Alexander, aged 12
on the cover of a New College, Oxford Choir CD		 Alexander was a chorister at New College, Oxford, under the direction of Edward Higginbottom. During this time he studied piano and cello and won the Ernest Reed Composition Prize for his first opus, a song entitled A Trip Round Europe. With the now-successful writer/comedian Rob Deering, he later formed a band called Silver, playing bass guitar and co-writing the songs. Joanna was born into a family of musicians: her grandfather, Watson Forbes, and father, Sebastian Forbes, both appear in Grove Dictionary of Music, the former a viola player, arranger and founder of the Aeolian String Quartet and the latter a composer and Professor of Music at Surrey University. Joanna, like Alexander, studied piano and cello from an early age.
The
Aeolian String Quartet


The cover for the CD 'Passio', recorded by Tonus Peregrinus in 2001. The disc received the Cannes Classical Award for 'Best 19th/20th Century Choral Work'


A book of carol arrangements, recorded by Tonus Peregrinus for NAXOS Christmas 2003


Members of Tonus Peregrinus, founded in Oxford in 1992 by conductor and composer Antony Pitts. The line-up has remained largely unchanged for 10 years



Cover of CD 'In The Mood'. Both Alexander and Joanna sang on this recording. Alexander also played the piano and co-produced. Michael Smedley (Alexander's father) conducted.

Both went up to Oxford University to read Music, Alexander at Merton and Joanna at Hertford. Alexander sang counter-tenor in Magdalen College Choir, under the direction of Bill Ives, while Joanna sang for three years under the baton of Jeremy Summerly as a soprano with acclaimed chamber choir Schola Cantorum of Oxford. Both played cello in the University Orchestra (where they met), sang in Merton Chapel Choir and conducted the Oxford Girls' Choir. Alexander also found time to play jazz double bass with numerous bands, piano for the Oxfordshire Big Band and keyboards in funk band Mission Impossible (with Mark Armstrong on trumpet and Dan Hewson on trombone) as well as conducting The Oxford Chamber Choir and MD-ing a number of shows for the National Youth Music Theatre, travelling to New York and Japan.

'L'Estranges in the Night'

Together they formed a dinner-jazz duo and began to perform at college balls, formal dinners and parties. Now called L'Estranges in the Night, the duo is frequently augmented by jazz legends John Critchinson (formerly Ronnie Scott's pianist for 17 years), Bobby Wellins on saxophone and drummer Mike Bradley.
[ See MUSIC FOR ALL OCCASIONS for more information and booking details. ]

Alexander singing with Mark Chambers of 'The Pits' at a Formula 1 charity event in Switzerland

Alexander and Joanna have maintained close links with Oxford, singing together and recording a variety of Medieval and Contemporary music with the award-winning 8-voice ensemble Tonus Peregrinus, formed and directed by composer Antony Pitts while he was at Oxford. They also regularly perform oratorio in the famous Sheldonian Theatre and continue to sing jazz at conferences and formal dinners. They recently appeared, alongside the aforementioned Mark Armstrong, in the University alumni magazine Oxford Today, in an article featuring Oxford Music graduates now working as jazz musicians.

Joanna with Ward Swingle, after her last ever swingle singers concert in Rome, July 2004

In 2003, their musical partnership continued in style with The Swingle Singers' 40th Anniversary World Tour, Joanna singing and directing, Alexander forming one half of the rhythm section with drummer Mike Bradley. Together they performed in some of the most prestigious venues in the world, from Tokyo to Los Angeles, the Red Sea, Scandinavia and all across Europe. AlexanderÕs Picasso-esque electric upright bass, made specially for the World Tour by Mo Clifton , must be the best-travelled double bass of its kind!
Joanna with film score composer John Williams in the famous Abbey Road Studios, having just sung on the soundtrack for 'Star Wars'

left: Joanna and Alexander with the cast of 'The Vicar of Dibley' and the show's star, Dawn French.


right: Alexander with his distinctive 'Picasso-esque' Mo Clifton electric upright bass.