My enthusiasm and love of all genres of music has enabled me to teach and perform over the years in multiple styles and genres and in every conceivable type of venue.
I appeared on BBC TV’s ‘Top of the Pops’ in 1996 with Sasha & Maria performing ‘Be as One’. Many of my compositions have been played on BBC Radio 3 & 4 , and I’ve conducted massed choirs of 270 children at The Royal Festival Hall, The Queen Elizabeth Hall, The Purcell Room and The Barbican. I’ve performed at folk festivals in fields and barns and at the other extreme in top London hotels and restaurants, and on stage at The Hackney Empire and many other theatres and stages.
I spent 2006 – 2014 studying contemporary acoustic composition part-time at Goldsmiths, University of London with Roger Redgate. I obtained my MMus in 2008 and upgraded my PHD in 2014. I formed the Kluster Ensemble – a group of musicians, actors and dancers and ex-Goldsmiths PHD students in 2008. We perform my original compositions at festivals such as The Brighton Festival, and also compositions by John Cage and other leading 20th century avant garde composers.
CURRENTLY:
As well as founding The Lush Lounge Experience duo, I also have my own string quartet – The Clerkenwell String Quartet, and we perform at venues such as The Oxo Tower, Ham House, The Polish Club and The Grosvenor Hotel (Mayfair).
I also perform as a cellist with Ceilidh and folk band ‘Lizzie and The Willow Strippers’, and as a session cellist for singer-songwriters such as Elvis Costello’s younger brother Ronan Macmanus on his album ‘Strawberry Hill’. I also perform in semi-pro classical orchestras such as The Ernest Read Orchestra & The Covent Garden Chamber Orchestra in venues such as St John’s Smith Square, outdoor fireworks concerts and St John’s Waterloo.
I’m also a piano accompanist for ABRSM exams and for my singing students.
I started singing jazz with jazz pianist Jonathon Mallalieu in jazz clubs in Soho in 1995, and in 2000 performed at The National Theatre Foyer and at Bush Hall, Shepherds Bush.
Ever since 1995 I’ve been entertaining the public as a singer at weddings, functions and restaurants, and from 2006 – 2010 performed with jazz guitarist Ienne Hunter at venues such as Smolenskys on the Strand and The Grosvenor Hotel.
PERFORMING HIGHLIGHTS: (in no particular order)
2017: I was part of the house band of multi-instrumentalists for a pilot of Gareth Malone’s music quiz for BBC2 in December 2017 for Twenty Twenty Productions (Holborn) playing mash-ups of popular classical music and pop songs on both the cello and the piano. I ended up jamming ‘Great Balls of Fire’ on the piano with Ed Balls! (the ex-politician).
I 2005 I was a voice artist for comedy ring-tones for Orange Mobile, performing in a multitude of accents and personas.
2001 ‘The Red Story’ BBC Radio 4 afternoon play (written by Hattie Naylor). I composed an acoustic score for string quartet and performed the piano.
After performing as a keyboard player and backing singer in many bands in the 1980’s, I went solo as singer-songwriter ‘Polly Polly’ in 1992. I sang live with backing tracks at venues such as The Borderline and Le Beat Route, having got a production deal with multi grammy award winning mixer/producer Mark ‘Spike’ Stent (Cardi B, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Ed Sheeran).
In 1989 I co-wrote the Labour Party Campaign song ‘Meet the Challenge Make the Change’ and conducted a choir and ensemble at the 1989 Labour Party Conference in Birmingham. Neil Kinnock came and congratulated me on stage and asked for an encore! Our performance was broadcast on all TV channels on the 6 o’clock news.
1984 – 1986 The Blue Stocking Belles, cello/vocal and piano/vocal duo with Rosie Parker. We performed Edwardian and 1st world war songs in costume at events and concerts including a charity performance with Clive Dunn (Corporal Jones in Dad’s Army) in the Algarve, Portugal.
1983 – 1986 Collective Title, contemporary music ensemble. Cellist. We performed minimalist pieces by composer Howard Haigh at music festivals and venues in London.
In 1994 I acted, danced, sang and played the piano in a two woman show for old people for Green Pavement Theatre Company, Croydon. ‘So that was Romance?’ was based on songs from the 1st world war.
TEACHING & CHORAL CONDUCTING:
I’ve taught at City Lit (adult education institute in Covent Garden) since 2010
and I’ve taught students one-to-one privately since 1995. As well as choral conducting, since the late 1980’s I’ve taught for many of London’s music services including Lambeth, Hackney and Haringey. Here are just a few of the highlights:
2014 – 2016 Ursuline Academy Ilford – singing, piano and cello tutor.
2014 – 2015 CMS Studios, Romford – musical theatre singing tutor for 1st year Musical Theatre Diploma students.
2009 – 2011 Kingswood Primary School, Herne Hill – piano teacher and pianist for whole school assemblies.
