Jane Chapman described as "Britain's most progressive harpsichordist" (The Independent on Sunday), and "a fearless contemporary music performer" (The Guardian), received a British Council scholarship to study harpsichord with Ton Koopman. As well as being an exponent of the traditional harpsichord repertoire she has premiered over 200 solo, electroacoustic and chamber works by contemporary composers, and has compiled and edited two issues of Contemporary Music Review on the performance of new music for harpsichord. "Her progressive spirit and comprehensive technique have inspired composers to forge new parameters and sound worlds for the harpsichord with works of unprecedented musical and technological scope" (Harpsichord & Fortepiano).

In the words of the Wall Street Journal: "Jane Chapman is one of Britain's most distinguished classical harpsichordists, with a repertoire that stretches from early music to contemporary avant-garde. Her work is rapidly bringing the harpsichord into the 21st century and establishing her reputation as a rule-breaker."

Described as "Stylish and eloquent" by The Times, her recordings and recitals reveal both a scholarly and inventive approach to the baroque repertoire. Her CDs of 18th-century English music, 'The Lady's Banquet', and of the 17th-century French Bauyn Manuscript, offered the first extensive overviews of important sources previously unexplored on disc, and were both highly acclaimed - "One can count on technique to burn and faithful observance of stylistic conventions" (The Musical Times). Recent recordings include works with electronics WIRED (NMC) and Three Windows (Dark Energy Music), with Mark Wingfield (electric guitar) and Iain Ballamy (sax), also Berio's 'Rounds' (Mode) New York Times pick of the year, and Points of Departure for Simon Emmerson (Sargasso).

Jane is an Honorary Fellow of Dartington College of Arts, and an Honorary Member of the Royal College of Music, where she is professor of harpsichord.

"The Sorceress of the harpsichord" (Radio Times)
"The hippest harpsichordist around" (London Metro)


Recent collaborations and projects (see projects/collaborations/videos):

Artist in Residence at the Foyle Special Collections Library, King's College London, supported by the Leverhulme Trust (see links)

WIRED 2 - new works for harpsichord, video and live electronics with dancer Gregoire Meyer (The Warehouse, Cutting Edge) following on from the release of the disc WIRED

WIRED 3 - Jane Chapman: A Shimmering Microcosm - new works with electric guitarist Mark Wingfield and pianist Kate Ryder with percussion, live drawing, live electronics and video (Out Hear, Kings Place, June 2012)

Keynote + - Connect Festival, Sweden - Premiere of Dreamscape by Simon Emmerson

HPSCHD - Cage's seminal work for 7 harpsichords, 51 tapes, visuals (Variable Geometry, RCM, Feb 2012)

Tatton Park - collaboration with film maker and artist Aura Satz (September 2012) - new works by Larry Goves and Leo Grant

Aporia - launch of new ensemble - Stephen Preston baroque flute, Richard Boothby viola da gamba (Italy, Sept 2012)

New works by young composers - projects with: Liverpool Uni, King's College London, Trinity College, NMK (Stavanger, Bergen, London)







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