Music

Actor-Singer-Musician since 1989

I have worked with composers/MDs Howard Goodall, Stephen Warbeck, Steve Edis, Paul Clark, Felix Cross, Greg Palmer, John Lubbock, Carlton Edwards, Thomas Frere, Ian Davies, and Dougie Maclean as well as on contemporary music performances for Anna Braithwaite and Emma Bernard. Appearances in leading roles include the Purcell Rooms and the Royal National Theatre, Edinburgh International Festival, Mayfest, repertory and tours all over the UK, Europe and International as well as at opera and contemporary music festivals. See my theatre page for more details of these shows.

Composer

I write music for live, acoustic performance, often inspired by poetry or commissioned for theatre productions. In 2023 I was invited to stage a performance of 8 of my compositions at St Mark's at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival: 'Between The Lines'. For videos from 'Between The Lines' see the links below and click here for audience reviews.

'Mina's Waltz' from 'Mina Wolff Flees for England, 1881' by Anna Kisby

My favourite - I love the amazing sound of the soprano sax
what a strength of spirit, of adventure
a great tune and amazing story/character

Edinburgh Fringe Festival August 2023 Nicola Burnett Smith (Soprano Sax/Bass Clarinet), Joel Sanderson (Jellobass), Taylor Wilson (Spoken Word/piano), Alison McNeill (Violin), Dawn Coulshed (Piano/Glock).

And in 2017 with Connor Henryk Fogel and Annette Badland

'Stabat Mater' from the poem by Phil Vernon

achingly beautiful
very moving, profound and inspiring

2019 Actors Church, Covent Garden (London) with Sarah Lambie (soprano), Anna Braithwaite (mezzo) and Nicola Burnett Smith (alto) with Dai Price on double bass. It has since been performed 7 times since then including by Pro Coro Choir Canada in Edmonton, Alberta in 2022.

More about the Stabat Mater

'Echo' from the poem by Carol Ann Duffy

uplifting and beautiful

Thank you to Carol Ann Duffy for giving me her blessing to set her poem to music. August 2023 at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Nicola Burnett Smith (Bb Clarinet and Vocals), Taylor Wilson (Vocals), Alison Mc Neill (Violin/Vocals), Dawn Coulshed (Vocals/Guitar), Joel Sanderson (Jellobass).

'Shapely Wound' from the poem 'Surgery' by Sylvia Paskin

instant chills

Premiere 2017 at Actors Church. Nicola Burnett Smith (vocals), Marianne Johnson (piano) and Sarah Woolfenden (trumpet) and with Sarah Lambie and Gemma Storr on backing vocals.

'Execution Trilogy' based on the poems Execution, Nurseryman and The Interview, all by Philip Vernon.

made me feel ethereal and guilty and somehow light
very powerful and the disparate yet overlapping vocal parts were very emotive
the vocal experimentation was amazing. I loved the intensity
truly unique. Just beautiful!
I love the mix of spoken word, vocals and instruments

August 2023 at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Nicola Burnett Smith (Bass Clarinet/Vocals), Taylor Wilson (Vocals), Alison Mc Neill (Violin/Vocals), Dawn Coulshed (Vocals), Joel Sanderson (spoken word and Jellobass).

'Dancing Green' inspired by the poem 'Refuge' by Claire Booker and by the stories of Eric Sanders

Such a mixture of light and dark, pain and pleasure
…the sound of the train and the blend of the ensemble were wonderful
…very poignant …beautiful improvisation

August 2023: Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Nicola Burnett Smith (spoken word/Bb clarinet), Taylor Wilson (vocals/percussion) Alison McNeill (violin), Dawn Coulshed (vocals/)guitar, Joel Sanderson (jellobass).

'Winter Garden' from the poem 'The Garden in Winter' by Sylvia Paskin

Poignant. Soulful. But with hope …evoking the beauty of solitude

August 2023 at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Nicola Burnett Smith (spoken word/vocals), Dawn Coulshed (piano), Joel Sanderson (Jellobass), Alison McNeill (vocals) and Taylor Wilson (vocals).

'Account by the Murderer's Wife' from the poem by Anna Kisby from 1000 Witches

August 2023 at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Nicola Burnett Smith sings with Dawn Coulshed on piano, Joel Sanderson on Jellobass, Alison McNeill on violin.

