Jessie has written a new carol every year since she was 11

Jessie Reeves outside

Putney High School alumna, Jessie Reeves, received an early Christmas present after winning the BBC Radio 3 Compose a Carol competition.

The annual Radio 3 Compose a Carol competition challenged non-professional composers to create music for a modern version of a medieval English poem: ‘Alleluia! A new work is come on hand’. Having been inspired by the 'Compose a Carol' competition at Putney High (which she won many times), Jessie has written a new carol every year since she was 11.

This year, she entered her carol into the BBC 3 Carol Competition and is thrilled to have won. Jessie said:
“'I can't quite believe I've won, it's all so exciting! Writing carols is something I've loved doing for so many years, it's wonderful to have gone from winning the carol competition at my school to winning a national competition! I'm so grateful to the teachers at Putney High School for instilling in me a love of music and of composing, it is something which I appreciate every day!”

The BBC Singers

Jessie's Christmas carol will be performed by the BBC Singers and broadcast on BBC Radio throughout Christmas day having already featured on BBC Radio 3, the Today Programme and BBC Radio 5 Live. The judges for the BBC Radio competition said the standard of the carols this year was very high. You can listen to the carol at www.bbc.co.uk/music/records/n469hg

David Hill, BBC Singers Chief Conductor, said
“Jessie’s produced something that is a little bit of an earworm, it’s a wonderful melody. I wouldn’t be surprised if people start singing it through the rest of the day.”

Jessie started at Putney High School aged 4 and having been bought up in a musical family, took up Piano and Violin whilst still in reception. At aged 8, Jessica began learning the Cello and her musical talent continued to be nurtured throughout the Senior School where she completed grade 8 in Piano, Cello and singing. Jessie, is currently teaching at Coloma Convent Girls School in Croydon where she is on her PGCE placement from the University of Sussex.

December 22, 2016