ANGELA REITH
Composer, vocal arranger, community choir director, workshop leader, music therapist, singer, pianist, guitarist, music director, writer,
TV/video director & editor
WELCOME
My life in music has taught me that singing mends the heart.
It reaches the essence of who we are;
it can make us well; it can help us live.
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‘I leave my music to heal the world’, wrote Beethoven.
COMPOSING & VOCAL ARRANGING
Composing and vocal arranging in different styles are always a pleasure to do and I like the challenge of suiting the music to the abilities of different singers and instrumentalists.
I've recorded three albums of my compositions. The latest is a collection of choral pieces including a wedding song, a Mass setting (Urban Mass) and two settings of Rumi poems:
Music To Mend The Heart.
Listen HERE.
° Need a bespoke composition or vocal arrangement?
Contact me HERE
SINGING TOGETHER IS GOOD FOR US!
It’s well known that group singing is not only fun, but helps develop confidence, good physical and mental health, and can help lonely people find community. I run a regular drop-in singing workshop in north London - Voices Singing Workshop.
Full details here: naturalvoice.net
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° Need someone to lead a workshop or choir?
Contact me HERE
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TESTIMONIALS
“I…have been really enjoying listening to [Music To Mend The Heart]. The melodies are so memorable and the choral arrangements are beautiful. I love the high soprano part on the ‘Bethlehem Lament’, the elegiac simplicity and beauty of ‘Open My Eyes’ - I love that melody - and the drama of ‘Into the Woods’. “
STEPHEN DALTRY, COMPOSER
COMPOSING AND
VOCAL ARRANGING
COMPOSING
From teenage years I’ve written solo songs, TV soundtracks,
songs for musicals, piano improvisations and choral pieces.
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My latest album, Music To Mend The Heart (2019) spans thirty years of my choral music, sung by beautiful-sounding north London choir, Almost Blue.
Mark Warman, West End MD and orchestrator, conducted and co-produced the album. Popular tracks included on the album are This Night, I Am Tired and Urban Mass.
My other albums are Sometimes the Sun, (1997) with lyrics by Simon Parke and David Adam (Celtic prayers), Improvisations - solo piano and Behind Us! - hits from community musicals. All can be purchased here and except for Behind Us! are also available digitally on Spotify, iTunes, Amazon, etc.
VOCAL ARRANGING
All the cover songs that I teach in choirs and workshops are my arrangements,
suited to the capabilities of the singers.
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Need an arrangement? Contact me HERE
BIOGRAPHY
ANGELA REITH
Angela has been making music since starting piano lessons at age 8 while living in Zimbabwe. Back in the UK, as a teenage guitarist in the 1960s she performed in a folk duo with her sister, Meriel. After studying music at Birmingham University, she worked in TV and video as a writer, producer, director, editor and composer.
Since 2000 she has divided her time between working as a choral and instrumental composer, songwriter, vocal arranger, singing leader, conductor, pianist, guitarist, music director, music therapist and writer. She leads a number of community singing groups and choirs for health, well-being and the enjoyment of group singing, and works in a wide range of musical genres. Angela is also an HCPC registered music therapist.
From 2000 Angela performed world songs, folk, jazz and originals with Anam Cara vocal trio for ten years along with Maggie Newlands and Judith Silver. The trio’s albums are
Live at St George’s (2001) and Seize the Moment (2009).
Angela has released four albums of her own music: Sometimes the Sun (1997), Improvisations - solo piano (2012) and Behind Us! (2002) - songs from community musicals. Most recently she has released Music To Mend The Heart (2019), an album of choral music composed over the last thirty years.
All albums except Behind Us! are available online - iTunes, Spotify, Amazon,etc. Links: Music To Mend The Heart, Sometimes The Sun and Improvisations
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Site Design: Daisy Holland Photography: Liz Isles