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Debra Page (b1975) is a versatile and accomplished composer with a career spanning over 30 years. With works that range from delicate solo piano improvisations to exuberant orchestral fanfares, Debra blends jazz, avant-garde, and contemporary classical influences to create immersive sound worlds that captivate audiences with their dynamic and expressive character.
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A self-taught multi-instrumentalist with an innate curiosity for sound, Debra's fascination with music began in childhood, sparked by the rhythmic hum of her father’s coach engines. With no formal musical background in her early years, she developed a distinctive approach to composition, later earning local arts bursaries that enabled her to expand her musical skills. She went on to study composition at De Montfort University and later completed an MA in Musical Composition at the University of Huddersfield.
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Before attending university, Debra was already immersed in jazz performance, playing in the North Herts Big Band and refining her skills as both a performer and arranger. By the time she entered De Montfort University in 1994, she was actively composing and exploring jazz improvisation, big band arrangements, and orchestral composition. During her studies, she majored in composition, completing her dissertation on Dutch composer Louis Andriessen and composing works such as Variations for Clarinet and Piano (1995), Giant (1998), and A Walk in the Deep (1999), which led to commissioned pieces such as Motorway Music (1999). While at university, she also formed her own saxophone quartet, arranging jazz standards for local events. She later became a member of Afro Elements, a 10 piece jazz/funk band, appearing on their debut album and performing regularly.
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In 2000, she pursued an MA in Musical Composition at the University of Huddersfield under Richard Steinitz and Christopher Fox, composing experimental works like Lithos (2001) and Saxifraga (2001) for the Firebird Ensemble. She later transitioned into secondary music education, composing prolifically for school ensembles. Her works were performed in venues such as The Square Chapel Theatre in Halifax and the Trades Club in Hebden Bridge, with highlights including Down the Rabbit Hole (2012), a musical adaptation of Alice in Wonderland. Seeking a better work-life balance while raising a young family, she left school teaching and began tutoring maths privately, while continuing to compose and develop her artistic voice.
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Her later works include Perspectives (2016), Runaway Bells (2017), and High Flight (2018), performed by youth ensembles and choral societies. Since joining the Halifax Choral Society in 2022, Debra has dedicated herself to composing for voices, including her 2024 arrangement of Silent Night (2024) for choir, brass band, and children's choir, premiered by the Halifax Choral Society and the Black Dyke Band.
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Her latest composition, a song cycle inspired by Celtic myths The Oak, The Holly, and The Robin (2025), is set to premiere as part of the Halifax Minster’s Summer Festival in June 2025.