Jane Comerford
Encyclopedia
Jane Comerford is a singer, songwriter
, lecturer
and vocal coach
working in Germany
.
and piano
for 12 years, and later music theory
, and graduated from Newcastle Conservatorium (where she was awarded her A.Mus.A. diploma). She had 6 years of classical ballet
training in Newcastle as well as jazz dance
training in Los Angeles
. Further, she went on to study singing in Hamburg
, Vienna
and Amsterdam
, as well as learned to play ukulele
.
and violin
in Newcastle, Jane was no longer sure whether the classical style still fulfilled her expectations. She went to the United States
where she worked as pianist in several night clubs. A holiday in Spain
made her stay in Europe
.
After she discovered that life in Spain
still did not meet her expectations she moved to Hamburg
where she worked again as pianist in the bar of the hotel "Intercontinental". There she started to work with several bands and gained more and more experience in the sound studio. She wrote and composed songs, worked in her husband's studio and became popular as a background singer. In addition to that she started to teach at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hamburg.
Through a friend Jane was given the opportunity to attend a two week long Musical
Course (taught by Buenaventura Braunstein). There she met the director Markus Weber who wanted to have her in several of his productions. She played the leading roles Eponine
in Les Misérables
(in Vienna
), Roxie Hart in Chicago
(in Dortmund
) and Marilyn/Sue in Markus Weber's own musical M wie Marilyn (in Hamburg
). Other roles include Angel in The Rink (in Bielefeld
) and Dot/Marie in Sunday in the Park with George
(in Kaiserslautern
).
In 1998 she released her debut album Somebody Sent Me an Angel
with a collection of her own songs under the Polydor (Universal Music)
label. Apart from live performances, Jane is also an accomplished studio singer, songwriter and producer, running her own recording studio.
, a Hamburg-based German country music
-inspired band as lead singer. They released the single Like a Virgin
(cover of Madonna's
song), as well as an album called Meanwhile, Back at The Ranch
, consisting mainly of country-flavoured cover
s of popular rock and pop hits.
In 2006, Texas Lightning, along with Vicky Leandros
and Thomas Anders
, was nominated by the German public broadcaster NDR
to enter the Vorentscheid 2006
(German preselection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2006
, which actually took place in Hamburg). Their entry was a typical country song No no never, written and composed by Jane Comerford. It came as a clear favorite with the viewers during the voting, and consequently Texas Lightning went on to represent Germany in the ESC. As Germany is one of the four biggest contributors to the EBU
(organiser of the contest), their entries go straight to the final. On the final night, Texas Lightning came 15th, with 36 points, but the song had already reached no. 1 in the German charts.
, songwriting, performance
and composition
. She also provides coaching to artists and bands on an individual basis. Among her former students are Wir sind Helden
, Die Happy
, Cultured Pearls, Seeed
, Rosenstolz
, Lemonbabies, Fury in the Slaughterhouse
and Cucumber Men. Other personalities she provided coaching for include Yvonne Catterfeld
, Blümchen
, Eva Herman
, Bettina Tietjen
, Katja Riemann
and Uwe Ochsenknecht
.
Jane Comerford also worked as a singing and performance coach for the contestants in the 2003 German version of the TV show Fame Academy
on RTL II
. This involved daily work with them for three consecutive months.
Since June 2007 Jane has worked as a judge and coach on the sixth season of the German Popstars
show.
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, lecturer
Lecturer
Lecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
and vocal coach
Vocal coach
A vocal coach is a music teacher who instructs singers on how to improve their singing technique, take care of and develop their voice, and prepare for the performance of a song or other work. Vocal coaches may give private music lessons to singers, or they may coach singers who are rehearsing on...
working in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Education
Jane has an extensive musical and music-related education. She studied violinViolin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
and piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
for 12 years, and later music theory
Music theory
Music theory is the study of how music works. It examines the language and notation of music. It seeks to identify patterns and structures in composers' techniques across or within genres, styles, or historical periods...
