Jenny Rees was born in Cheshire in 1968. She started to learn the piano at the age of 9 and the clarinet at 10. She began to arrange pieces for the woodwind section of the Bristol Schools Symphony Orchestra of which she was a member, and composed a few simple pieces for woodwind and recorder groups. When she was 16, Jenny won the composition section of the Staple Hill Eisteddfod with a piece for solo soprano and piano. This inspired her to continue writing and resulted in a Sinfonietta for Wind Band completed in 1987 while she was studying at the Welsh College of Music and Drama (1986-1989). The college wind band gave the work its first performance at the Colston Hall in Bristol, resulting in a Radio Bristol interview and a favourable write-up in Winds magazine.

After 3 years studying the clarinet with Martin Ronchetti, Jenny graduated with a Performer’s Diploma and an award for her contribution to chamber music. The next 6 years were spent teaching with little compositional output. The years 1994 to 2002 brought marriage and the arrival of 4 children! In this period, Jenny gained an Open University honours degree in humanities with music and began composing again in 2000. This was followed shortly by success in a composition competition run by the Chard Festival of Music for women composers.

Jenny has completed three commissions for the Bristol Brass Consort and a commission for the Cardiff Amateur Flute Ensemble. Her first published piece is called 'Joviality' for clarinet quartet and is available through Queen's Temple Publications; they also publish 'Oon Tunes' - five fun pieces for BassOon! Other music by Jenny is available through Creighton's Collection or by contacting her directly.

Jenny was Musical Director for Sodbury Vale Musical Comedy Club's 2006 production of Little Shop of Horrors. Reviewed by the Rose Bowl Awards, they considered: "The Orchestral input was sensitive and supportive and with good musicality, and with excellent underscoring at all times".

At the invitation of Cirencester Choral Society, Jenny composed 'Praise the Lord', a full choral setting of Psalm 148. Its premiere performance took place on the 9th December 2006 at the Bingham Hall, Cirencester. Jenny was pianist for the concert, which also included Rossini's 'Petite Messe Solennelle'; click here for samples of the Preludio Religioso and O Salutaris. The Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard reported: "The accompaniment lost one of its original pianos but Jenny Rees was more than a match for the role of single pianist, with precisely judged dynamics, neat fingers and even a dry sense of fun".

Jenny also makes up one half of The Berkeley Duo, a flute and piano duo who perform a mixture of popular music from classical to jazz; they can be booked for events or functions.