AN accomplished Malvern musician and composer with a career spanning decades will celebrate her 80th birthday with a song recital at Malvern College.

Elaine Hugh-Jones marks the occasion on Sunday, June 24, at St Edmund's Hall, on College Road.

She has invited American soprano Velma Guyer, who makes her first appearance in England at the event, to sing and she will be accompanied by pianist Emily Leather and violinist Louise Vale.

Mezzo soprano Claire Louise Lucas and pianist Jonathan Darnborough also perform in the varied programme of English and American classical and contemporary songs, with piano music by Rachmaninov.

Ms Hugh-Jones is well known within Malvern's classical music scene, passing on her love of the piano to students as a long-standing music teacher at Malvern College.

Her reputation grew and soon she became an accompanist for BBC music and television, a position she held for 37 years.

"I used to travel to and from Birmingham to play," she said.

"It was wonderful, I played for all kinds of people."

When arthritis stopped her playing piano, she took up composing instead, drawing her inspiration from poetry.

"I love words and if I see a poem I love, I can't wait to put it to music," said Ms Hugh-Jones, of Church Road.

Her composition, Wilfred Owen Songs of War, was performed by the English Symphony Orchestra at Worcester Cathedral, and many of her works have been showcased across the globe, including France and Norway. Though she is approaching her 80th birthday, she continues to write and learn new composition techniques.

"Music has been my companion since I was four years old, I can't imagine my life without it," she said.

The recital begins at 3pm. Tickets are £8 (concs £5) from Malvern College's general office, on 01684 573442 or on the door.