1996 – 2009 Choral Conductor for The Centre for Young Musicians, Saturday Morning Music Centre, Kensington & Chelsea. I wrote many of the songs that the children performed, including series of songs on different themes: ‘Colour Songs’, ‘Rainforest Songs’, ‘Queens Jubilee Songs’. I also was Head of Centre from 2006 to 2009 when sadly the Centre closed due to lack of funding. I was charge of budgeting, health and safety, attendance, collecting fees, timetabling, rehearsals and concerts.
2006 – 2007 Choral Conductor for Sing for Pleasure Choir, Richmond Adult Education College, Richmond, Surrey. I rehearsed and conducted an SATB choir of adults of mixed abilities, singing a wide variety of songs in four-part harmony, from The Beatles to Christmas Carols.
2002 – 2004 Larkhall Primary School, The Oval – piano teacher for children with autism and also gifted and talented students.
1997 – 2004 Clapham Manor Junior School – Choral Conductor, Recorder and Cello Teacher and MD for end of term productions.
1995 – 2009 Centre for Young Musicians (Kensington & Chelsea) – Head of Centre and choral conductor, cello teacher and recorder teacher.
1999 – 2001 Sing Your Heart Out Choral Workshops, Wandsworth Quaker House – I initiated my own singing project for adults with no singing experience, helping them to gain confidence and sing in a group environment.
1999 – 2000 Choral Conductor for The Lambeth Education Action Zone Choral Project 2000. I coached children in schools in Lambeth who had no music provision to sing in massed choirs of 270 children in end of term concerts in the South Bank Centre. We performed in The Royal Festival Hall, The Queen Elizabeth Hall and The Purcell Room.
1995 – 1997 Hounslow Music Service, Youth Music after school choral club – I taught singing to teenagers and MD’d end of term performances and concerts in Chiswick,, West London.
COMPOSITIONS: Theatre and Radio Commissions
1987 ‘Camille’ adaptation of the book by Alexander Dumas, Edinburgh Festival and The Old Red Lion Theatre in Islington, London. A score for solo cello.
1987 ‘The Outsider’ by Albert Camus, The Etcetera Theatre, Camden. Electro/acoustic score for flute and African instruments.
1988 ‘Necropolis’ Tufnell Park Tavern Theatre. Electronic score.
1992 ‘Monsters’ by Hattie Naylor, Questors Theatre Ealing. Score for cello and trumpet.
1994 ‘Epilepsy’ dance piece for the ‘Puzzle Club’ at Southwark Playhouse. Score for cello, guitar, dulcimer and percussion.
1995 ‘Tales of Love and Justice’, Finborough Arms Theatre, Earls Court. Three plays for female actors and musicians by Mark Ravenhill (Shopping & F****ing), Sheila Goff and Hattie Naylor based on ancient Chinese Yuan plays. Score for viola, violin, percussion and multi genre acapella songs (Kurt Weil to Motown).
1995 ‘Banishing Lucifer’ by Hattie Naylor, BBC Radio 4 and World Service Radio. Solo cello and harp score.
1996 ‘King Solomon’s Carpet’ by Barbara Vine, BBC Radio 4. Arrangements of Bach & Tchaikovsky for cello, flute and violin.
1996 ‘Sad’ by Sheila Goff, starring Sheila Hancock, BBC Radio 4. I wrote and recorded the title country and western song.
1999 Zomba Production Music. I wrote electronic scores for library music for television and radio as part of ‘Proof’ with Richard Law. Our music has appeared on BBC TV and around the world.
2001 ‘The Red Story’ by Hattie Naylor (based on ‘The Red Shoes’ by the Brothers Grimm), BBC Radio 4 & BBC Radio 3. I wrote the score for string quartet and MD’d and conducted the cast to perform a large proportion of the play’s dialogue in time with the music, either speaking (sprecht gesang) or singing.
2001 ‘The Dispute’ by Marivaux. ‘Storm on the Lawn’ young people’s theatre, Theatre Royal Bath, Prior Park College, Bath. I composed the songs and score based on music of the Restoration period for 60 young people aged 12 – 19, and MD’d and conducted their performances.
MUSICAL DIRECTOR:
1995 ‘The Snow Queen’ pantomime, The Old Bull Arts Centre, Barnet, Herts. I was the Musical Director and pianist for a cast of young people and semi-professional actors.
1998 ‘The Hissing Leaves’ a community play by Hattie Naylor, The Hampstead Theatre, Swiss Cottage. I was musical director, arranger and pianist for the songs and incidental music.
2001 ‘The Dispute’ by Marivaux. ‘Storm on the Lawn’ young people’s theatre, Theatre Royal Bath, Prior Park College, Bath. I composed the songs and score based on music of the Restoration period for 60 young people aged 12 – 19, and MD’d and conducted their performances.
2001 Summer Theatre and song workshops for young people, Brighton Dome, Brighton. I arranged, rehearsed and MD’d a cast of 20 young people aged 13 – 16.
Polly Hewett Music 