, and graduated from Newcastle Conservatorium (where she was awarded her A.Mus.A. diploma). She had 6 years of classical ballet
Classical ballet
Classical Ballet is the most formal of the ballet styles, it adheres to traditional ballet technique. There are variations relating to area of origin, such as Russian ballet, French ballet, British ballet and Italian ballet...
training in Newcastle as well as jazz dance
Jazz dance
Jazz dance is a classification shared by a broad range of dance styles. Before the 1950s, jazz dance referred to dance styles that originated from African American vernacular dance. In the 1950s, a new genre of jazz dance—modern jazz dance—emerged, with roots in Caribbean traditional dance...
training in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Further, she went on to study singing in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
and Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, as well as learned to play ukulele
Ukulele
The ukulele, ; from ; it is a subset of the guitar family of instruments, generally with four nylon or gut strings or four courses of strings....
.
From Australia via America to Europe
Having studied pianoPiano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
in Newcastle, Jane was no longer sure whether the classical style still fulfilled her expectations. She went to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
where she worked as pianist in several night clubs. A holiday in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
made her stay in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
After she discovered that life in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
still did not meet her expectations she moved to Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
where she worked again as pianist in the bar of the hotel "Intercontinental". There she started to work with several bands and gained more and more experience in the sound studio. She wrote and composed songs, worked in her husband's studio and became popular as a background singer. In addition to that she started to teach at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hamburg.
Through a friend Jane was given the opportunity to attend a two week long Musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
Course (taught by Buenaventura Braunstein). There she met the director Markus Weber who wanted to have her in several of his productions. She played the leading roles Eponine
Éponine
Éponine Thénardier is a fictional character in the 1862 novelLes Misérables by Victor Hugo.- Éponine in the novel :As children, Éponine and her younger sister Azelma are described as pretty, well-dressed, charming and a delight to see. They are pampered and spoiled by their parents the Thénardiers...
in Les Misérables
Les Misérables (musical)
Les Misérables , colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz , is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg, based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo....
(in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
), Roxie Hart in Chicago
Chicago (musical)
Chicago is a musical set in Prohibition-era Chicago. The music is by John Kander with lyrics by Fred Ebb and a book by Ebb and Bob Fosse. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice and the concept of the "celebrity criminal"...
(in Dortmund
Dortmund
Dortmund is a city in Germany. It is located in the Bundesland of North Rhine-Westphalia, in the Ruhr area. Its population of 585,045 makes it the 7th largest city in Germany and the 34th largest in the European Union....
) and Marilyn/Sue in Markus Weber's own musical M wie Marilyn (in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
). Other roles include Angel in The Rink (in Bielefeld
Bielefeld
Bielefeld is an independent city in the Ostwestfalen-Lippe Region in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With a population of 323,000, it is also the most populous city in the Regierungsbezirk Detmold...
) and Dot/Marie in Sunday in the Park with George
Sunday in the Park with George
Sunday in the Park with George is a 1984 musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. The musical was inspired by the painting "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" by Georges Seurat...
(in Kaiserslautern
Kaiserslautern
Kaiserslautern is a city in southwest Germany, located in the Bundesland of Rhineland-Palatinate at the edge of the Palatinate forest . The historic centre dates to the 9th century. It is from Paris, from Frankfurt am Main, and from Luxembourg.Kaiserslautern is home to 99,469 people...
).
In 1998 she released her debut album Somebody Sent Me an Angel
Somebody Sent Me An Angel
Somebody Sent Me An Angel is the debut album of the Australian singer and songwriter Jane Comerford. It was first released in 1997 in Germany and re-released on 2 May 2006 after Jane Comerford and the band Texas Lightning represented Germany at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2006.-Track listing:#"I...
with a collection of her own songs under the Polydor (Universal Music)
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
label. Apart from live performances, Jane is also an accomplished studio singer, songwriter and producer, running her own recording studio.
With Texas Lightning to the Eurovision Song Contest
In 2005, Jane joined Texas LightningTexas Lightning
Texas Lightning is a German quintet from Hamburg which fits in the country music genre and describes itself as old fashioned and hip. Their music is a mix of country and pop drawing from country classic stars like Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash and Tammy Wynette and pop stars such as ABBA,...
