Funded: £10,323
Campaign: Riddle Songs, an album by Stef Conner
Stef Conner, composer and performer, ran her own campaign creating the first ever contemporary choral album in Old English. “Anglo-Saxon England has been slandered by the description ‘Dark Ages’ for too long – its poetry is dazzling! Let’s make it resound in song!”
I don’t think I would have succeeded without Jo’s guidance. When I started out, I was terrified that I would come close to raising the money, but not quite manage it, then lose everything days before the project was due to start. Jo helped me to plan the campaign carefully in advance, scheduling everything carefully to maximise its impact. I hadn’t realised how crucial the timing of the launch is, and how essential it would be to get as many pledges as possible in the first 24 hours. This worked really well for me – the campaign got a lot of exposure on Kickstarter and as a result, lots of pledges came in from people outside of my networks, as well as from my own colleagues, friends, and family. In the end, I not only recorded my CD, but managed to raise enough money to get a better quality recording. Investing in professional guidance was the best decision I made – the campaign success far exceeded my expectations.
Stef Conner
Since funding:
Stef successfully raised funds above and beyond her initial target, putting her in a position to add a conductor to the project, as well as make plans for a launch concert – neither of which would have been possible at the first funding target. On release, Riddle Songs was selected as Presto Editor’s Choice November 2020, and a finalist in Presto Recordings of the Year 2020.
“beautifully dissonant choral harmonies. . .”
“an appealingly imaginative listening experience.” – Gramophone, March 2021 (read the full review)
“. . .this mesmerising album . . . is the perfect companion for a long winter’s evening, and springs surprises at every turn.” – Presto Classical, October 2020 (read the full review)
“Five Rune Poems act as a bitingly primitive framework to a wider array of settings, some like Seed Spell implying a kind of medieval pop song, others such as Fire and Sky Lights using wraparound dissonance to enhance their mystical enchantment.” – The Scotsman, November 2020 (read the full review)