ABOUT
About Songs For My Daughter
Inspired by her young daughter, and the songs she sang to her as a baby, former Cambridge choral scholar, writer, academic and Lullaby Trust charity Ambassador Laura-Jane Foley presents a deeply personal and joyous collection of classical songs, poetry and lullabies in new album Songs for My Daughter.
The 23 track album provides a perfect introduction to classical music for young families and a melodious and nostalgic treat for classical connoisseurs in time for Christmas. Every album sold will raise money for the Lullaby Trust charity.
New mother and Soprano, Laura-Jane has selected her favourite classical songs some well-known and some little known but beautiful gems which she hopes will not only encourage a love of classical music from a young age but also give new parents and extended families the chance to recapture the natural magic of singing.
Songs for My Daughter is a thoughtfully curated collection of classical songs and lullabies interspersed with tender poems by D H Lawrence, William Shakespeare, WB Yeats and Thomas Dekker. This wide-ranging album offers a perfect introduction to classical music spanning some 400 years from Renaissance composers Philip Rosseter and William Byrd through Henry Purcell, George Frideric Handel and Antonio Vivaldi to the 20th century Ralph Vaughan Williams. Included is Vivaldi’s aria Nulla in mundo pax sincera - made famous by the film Shine, Handel's popular arias Art Thou Troubled? and Silent Worship and Thomas Arne’s much loved Where the Bee Sucks. The album also features popular folk songs including The Ash Grove and Linden Lea. The CD ends with six peaceful and exquisite lullabies including César Franck’s deeply loved and popular Panis Angelicus, the rarely performed Cradle Song by William Byrd and the haunting folk melody of the Dalmatian Cradle Song.
Complemented by the soaring acoustics of the chapel of St Peter’s College, Oxford University, where the recording was made, and the piano accompaniment courtesy of Gavin Roberts, Songs for My Daughter is both a deeply personal album -dedicated to Laura-Jane’s daughter and mother- and a shared, universal celebration of love in all its forms.
About Laura-Jane Foley
Laura-Jane Foley is a writer, academic and singer and has enjoyed an exciting and varied career across the arts. Laura-Jane was educated at Homerton College, Cambridge University where she won the Westall Prize for outstanding contribution to college life, Trinity College, Oxford University and she received her doctorate from Kingston University.
As a Soprano singer, she has sung on several best-selling CDs including the film soundtrack for Disney's Prince Caspian. She was a choral exhibitioner at Homerton College, Cambridge University. She was the subject of the Channel 4 programme Faking It where she was transformed from choir girl to rock chick. She has sung with the Pugin Singers and the National Youth Choir and has sung solos at many well-known venues including the Royal Albert Hall and the Royal Festival Hall. Laura-Jane is honoured to have sung at Clarence House and St James's Palace for senior members of the Royal Family. She currently sings with the Bach Choir in London.
Laura-Jane is also a widely published writer. Her sell-out play An Evening with Lucian Freud premiered in the West End in 2015. Further works for theatre/opera include Words of Love (Bradford Playhouse, 2010), A Far Better Thing with Luis Soldado (Royal Opera House/Jerwood Space, 2011), She Sings It Differently with Stephen Barlow (Helios/ National Portrait Gallery, 2016), and Colours with Dimitri Scarlato (Hoxton Hall/ Italian Institute, 2017/2018). She was trained as a librettist at the Royal Opera House.
Laura-Jane has also presented and contributed to a range a television and radio programmes. She currently hosts the podcast My Favourite Work of Art.
In 2016 she was shortlisted for a Women of the Future award for exceptional achievement in the arts.
In 2018 Laura-Jane was made an ambassador for the Lullaby Trust charity.
For more information visit: www.laurajanefoley.co.uk