, a Hamburg-based German country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
-inspired band as lead singer. They released the single Like a Virgin
Like a Virgin (song)
"Like a Virgin" is a song by American singer Madonna from her second album of the same name. It was released on November 6, 1984 by Sire Records, as the first single from the album. The song appears on the greatest hits compilation albums The Immaculate Collection and Celebration...
(cover of Madonna's
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
song), as well as an album called Meanwhile, Back at The Ranch
Meanwhile, Back at The Ranch
Meanwhile, back at the ranch ... is a phrase frequently used by narrators of American cowboy movies and TV shows as a segue from one scene to another. It originated as a stock subtitle in the silent movies of the early 1900s, but came into such common use that it took on a life of its own and is...
, consisting mainly of country-flavoured cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
s of popular rock and pop hits.
In 2006, Texas Lightning, along with Vicky Leandros
Vicky Leandros
Vicky Leandros is a Greek singer with a long international career. She is the daughter of singer, musician and composer Leandros Papathanasiou...
and Thomas Anders
Thomas Anders
Thomas Anders is a German singer, composer and record producer. Anders was the lead singer of Germany's popular pop-duo Modern Talking in 1984–1987 and in 1998–2003.-Early years:...
, was nominated by the German public broadcaster NDR
Norddeutscher Rundfunk
Norddeutscher Rundfunk is a public radio and television broadcaster, based in Hamburg. In addition to the city-state of Hamburg, NDR transmits for the German states of Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Schleswig-Holstein...
to enter the Vorentscheid 2006
Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006
Germany’s selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 was held on 9 March, with only three performers and songs as part of a special show celebrating 50 years of Eurovision. Singer/comedian Olli Dittrich with his country/pop band Texas Lightning beat former Modern Talking singer Thomas Anders...
(German preselection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2006
Eurovision Song Contest 2006
The Eurovision Song Contest 2006 was the 51st Eurovision Song Contest, held at the Olympic Indoor Hall in Athens, Greece on 18 May and 20 May 2006 . The hosting national broadcaster of the contest was Ellinikí Radiofonía Tileórasi . The Finnish band Lordi won the contest with the song "Hard Rock...
, which actually took place in Hamburg). Their entry was a typical country song No no never, written and composed by Jane Comerford. It came as a clear favorite with the viewers during the voting, and consequently Texas Lightning went on to represent Germany in the ESC. As Germany is one of the four biggest contributors to the EBU
European Broadcasting Union
The European Broadcasting Union is a confederation of 74 broadcasting organisations from 56 countries, and 49 associate broadcasters from a further 25...
(organiser of the contest), their entries go straight to the final. On the final night, Texas Lightning came 15th, with 36 points, but the song had already reached no. 1 in the German charts.
Lecturer & Coach
Since 1984 Jane Comerford has been a lecturer at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hamburg. Within a Popkurs, she teaches singingSinging
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, songwriting, performance
Performance
A performance, in performing arts, generally comprises an event in which a performer or group of performers behave in a particular way for another group of people, the audience. Choral music and ballet are examples. Usually the performers participate in rehearsals beforehand. Afterwards audience...
and composition
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
. She also provides coaching to artists and bands on an individual basis. Among her former students are Wir sind Helden
Wir sind Helden
Wir sind Helden is a German Alternative Rock band from Berlin, established in 2001 in Hamburg. The quartet is composed of lead singer Judith Holofernes and musicians Pola Roy, Mark Tavassol, and Jean-Michel Tourette. The group's style has often been considered similar to that of the Neue Deutsche...
, Die Happy
Die Happy
Die Happy is a German alternative metal band from Ulm.-History:The group was founded in 1993 by Czech singer Marta Jandová and Thorsten Mewes...
, Cultured Pearls, Seeed
Seeed
Seeed is a German reggae/dancehall band from Berlin. Founded in 1998, they have become notable in Germany and its neighboring countries. Seeed and Cologne's singjay Gentleman are among Germany's most popular reggae musicians....
