Fiona goes for third Hall of Fame

Newbury composer wants your votes for Classic FM

NEWBURY composer Fiona Bennett is making a third attempt at the Classic FM Hall of Fame. When John Suchet announced her first classical CD, A Country Suite, had reached the Top 300 in 2015, she could hardly believe her ears. Her second album The New Lady Radnor Suite was also voted into the chart in 2016.

“I was over the moon to hear my music had been voted into the Top 300,” she said. “To be up there with Mozart and Beethoven, not to mention many of today’s talented composers, was a real thrill. I don’t know whether I will make it into the Hall of Fame for a third year but I am lobbying hard on Twitter and I know I have lots of wonderful supporters who have already cast their votes for both A Country Suite and The New Lady Radnor Suite.”

Fiona put her music career on the back burner in 2006, when her younger son Zachary was diagnosed with autism. “He is now 15 years old and is doing brilliantly. He has won medals in taekwon do and is a very good drummer too.” She began composing piano music in 2011, inspired by the school run between Hermitage and Hampstead Norreys, the beautiful Berkshire countryside and the changing seasons.

To vote for Fiona’s two classical albums, log on to www.classicfm.com and go to the Hall of Fame page. Type her name into the composers’ search bar and both albums should appear in the listings and Classic FM is giving away £1,000 to five random voters. “To get into the world’s most popular classical chart not once, but twice, has been amazing,” says Fiona, “If I got in a third time, it would be a dream come true.”

A Country Suite and The New Lady Radnor Suite are available to download and on CD from Amazon and iTunes.