The world premiere of Hope opened Party in the City at Bath Abbey on Friday 16 May 2025, marking the third collaboration between myself and librettist Sue Curtis for Voices for Life.
A Festival Opening to Remember
Hope’s world premiere marked a special moment for Bath Festival 2025, launching Party in the City beneath the soaring Gothic arches of Bath Abbey. The piece was performed by the Voices for Life children’s choir alongside Matt Finch’s Horizons Choir, with special guest soloist Belinda Gifford-Guy, the 2023 BBC Young Chorister of the Year Junior Winner and Young Ambassador for Voices for Life.
Following Hope, the evening continued with a performance of Extraordinary, our 2022 commission that celebrates children’s uniqueness—creating a beautiful pairing of past and present works that showcase the ongoing relationship between Scott and Curtis and Voices for Life.
A Growing Partnership
Hope represents the latest chapter in our ongoing collaboration with Voices for Life, the Bath-based organization that envisions a world where every child has the chance to create music, enhancing wellbeing and fostering vibrant communities. Our partnership began in 2021 with Stardust, their founding commission that takes children on a magical journey through space, followed by Extraordinary in 2022, and most recently Space Between The Stars, which premiered in June 2025.
About Voices for Life
Founded in Bath in September 2022, Voices for Life has quickly established itself as a vital force in children’s music education, winning a Bath Life Award in the Education category for providing confidence to over a thousand children from deprived areas. Their Saturday morning rehearsals at Bath Abbey Song School have become a cornerstone of Bath’s musical community, with the organization delivering projects, workshops and choirs that uniquely integrate singing and wellbeing activities.
The Creative Team
Hope continues the creative partnership between myself and librettist Sue Curtis, who brings to our collaboration a lifetime’s experience in literature and theatre. Sue’s background as a former academic and founder of the Department of Drama and Theatre Studies at King Edward’s School in Bath enriches our work with intellectual depth and theatrical understanding. Together, we’ve developed a distinctive voice for children’s music that balances accessibility with sophistication.
“Voices for Life takes children on a journey of self-discovery through the power of music, creativity and performance.”
Bath Festival and Party in the City
Bath Festival’s Party in the City transforms the Georgian city into a celebration of music across all genres, featuring 2,000 singers and musicians performing at 39 venues—all completely free to attend. The festival’s commitment to accessibility and community engagement aligns perfectly with Voices for Life’s mission, making Bath Abbey the ideal venue for Hope’s world premiere. The evening also featured Matt Finch’s Horizons Choir, a 40-member SATB ensemble that has become an integral part of Bath’s choral landscape under Finch’s direction.
As we continue to explore themes of community, growth, and possibility through our work with Voices for Life, Hope marks not just a new piece, but a deepening commitment to music that inspires children to discover their own voices and potential.