, Rosenstolz
Rosenstolz
Rosenstolz is a German music band from Berlin. Their music combines several styles including rock, pop and ballads. AnNa R. and Peter Plate form the duo. They had their breakthrough in 1998 with the song Herzensschöner...
, Lemonbabies, Fury in the Slaughterhouse
Fury in the Slaughterhouse
Fury in the Slaughterhouse was a German rock band founded in 1987 and broke up in 2008. Their hits include: "Time To Wonder", "Every Generation Got Its Own Disease", "Won't Forget These Days", "Radio Orchid", "Dancing in the Sunshine of the Dark", "Milk & Honey", and "Trapped Today, Trapped...
and Cucumber Men. Other personalities she provided coaching for include Yvonne Catterfeld
Yvonne Catterfeld
Yvonne Catterfeld is a German singer, actress and TV host.-Biography:Catterfeld was born in Erfurt, Thuringia, then in East Germany, in 1979. At the age of 15 she started playing the piano and the flute, simultaneously taking first dance and vocal lessons...
, Blümchen
Blümchen
Jasmin Wagner , better known as Blümchen , is a multi-platinum selling pop and dance music singer, aspiring actress, model/spokeswoman. Although she releases her English albums under the name Blossom, her German stage name "Blümchen" actually translates to "floret" or "small flower"...
, Eva Herman
Eva Herman
Eva Herman is a German author and television presenter. She worked as a news presenter on the nationwide Tagesschau news programme from 1989 to 2006 and also presented various other television programmes for the Norddeutscher Rundfunk until 2007...
, Bettina Tietjen
Bettina Tietjen
Bettina Tietjen is a German television presenter and talkshow host.- Life :Tietjen studied german studies, art history and romance studies at University of Münster and in Paris. After university studies she worked as journalist at RIAS and then at NDR...
, Katja Riemann
Katja Riemann
Katja Hannchen Leni Riemann is a German actress.- Life and work :Born as the daughter of two teachers, Katja Riemann spent her childhood in Weyhe, near Bremen. After high school she went to Hamburg to study music and theater...
and Uwe Ochsenknecht
Uwe Ochsenknecht
Uwe Adam Ochsenknecht is a German actor and singer.-Work:Films Uwe Ochsenknecht has starred in include Schtonk!, Das Boot and the TV miniseries Frank Herbert's Dune.-Personal life:...
.
Jane Comerford also worked as a singing and performance coach for the contestants in the 2003 German version of the TV show Fame Academy
Fame Academy
Fame Academy is a televised competition to search for and educate new musical talents. The winner received a chance to become a successful music artist. The prize consisted of a £1m recording contract with a major record company, plus the use of a luxury apartment in London and a sports car for one...
on RTL II
RTL II
RTL II is a privately owned, commercial, general-interest German television channel.It was founded as a second-generation commercial broadcaster in 1993. It quickly became infamous for its perceived "trash programming", comprising lots of soft porn as well as shows such as Peep and many...
. This involved daily work with them for three consecutive months.
Since June 2007 Jane has worked as a judge and coach on the sixth season of the German Popstars
Popstars
Popstars is an international reality television franchise and a precursor to the Idol series. The series first began in New Zealand in 1999 when producer Jonathan Dowling formed the five member all-girl group TrueBliss...
show.
See also
- Texas LightningTexas LightningTexas Lightning is a German quintet from Hamburg which fits in the country music genre and describes itself as old fashioned and hip. Their music is a mix of country and pop drawing from country classic stars like Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash and Tammy Wynette and pop stars such as ABBA,...
- Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Germany’s selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 was held on 9 March, with only three performers and songs as part of a special show celebrating 50 years of Eurovision. Singer/comedian Olli Dittrich with his country/pop band Texas Lightning beat former Modern Talking singer Thomas Anders...
- Eurovision Song Contest 2006Eurovision Song Contest 2006The Eurovision Song Contest 2006 was the 51st Eurovision Song Contest, held at the Olympic Indoor Hall in Athens, Greece on 18 May and 20 May 2006 . The hosting national broadcaster of the contest was Ellinikí Radiofonía Tileórasi . The Finnish band Lordi won the contest with the song "Hard Rock...