LYDIA JANE PUGH

COMPOSER | COMMON TONE ARTS FESTIVAL, 2022

Lydia Jane Pugh is a singer, composer and vocal coach specialising in choral and chamber music. Hailing from the island of Guernsey, much of her work is inspired by the islands’ history, culture, and beautiful landscapes. Her music’s universal appeal has lead to performances around the world by performers including ‘The BBC Singers’ (UK), and The Great Noise Ensemble (USA). International success with her music includes making the finals of several awards, and most recently she was awarded the Nathan Davis Prize in Composition at the Young New Yorker’s Chorus Young Composer Competition 2018 for her piece ‘Adiraï (Misplaced)’. She has also had the great joy of being selected to participate in several Composer Institutes, including the Choral Chameleon Summer Institute, and the Charlotte New Music Festival. Lydia’s current compositional projects are focused on recording and releasing her music. Her piece ’Carolina’s Jig’ was recently recorded by Thomas Mesa with PARMA Recordings, for the compilation album ‘Divisions of Memory’, and was released through Nanova Records in October 2021, to great reviews. Lydia is also currently working on recordings of two of her choral pieces for a future album with PARMA recordings later in 2022. When not working on musical projects, Lydia makes good use of her home island’s natural beauty, enjoying cliff-walking and being an avid year-round sea swimmer!

This year, Lydia is paying tribute to those feeling grief from the loss of a loved one, and how we can allow that grief can manifest into joy and celebration for those no longer with us.