Creative Caversham – Julie Kench – Hitting the High Notes

Hitting the High Notes

BORN IN CHESHIRE, singer Julie Kench has lived in Reading since the mid-90s when she moved here with her teacher husband. Having studied music and drama, initially she wasn’t sure about her future, although she was drawn to being an entertainer; after university she loved working as a Pontins’ Bluecoat.
She then enrolled at Trinity Laban College for the Postgraduate Certificate and Advanced Diploma as an opera singer. In 2003 Julie won the Ricordi Opera Prize,
sang leading roles in operas as well as performing as soloist in many of the great oratorios. “Once I left Trinity I set myself a year to get a professional job… I was considering joining English National Opera’s Jerwood Artists’ scheme, then an opportunity came up to audition to join the acapella group, The Swingle Singers.
Getting a professional job in the music world is always brutal – for the Swingles I did four rounds of auditions. But I got in – and enjoyed five years touring the world. We performed on many of the world’s leading stages, including at the Proms, and under the baton of many great conductors such as Zubin Mehta.

“In 2009, I decided to leave as I wanted to start a family, and my son was born in 2010, my daughter arrived in 2014. Before joining the Swingles I’d done some work for Berkshire Maestros, so after I left the group I started teaching singing, initially working for The Abbey, then at Queen Anne’s and Shiplake College. “When my children were babies, I wanted to do something just for me – to get away from nappies! I joined Tamesis Chamber Choir, which is made up of 26 members, many of whom are semi-professional musicians and teachers. That was such a good thing to do – singing, just for the fun of it. I have been in Tamesis ever since!”
A new opportunity for performing professionally opened in 2016, when ex-Swingle singer, Meinir Thomas, got in touch. “Meinir messaged me to say, ‘Do you fancy forming a duo?’” Julie recalled. “Her plan was that we would sing on cruise ships – but we had just three weeks to prepare our showcase! I asked my husband, and we agreed we could manage if I got the opportunity to go away. Meinir and I got together – we’re both sopranos, but we found that after singing with the Swingles, our voices still sounded good together. We could blend very well – so this was how we came to form our duo, Indigo May. “We were offered a contract on Cunard cruises. We travel to amazing places – the longest cruise went from Iceland to Greenland, across to Canada and ending in New York – mostly they are much shorter. I now juggle performing, teaching at two schools, my own private teaching studio, with organising my own children!”
Julie uses her understanding of both the technique and power of singing in other ways: once a month she supports the Henley Parkinson’s Group with a singing workshop, which aims to help people with Parkinson’s continue to use their voices. Julie also performs in local care homes, bringing musical memories to residents. “At first I found it challenging,” she says frankly. “But now I love it!”
This year Julie launched a new project in the heart of our community with her inaugural Caversham Festival of Song, which took place at the Baptist Church in June. “I discovered the Baptist Church as a venue when I attended an event as part of the Fourbears Literary Festival the previous year. I planned to open on the Friday evening with a performance by Indigo May – but then we were offered the chance to perform on a cruise that same week. But we decided that as we were sailing back into Southampton on the Friday itself, it would work! We arrived back from New York on the Queen Mary 2, jumped in the car, picked up the PA – and were back in Caversham to perform that same evening!” Julie laughed. “The festival included Tamesis’ annual summer concert, but it was also the chance to showcase my pupils and young singers. It was such a great opportunity to give them a platform, as well as giving families the chance to join in with group singing. It was a brilliant weekend – and I plan to put on another festival next year.”

Julie feels privileged to combine her work with her passion. “I am very lucky to have a job that is my hobby as well. Not everyone gets that chance. To achieve this, you must be creative; it’s never easy – you have to take the knocks and be resilient but also take the chances life brings.”