Anna's poem was incorporated into a play written by Poppy Corbett with input by historian Will Pooley of Bristol University. I played the part of The Poet and performed the song as well as incidental music recorded on many clarinets. The original poem by Anna Kisby is based on court testimony from rural France in 1886. Claudine, the wife of a murderer, gives her account of why her husband shot the neighbour. A doctor is brought in to assess her and he struggles to make sense of these fears of bewitchment and curses. Did she drive her husband to murder the man she believed had cursed her?

Other recordings are on my Soundcloud page

Other musical work

Vocals and clarinet with The Bluebelles

I perform regularly with the extraordinary violinist Gundula Stojanova-Gruen, specialising in old-fashioned cocktail jazz for events.

Vocalist for Composer Anna Braithwaite: 'Quintet for Biscuit'

I work regularly as a performer with composer Anna Braithwaite on her series of contemporary music pieces including 'Brainsong', 'Super Obsessive' and here, 'Quintet for Biscuit', recorded live in performance with The Bergersen Quartet

Bass clarinet and vocals for composer Dominic de Grande: 'Oblique' and soprano on 'Be Not Afeard'

Oblique was recorded live at St Bart's Church as part of a concert of new music

Vocalist with Gundula Gruen's Tatcho Drom

Filmed live in concert at the Union Chapel

Bb clarinet on 'I'd Rather Walk' by Paul Hepden

Recorded live in concert at St Michael's Camden

Vocals on 'So Lovely Is Her Face' by the Medieval Babes

recorded for Gawain and the Green Night in the big top on Clapham Common

Bb/Bass Clarinet with 'A Little Orchestra'

On stage and in the studio with Ralegh Long, Simon Love, The Understudies, Leaf Library, Haiku Salut, A Fine Day for Sailing, Shirley Lee, The Hidden Messages, The School, Pocketbooks, MJ Hibbett, Punk Wedding and Moose Factory.

And…

'Between the Lines' at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2023 – Audience Reviews of the show featuring 8 original compositions by Nicola Burnett Smith at St Mark's Church

A profound and intimate experience. Well done! Fantastic, thank you!
I loved that it was all female voice... each piece spoke to me – beautiful- loved it.
All facets of life in each piece – each one felt like a small theatre piece or speech or world of its own.
I love the levels of detail and depth of thought, all the emotions, capturing loss and agony.
Loved the cast, one beautiful sound and very unique. It was a very interesting programme. Thank you!
Mightily impressed by the show – sophisticated music with complex harmonies. Stabat Mater was my favourite.
I just loved this show! I went not quite knowing what to expect, was blown away by its originality, freshness and top quality performances… spellbinding …such a gorgeous blend of voices, top notch playing
Nicola's playing of her woodwind instruments was beautiful
…drama, pathos, joy. All in all, a fantastic evening and I can't wait for her next production.
That was fantastic! Thank you!
I found every song very moving. It felt like it was in its own world. You're so talented and what a beautiful voice, so rich and communicative. It was words and music stunningly combined. Thank you.
I can't tell you how much we enjoyed your show. You (and everyone else too) are so talented. Composer, musician, actor, singer ...
We loved the interplay between music and poetry and it was great to have some background on the inspiration behind each poem.
A wonderful performance! I found it incredibly moving.
A unique, original and beautiful sound
I loved it. Insightful, as well as skilled, touching and enjoyable.
I liked all of the music on offer. Nicola has a strong compositional voice which draws on the wide variety of styles which she has mastered during her long career as both performer and writer. Each piece is satisfying and unique, accessible but containing unexpected 'twists' that keep you on your toes as a listener. Nicola's writing for voice is direct and connects with the audience in a way that feels like she is talking straight to you. One of my highlights of the Edinburgh Fringe.
Thought provoking, atmospheric, lively, gentle, loud, subtle. A great combination, intertwined with powerful stories.
Fantastic, varied and enchanting
Just coming back from your show at St Marks. Very thought provoking, music that lingers in the memory. Roofs and roses, winter gardens and Russian emigres.
Talented and versatile ensemble. Thank you for providing a rich sonic experience. Particularly loved the sax line in the final song.
I loved the whole thing and I'm really glad we came.


© 2018 Nicola Burnett Smith