Requiem by Suffolk composer

MOZART wrote his own in dramatic circumstances – now the world premier of a mass for the dead has been written by a Suffolk musician and composer.

The requiem, written by Halesworth maestro Jana Rowland, will take place at St Mary's church as part of the Halesworth Arts Festival this November.

Mrs Rowland has been working on the mass for the souls of the dead for nearly five months.

"The challenge was writing something that is applicable to the local church and community but also stands up as a musical composition. It needed to be simple but fulfil the terms of the Requiem.

"Some of the world's musical geniuses have composed famous versions of the Requiem.

"Mozart had an Emperor behind him, I've got Halesworth.

"I feel incredibly privileged to be sponsored by the Church and acknowledged in the local area.

"Music touches the soul. It's a great way of talking to God and for him to talk to us. There is a sense of peace that comes from music, which I try to create when I write."

The two choirs of St Mary's church will be performing the Requiem, which takes place on All Souls' Day, Saturday November 2 at 7pm.

The Magnificat Student Choir, the members of which range from six to twelve

years of age, will sing in English. The adult choir, The Magnificat Chorale, will perform in Latin.

Both choirs have around 20 members and there will be a number of solo performances on the night. "We have some wonderful voices and it's a great opportunity to write specifically for them," said Mrs Rowland, who lives in Wenhaston, Suffolk, with her husband Mike, also a composer, and has been Musical Director of St Mary's Halesworth since April.

She has written the music for plays around the country, as well as a choral work for Norwich Cathedral in June 2000 called The Logic and The Miracle. The Halesworth Arts Festival runs until November 2.