born 30 July 1930) is an English composer, singer, vocal coach, and conductor. She has written many different kinds of music, from songs to operas. She has also helped other musicians learn to sing and perform.
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About Betty Roe
Betty Roe was born in North Kensington, a part of London, England. Her dad was a fishmonger, which means he sold fish at Shepherd's Bush Market. Her mom was a bookkeeper, who kept track of money for businesses.
Betty started piano lessons when she was six years old. She loved music and began writing her own songs and arrangements as a teenager. This was during World War II, and she helped with choirs at her local church.
Her Music Education
Betty studied piano, cello, and voice at the Royal Academy of Music. This is a famous music school in London. She learned from many talented teachers. After a short break, she returned to the Academy in 1949. There, she also studied how to compose music with a well-known composer named Lennox Berkeley.
Working with Stars
In the 1950s, Betty started writing music for plays and musicals. She also worked as a "sessions singer." This means she sang in recording studios for other artists. She even worked with famous people like Cliff Richard, Cilla Black, and The Two Ronnies. She even appeared on TV, conducting a choir on Top of the Pops!
Family and Publishing
Betty married John Bishop, and they had three children. From 1968 to 1978, she was the Director of Music at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. She also started her own choir groups in the 1960s.
In 1970, Betty and her husband started a music publishing company called Thames Publishing. This company helped other composers get their music published. After her husband passed away in 2000, the company became part of William Elkin Music Services.
In 2011, Betty Roe received a special award. She was made a MBE. This award was given to her for her amazing contributions to classical music and composing.
Betty Roe's Music
Betty Roe has written more than 300 solo songs! She has also composed many other types of music. These include choral music (music for choirs), sacred music (music for religious services), musicals, and operas. She has also written pieces for instruments and music for schools.
One of her well-known songs is 'Nursery Rhyme of Innocence and Experience'. She wrote this for children's voices. Betty herself has said that her Three Herrick Songs are "one of the best things I have written."
Some of Her Vocal Works
- Diva's Lament (1995)
- All The Day (four songs)
- Noble Numbers (1972)
- Three Childhoods (for two-part choir)
- Three Shakespeare Songs
Recorded Music
You can find Betty Roe's music on several CDs. Here are a few:
- The Family Tree, music for children (1998)
- Jazz Songs; Euphonium Dance (1997)
- The Music Tree: Solo Songs by Betty Roe (1998)
- Noble Numbers (2009)
- The Silver Hound and other songs (2017)
Working with Marian Lines
Betty Roe has often worked with a writer named Marian Lines. Marian is a librettist, which means she writes the words for operas and musicals. Together, they have created many exciting works.
Operas
- The Legend of Gallant Bevis of Southampton (1977)
- Gaslight
- A Flight of Pilgrims (1992)
- Lunch at the Cooked Goose (2000)
- Welcome to Purgatory (2003)
- Brunel: The Little Man in the Tall Hat (2006)
- Swindon: The Opera (2012)
Musicals
- The Barnstormers (1976)
- Kookajoo and the Magic Forest
- The Most Wanted Faces (1978)
- Christmas Boxes (1980)
- The Trouble with spells is... (1982)
- The Miracle Masque (1983)
- The Pink Parakeet (1984)
- The Storm Hound (1996) – This musical is based on the legend of Black Shuck.
- Floating (2002)
- The Magic Fishbone – This is based on a short story by Charles Dickens.
Choral Works
- Burd Ellen (1976)
- A Crown of Briar Roses (1977) – Written for Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee.
- Circe Beguiled (1978) – About an encounter between Odysseus and the witch Circe.
- The Family Tree (1982)
- A Cat's Tale (1990)
- St George and the Dragon (1995)
- Sing the Millennium (1999)
- Dick Whittington (2005)
