Kate St John (born October 2, 1957) is an English composer, arranger, producer and multi-instrumentalist. Classically trained on oboe, she gained a music degree at

City University London City, University of London, is a public research university in London, United Kingdom, and a member institution of the federal University of London. It was founded in 1894 as the Northampton Institute, and became a university when The City Univ ...

. Her first band was The Ravishing Beauties with

Virginia Astley Virginia Astley (born 26 September 1959) is an English singer-songwriter most active during the 1980s and 1990s. Her songwriting career started in 1980. Her classical training influenced her as did a desire to be experimental with her music. Alt ...

and

Nicky Holland Nicky Holland (born 20 February 1959) is an English musician and singer-songwriter, notable for being a previous backing pianist/keyboardist, vocalist and co-songwriter for the band Tears for Fears during the 1980s. Early life Nicky Holland ...

. The trio joined

The Teardrop Explodes The Teardrop Explodes were an English post-punk/neo-psychedelic band formed in Liverpool in 1978. Best known for their Top Ten UK single "Reward", the group originated as a key band in the emerging Liverpool post-punk scene of the late 1970s. T ...

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...

during the winter of 1981 for a series of dates at small clubs and a UK tour in early 1982. During the 1980s and early 1990s, she was a member of

The Dream Academy The Dream Academy were a British band consisting of singer/guitarist Nick Laird-Clowes, multi-instrumentalist (chiefly oboe, cor anglais player) Kate St John, and keyboardist Gilbert Gabriel. The band is most noted for their 1985 hit singles "L ...

with

Nick Laird-Clowes Nick Laird-Clowes (born 5 February 1957, in London, England) is an English musician and composer, best known as the lead singer and one of the principal songwriters for the Dream Academy. He co-wrote songs including " Life in a Northern Town" ...

and

Gilbert Gabriel Gilbert Alexander Gabriel (born 16 November 1956) is a songwriter, film composer, producer and lecturer. He studied piano and clarinet at Dartington College of Arts and Goldsmiths before forming the British folk rock trio The Dream Academy, w ...

. In 1985 they had a worldwide hit with "

Life In A Northern Town "Life in a Northern Town" is the debut single by British band the Dream Academy, released in March 1985. It is from their self-titled debut studio album ''The Dream Academy''. The song was written as an elegy to British folk musician Nick Drake ...

" and produced three albums: ''

'' (1985), ''

Remembrance Days Remembrance is the act of remembering, the ability to remember, or a memorial. Remembrance or Remembrances may also refer to: Events * :Remembrance days **Day of Remembrance for Truth and Justice, a commemorative day observed by Argentina **R ...

'' (1987) and '' A Different Kind Of Weather'' (1990). In the 1990s St. John was a member of

Van Morrison Sir George Ivan Morrison (born 31 August 1945), known professionally as Van Morrison, is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose recording career spans seven decades. He has won two Grammy Awards. As a teenager in t ...

's live band playing oboe and saxophone. She played on five Van Morrison albums. In 1994 she co-wrote and sang on 4 tracks with

Roger Eno Roger Eugene Eno (born in Woodbridge, Suffolk, Woodbridge, England, in 1959) is an English ambient music composer. He is the brother of Brian Eno. Early life and education Roger Eno began euphonium lessons when he was 12 years old, and entered C ...

on the album ''The Familiar'' on the All Saints Label. This led to the formation of Channel Light Vessel, a band with Kate, Roger Eno,

Bill Nelson Clarence William Nelson II (born September 29, 1942) is an American politician and attorney serving as the administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Nelson previously served as a United States Senator from Flor ...

Laraaji Laraaji (born Edward Larry Gordon, 3 May 1943) is an American multi-instrumentalist specializing in piano, zither and mbira. His albums include the 1980 release '' Ambient 3: Day of Radiance'', produced by Brian Eno as part of his ''Ambient'' s ...

and Mayumi Tachibana. St John has released two solo albums: ''Indescribable Night'' (1995) and ''Second Sight'' (1997). She has played and toured with many artists including Van Morrison,

Julian Cope Julian David Cope (born 21 October 1957) is an English musician and author. He was the singer and songwriter in Liverpool post-punk band the Teardrop Explodes and has followed a solo career since 1983 in addition to working on musical side proj ...

The Waterboys The Waterboys are a folk rock band formed in Edinburgh in 1983 by Scottish musician Mike Scott. The band's membership, past and present, has been composed mainly of musicians from Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England. Mike Scott has remained ...

Damon Albarn Damon Albarn (; born 23 March 1968) is an English-Icelandic musician, singer-songwriter and composer, best known as the frontman and primary lyricist of the rock band Blur and as the co-creator and primary musical contributor of the virtual ...

Marianne Faithfull Marianne Evelyn Gabriel Faithfull (born 29 December 1946) is an English singer and actress. She achieved popularity in the 1960s with the release of her hit single " As Tears Go By" and became one of the lead female artists during the British I ...

Strawberry Switchblade Strawberry Switchblade were a Scottish new wave/ pop duo formed in Glasgow in 1981 by Jill Bryson and Rose McDowall, best known for their song "Since Yesterday" from 1985, and their flamboyant clothing with bows and polka-dots. History Before ...

and

Morrissey Steven Patrick Morrissey (; born 22 May 1959), known professionally as Morrissey, is an English singer and songwriter. He came to prominence as the frontman and lyricist of rock band the Smiths, who were active from 1982 to 1987. Since then ...

