Judith Clingan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Judith Clingan AM
Background information
Birth name	Judith Ann Clingan
Born	(1945-01-19) 19 January 1945 (age 80) Sydney, Australia
Genres	Choral
Occupation(s)	Composer, singer and educator
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1966–present
Associated acts	Wayfarers Australia Wide Choir

Judith Ann Clingan is an Australian composer, conductor, performer, and music educator. She was born on January 19, 1945. Since 1997, she has led the Wayfarers Australia Wide Choir. This group was previously known as Waldorf Wayfarers.

Early Life and Education

Judith Clingan was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Her parents were Victor Lawrence Clingan and Marian Dorothy Tasker. She went to Hornsby Girls' High School. Later, she studied at the University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales.

In 1963, Clingan moved to Canberra with her family. She graduated from the Australian National University (ANU) in 1966. The next year, in 1967, she started the Canberra Children's Choir. She also began writing music for young voices. She studied singing, bassoon, and composing at the Canberra School of Music. This school is now part of the ANU School of Music. From 1981 to 1982, she studied music education in Hungary.

Music Career and Achievements

In 1969, Judith Clingan started the Summer Music Schools for Children. This group became known as the Young Music Society in 1975. She also founded Gaudeamus Music and Performing Arts in 1983. This organization is now called Music For Canberra. Clingan was the director of Gaudeamus for eleven years. During this time, she wrote many choral and music theatre pieces for the group. In 1990, members of Gaudeamus performed her music theatre work Kakadu in Finland.

Clingan became involved in Steiner education in 1991. Since then, she has written many short choral and music theatre pieces for Steiner students.

While working in South Australia from 1994 to 1996, she founded Voicebox Youth Opera. She also directed the Canberra branch of Voicebox from 1997 to 2002. During this period, she composed many music theatre pieces. In 1994, she also started Imagine Music Theatre.

In 1997, she founded the Wayfarers Australia choir. She also started The Variables, a vocal group in Canberra.

Judith Clingan has received many awards and grants for her work. In 1986, she became a Member of the Order of Australia for her contributions to music. She has also received a Churchill Fellowship and an Australia Council Composer Fellowship. Other awards include the ANU Creative Arts Fellowship and the Canberra Times Artist of the Year. Her composition Kakadu won a Sounds Australian award. She has also received funding and commissions for her original music.

Clingan is currently the director of Wayfarers Australia. She was also the director of Imagine Music Theatre.

Selected Musical Works

Judith Clingan has composed many different musical pieces. Here are some of her notable works:

• Puer natus (The boy that is born), a Christmas drama from 1968.
• A Canticle of light (1976).
• The Lorax (1979), based on the story by Dr. Seuss.
• Lux Mundi (1985).
• Rime of the Ancient Mariner (1985), with Stephanos Malikides.
• Peter Pandemonium (1985), based on J. M. Barrie's story.
• Modal magic (1986), seven songs for children's choir.
• Francis, or Singing is believing (1986), a mini-opera.
• Nganbra (1988), a Canberra canticle.
• Kakadu (1990), with words by Marian Clingan.
• Marco (1990), an opera for young people about Marco Polo.
• Mass of hope (1992).
• Moomin Magic (1999), based on Finn Family Moomintroll by Tove Jansson.
• The Grandfather Clock (2001), based on a book by Tony Hill.
• Endangered! (2015).
• The Little Prince (2016).
• A Lake for Canberra (2017), a piece for carillon commissioned by the Australian National University.
• The Threshold (2023), new music theatre about aging.
• The Prophet (2024).

Books Written by Judith Clingan

Judith Clingan has also written several books, often related to music:

• The Compleat Chorister (1970)
• So Good a Thing (1980)
• Music is for Everyone (1983)
• Songs of the Tree of Life vol 2 (1996)
• Songs of the Tree of Life vol.1 (1998)
• Play On! (2017)
• Together-Primus (2022)
• Harmonia Mundi (2019)