After failing her college course at 20, Kathryn spent a year in Israel (cleaning toilets, cooking rice, and encountering God). On returning to England she started as a receptionist/administrator as a ‘fill-in’ until a proper job came along. Whilst filling in, Kathryn got married and had children. She always enjoyed her work with substance misusers, so the ‘fill-in’ lasted 17 years until the opportunity arose for Kathryn to follow her dream.

She has finally achieved her life-long goal of being a primary school teacher. Over the last 4 years she has completed her English Lit degree and the Primary PGCE course and, for the first time ever she is a ‘professional’. As of January 2009, she is working in a Hull church school, teaching a bunch of 7 and 8 year olds (that’s year 3 to those in the know).

Kathryn has always sung and performed in some form, singing along to The Beatles as a child, Sunday School nativities, school plays, church choir and, more recently, Gilbert and Sullivan and theREIGN. She is an avid reader, a huge armchair sports fan, and she laughs.

A lot.

In fact the thing most people remember about Kathryn is her laugh!

MUSICAL INFLUENCES
Ella Fitzgerald – does it really need a reason?

Annie Lennox/Allison Moyet – for the warmth and depth of their voices. Also fantastic versatility, they sound great singing a range of different genres.

Maddy Prior/Steeleye Span – my preference is folk singing, I would love to sound that good when I’m her age, and I’d love to be able to sing/perform as well as they do after that many beers.

Simon and Garfunkel – for the harmonies.

PERSONAL GOAL FOR YOUR MUSIC MINISTRY
The difficulty here I suppose is defining my ‘ministry’, the band is something I am more privileged to hang out in surrounded by superb music. In all of my singing and working my aim is to do everything I can to the best of my ability to the glory of God, and to support and encourage others to do their best.

FAVOURITE FOOD
If I didn’t have to cook it (or wash up afterwards) then I like it.

FAVOURITE MOVIE
Really should be Lord of the Rings trilogy. Fantastic story, scenery, music etc. (not just Aragorn and Legolas ……..). Could also be Pans Labyrinth for the intertwining of fantasy and reality.

DESERT ISLAND DISCS

THREE SECULAR SONGS
The Lark Ascending – Vaughn Williams: A beautiful, haunting piece of music. It made me want to learn the violin, which I did but I could never soar like this.

Something good to sing along to (and if it’s one I’ve performed, I might finally learn the words!!): A good ACT I Finale, such as Pirates of Penzance, Mikado, HMS Pinafore, Les Miserables, Into the Woods or West Side Story. These are superb to sing along to and it is great to hear how all the different parts/tunes blend with each other.

Savin’ Me (or If Everyone Cared) – Nickelback: I feel (being in a Christian rock band) that I should have something a bit more contemporary and rocky in my favourites list! Nickelback have a superb sound and I love the contrast and dynamics in their music.

Hallelujah – Leonard Cohen. A great song. There is a great arrangement of it by the Alley Cats on the BBC Last Choir Standing website.

[I know that's 4, but teachers should always have something is reserve just in case you need it!]

THREE CHRISTIAN SONGS
Miserere – Allegri: Play it loud and you are listening to the angels sing.

Prodigal – theREIGN: Great lyrics. It has an energy and emotional intensity performed live, and of course superb harmonies by Jemma.

In Christ Alone – Keith Getty & Stuart Townsend: Makes my hair stand on end (well, the hair on the back of my neck anyway) and gives me a tingle down my spine. Very powerful lyrics.

ONE BOOK (other than The Bible)
On Desert Island Discs you also tend to get the Complete Works of Shakespeare, so I’m assuming I already have that in the bag. I’ve read so many books doing my Lit degree it’s difficult to pick a favourite. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro is a wonderfully understated, incredibly bleak story that explores what makes us human. Or maybe I could take Wild Swans by Jung Chang, which is a powerful personal history, or Escape from Sobibor by Richard Rashke, another harrowing true story. Or Wuthering Heights by Bronte, or Emma by Jane Austen, or anything by Dickens for their sheer readability. However, if we don’t have Shakespeare automatically, unfortunately I will have to go with that as a choice and spend my time learning the soliloquies.

ONE LUXURY
It would have to be a well stocked library because I was so rubbish at choosing just one book!