. Since 2005 she has specialised in being a Musical Director for multi-artist shows including working with Joe Boyd on the ''Way To Blue'' tributes to

Nick Drake Nicholas Rodney Drake (19 June 1948 – 25 November 1974) was an English singer-songwriter known for his acoustic guitar-based songs. He did not find a wide audience during his lifetime, but his work gradually achieved wider notice and recognit ...

Hal Wilner Hal Willner (April 6, 1956 – April 7, 2020) was an American music producer working in recording, films, television, and live events. He was best known for assembling tribute albums and events featuring a wide variety of artists and musical sty ...

on his Rogues Gallery,

Nino Rota Giovanni Rota Rinaldi (; 3 December 1911 – 10 April 1979), better known as Nino Rota (), was an Italian composer, pianist, conductor and academic who is best known for his film scores, notably for the films of Federico Fellini and Luchino Visco ...

concerts, Blood and Roses Tribute to

Ewan MacColl James Henry Miller (25 January 1915 – 22 October 1989), better known by his stage name Ewan MacColl, was a folk singer-songwriter, folk song collector, labour activist and actor. Born in England to Scottish parents, he is known as one of the ...

, Bright Phoebus Revisited and the Imagining Ireland/Imagining Home concerts in 2016 at

The National Concert Hall The National Concert Hall (NCH) (An Ceoláras Náisiúnta) is a national cultural institution, sometimes described as "the home of music in Ireland". It comprises the actual concert hall operation, which in various chambers hosts over 1,000 ...

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...

and The Royal Festival Hall (London). She is also a string and woodwind arranger. Kate and her husband and writing partner, Neill MacColl, specialise in On Set music production in films, having worked on ''

Far From The Madding Crowd ''Far from the Madding Crowd'' (1874) is Thomas Hardy's fourth novel and his first major literary success. It originally appeared anonymously as a monthly serial in ''Cornhill Magazine'', where it gained a wide readership. The novel is set in ...

'' (2015), Tulip Fever (2017), My Cousin Rachel (2017), The Little Stranger (2018) and Dirt Music (in post-production)

Music director

2016: Imagining Ireland/Imagining Home at The Dublin Concert Hall and Royal Festival Hall for the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising and the interplay of Irish/English music: Paul Brady, Andy Irvine, Kevin Rowland, Martin Carthy, Cait O'Riordan, Declan O'Rourke, Camille O'Sullivan, Steve Nieve and Roger Eno. 2015: Blood and Roses: A tribute to Ewan MacColl shows: Peggy Seeger, Neill and Calum MacColl, Chaim Tannenbaum, Seth Lakeman, Jarvis Cocker, Paul Buchanan, Norma Waterson, Eliza and Martin Carthy, Dick Gaughan, Karine Polwart, The Unthanks 2013: Hal Wilner's Amarcord Nino Rota Tribute. The Barbican: Carla Bley, Mike Gibbs, Steve Beresford, Steven Bernstein, Rita Marcotulli, Giancarlo Vulcano, Richard Strange, John Etheridge, and Karen Mantler. 2013: Bright Phoebus Revisited Tour: Marry and Norma Waterson, Martin and Eliza Carthy, Richard Hawley, John Smith, Jarvis Cocker, Bob Davenport and Kami Thompson 2010: An Evening of Political Song for Richard Thompson's Meltdown at The Royal Festival Hall: Harry Shearer, Richard Thompson, Tom Robinson, Emily Smith, Jez Lowe, Norma Waterson, Martin and Eliza Carthy, Boris Grebenshikov, Camille O'Sullivan, Claribel Alegria and Chaim Tannenbaum 2009-2016: Way To Blue: A tribute to Nick Drake series of concerts: Joe Boyd and Danny Thompson in the UK, Italy and Australia with Green Gartside, Scott Matthews, Lisa Hannigan, Vashti Bunyan, Robyn Hitchcock, Teddy Thompson, Sam Beam, Glen Hansard, Sam Lee, The Rails, Harper Simon, Luluc, Shane Nicholson, Martha Wainwright, Beth Orton, Stuart Murdoch, Camille O'Sullivan 2009:A Not So Silent Night, A Wainwright Family Christmas at The Albert Hall: Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Rufus and Martha Wainwright, Guy Garvey, Boy George and others 2008-2010: Hal Wilner's Rogues Gallery Sea Shanty shows in the UK and Sydney: Lou Reed, Tim Robbins, Shane MacGowan, Todd Rundgren, Ralph Steadman, Neil Hannon, The Unthanks, Teddy Thompson, Peaches and others 2008: The Thompson Family Reunion Christmas Show: Teddy, Kami, Richard and Linda Thompson, Bert Jansch, Kathryn Williams, Brendan Campbell, Bob Davenport, Jenni Muldaur, The Unthanks, Justin Bond and Shlomo. 2005-2007: The Folk Britannia Daughters of Albion series of concerts: June Tabor, Norma Waterson, Martin and Eliza Carthy, Lou Rhodes, Kathryn Williams, Lisa Knapp

Notes

External links

www.katestjohn.co.uk
* Kate St. John @ Allmusic {{DEFAULTSORT:St John, Kate 1957 births Living people English composers English women singers English accordionists English women pianists Cor anglais players English oboists The Dream Academy members All Saints Records artists Women oboists 21st-century accordionists 21st-century English women musicians 21st-century pianists 21st-century women pianists