15 May 2008 Emma Kirkby continues her busy schedule of concerts, recordings and masterclasses As her performance calendar shows, Emma has a wide variety of appearances scheduled in the UK, Europe and Canada during the rest of 2008. She is also to be the guest presenter on BBC Radio 3 Requests, beginning on Sunday 8 June at 2 pm. Her plans for 2009 include a recording of Monteclair cantatas for the BIS label and, in October, a tour of the USA performing lute songs with Jakob Lindberg - so check for updates and news-flashes as we receive confirmation. New features to be introduced on this website will include news-archive and calendar-archive pages. Meanwhile, here is a selection of previous news items. 16 June 2007 Emma Kirkby To Be Appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire The announcement has been made that Emma is to be included in the Queen's Birthday Honours List, published on 16th June 2007. Arrangements for receiving the award are still to be finalised, but will take place within the next five months. Emma says “My greatest pleasure has always been to work collaboratively, drawing inspiration from musicologists, directors and colleagues both vocal and instrumental. I am deeply grateful for this honour, which I see as a celebration of the powers of ensemble, clarity and stillness, beyond those of volume and display.” 11 June 2007 “South Bank Show” Presented by Melvyn (Lord) Bragg Scheduled Programme Date: Sunday, 22 July 2007 (ITV1) Emma with Lord Bragg Television cameras followed Emma undertaking a wide variety of engagements during the month of May 2007; from coaching skilled amateur singers in Monteverdi madrigals in Udine, Italy – to performing Bach cantatas with the Purcell quartet, and Hildegard sequences in the beautiful setting of St. Bartholomew’s Church Smithfield, London. Other venues were Sherborne Abbey in Dorset (Couperin and Purcell duets with Miriam Allan, Charles Medlam and James Johnstone); Guildford’s Guildhall with Jakob Lindberg, and The Minstrel's Gallery Rotherfield with Anthony Rooley. View ITV's Coming Shows page. 24 May 2007 Article in the Daily Telegraph “The greatest soprano never to sing a note of Verdi”—Emma talks to Adam Sweeting about a life immersed in early music. 1 April 2007 New Enhancements to EmmaKirkby.com Coming Soon Some exciting new features will soon be introduced on this website. These will include expanded Biography, Calendar and Recordings pages, as well as a Photo Gallery and perhaps even a quarterly “Notes from Emma” column! 15 February 2007 Trip to China Announced Emma will be performing the Bach B Minor Mass with the International Festival Chorus on 20 October 2007. This will be her first performance in China; the trip will also include masterclasses and a recital with Jakob Lindberg on 26 October. 25 September 2006 Teaching in Sardinia Emma will be teaching in Sardinia in November 2006 with Jakob Lindberg and skilled amateur choir Lieti Cantores, singing Monteverdi madrigals at Meana Sarda. 18 April 2006 BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour Interview Emma discusses what it is about the Renaissance and Baroque repertoire that she enjoys so much, and what aspects of the genre she thinks are important to pass on to the next generation of singers. Listen to the interview.