Janet Wheeler facts for kids

Janet Wheeler (born in 1957) is a British composer and a leader of choirs. She lives in Saffron Walden, Essex.

Early Life and Music Journey

Janet Wheeler showed musical talent from a young age. When she was 10, she attended the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Later, she studied music at Newnham College, Cambridge.

After college, Janet taught music in secondary schools. She then worked as a music producer for BBC Schools radio, creating music for primary school children. Eventually, she focused completely on conducting choirs and writing music.

Janet Wheeler as a Composer

Janet Wheeler has written many pieces of music, mostly for choirs. Her music has been performed by famous groups like I Fagiolini, Gloucester Cathedral Choir, and the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain.

Commissioned Works

Janet Wheeler has been asked to write music for special events.

• In 2018, the London International Choral Conducting Competition asked her to write The Cries of Music. The words for this piece were written by a Welsh poet named Euan Tait.
• Her old college, Newnham College, Cambridge, asked her to write a piece for their 100th anniversary in 2018. This piece, called Better is Wisdom than Weapons of War, was inspired by words from the college's banner about women's right to vote.
• In 2019, Sonoro Choir asked her to compose a new piece called Beati quorum via. This piece was inspired by an older work with the same name by Charles Villiers Stanford.

Where Her Music is Published

Janet Wheeler publishes some of her own music under the name MazeMusic. Other companies also publish her work. Hal Leonard de Haske publishes some of her lighter pieces. Novello published her short choir piece We Sing to God, the Spring of Mirth. Another piece, Alleluia, I heard a voice, is part of a collection called Multitude of Voyces: Sacred Music by Women Composers.

Janet Wheeler as a Conductor

Janet Wheeler is also a skilled conductor, which means she leads choirs.

• In 2007, she started a choir called Granta Chorale.
• Since 2010, she has led SignuptoSing, which is the Saffron Walden Youth Choir.
• She also conducts the Chamber Choir at Saffron Walden County High School.

Awards and Recognition

Janet Wheeler has won several awards for her compositions:

• In 2016, she won the Friends of Cathedral Music Diamond Jubilee Introit competition for her piece We Sing to God, the Spring of Mirth.
• In 2017, she won the Hendrix Candlelight Carol Competition for Behold, I Come.
• Also in 2017, she won the Leith Hill Musical Festival Composition Competition for her piece Seventy Three.