This song was made famous by Barbra Streisand in the 1970 film of the same name which tells the story of Daisy Gamble, a girl so worried about her life that she seeks help from a hypnotist. Written by Burton Lane (music) and Alan Jay Lerner (lyrics). Lerner (1918–1986) is most famous for his writing partnership with Frederick Loewe which produced My Fair Lady. Whilst Burton Lane is perhaps most famous for the score to this film. He was born in New York City and after studying classical piano began writing songs for Broadway at just 14 years old. Despite his many awards and accolades his towering achievement will always be as the man who discovered Judy Garland! This song features a soaring melody that grows and grows. It is the best and most memerable thing about an otherwise forgettable musical.

_{Note by Rachel Leach}

This gorgeous song was written for Pat Metheny’s Grammy winning album Secret Story in 1992. Born in Missouri, Methany had a lot of trumpet players in his family and so he dutifully learnt the instrument. In the 1960s the arrival of The Beatles sparked his interest in the guitar and reluctantly, his parents bought him a Gibson for his twelfth birthday. As a teenager he absorbed and studied music from across the jazz spectrum and he is now one of the most awarded guitarist/composers in the world. He has 20 Grammy awards and is the only person to win in ten different categories.

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The Orange and Proverbial Ballade are settings of witty poems by British writer Wendy Cope. Proverbial Ballade is found in her first collection 'Making Cocoa for Kingsley Amis', while The Orange, perhaps her best-known poem, appeared in 'Serious Concerns' (both published by Faber and Faber).

This is sort of a preview performance; the two songs are part of a new song-cycle based on Wendy's poems for choir, orchestra and jazz musicians. Songs of Love and Laughter will be premiered in Geneva in December.

_{Note by Scott Stroman}

Henry Mancini has been described as ‘one of the greatest composers in the history of film’ and this is surely his greatest composition. Written for Audrey Hepburn to sing in the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Mancini wrote a deliberately simple melody to match the main character’s feelings of nostalgia for a simpler time. The tune spans just one note over an octave and uses only white notes. He also wanted to make sure that Audrey could sing it and wouldn’t be overdubbed by a ‘better’ vocalist. Despite over 500 recordings of it during his lifetime Mancini consistently voted Audrey’s version the best. The lyrics are by Johnny Mercer (1909 –1976) who insisted on the title ‘Moon River’ rather than the director’s preferred ‘Blue River’. Later, a small river in Mercer’s hometown of Savannah, Georgia was named after the song.

_{Note by Rachel Leach}

Stevie Wonder has been super famous since he was just eleven years old. By the mid-1970s, however, he was seriously thinking of quitting music – he was disillusioned with the way the United States was governed and wanted to move to Africa to work with disabled children. He even had his farewell tour dates booked! Then, he was offered the biggest recording contract in history and instead threw all his energy into making the album that would become his most famous and one of the greatest albums ever recorded – Songs in the Key of Life. This simple song ‘I Am Singing’ appears on the album alongside such mega hits as ‘Isn’t she lovely’ and ‘Sir Duke'. The full title is ‘Ngiculela, Es Una Historia, I am singing’ and originally the opening two verses were sung in IsiZulu, an African language, then Spanish, then English thus paying homage to his change of plan.

_{Note by Rachel Leach}

The Guildhall Jazz Singers are a stunning close-harmony group of eight young solo voices in the tradition of the Singers Unlimited, New York Voices and Swingle Singers.

Directed by Scott Stroman, their eclectic performances feature original takes on songs by Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Fleetwood Mac, Sting and Yebba, classic and new versions of jazz standards, music by J S Bach, and spontaneous improvisation.

LSO St Luke's hosts this performance by the lively and talented group that over the years has included numerous singers now leading the international scene, from Cleveland Watkiss and Stacey Kent to Brigitte Beraha, Luca Manning and many more.

Soprano
Emily Kent
Rosa Witts

Alto
Erin Bradley
Daria Blyzniuk

Tenor
James Walker
Evie Atkin

Bass
Alastair Eddie