I have 25 years' experience working in classical music PR having started out in-house with celebrated agents, Harrison Parrott Ltd. I have been lucky enough to work for the very best in the music industry promoting individual artists, choral and instrumental ensembles, symphony orchestras, festivals, exhibitions and leaders in music education.
Whilst my specialisation is classical music, I like to go off-piste too - I worked with Quentin Blake and The Big Draw for five years, with the world's only female Araash sculptor, Muirne Kate Dineen, and Antarctic explorer, Felicity Aston, who took eight women from the Commonwealth to the South Pole in 2010. I trained in charity PR and also with a top 10 consumer PR consultancy in London so I have extensive experience working with consumer giants too.
Every client is serviced by me and treated as individual. I work on one-off projects, six month contracts or five-year retainers. Each project is tailor-made and charged accordingly. I never work for more than three clients at a time and I have never had to tout for new business.
Best-ever bits of coverage? Five pages in The Guardian Review for Clive Barda's beautiful book of his life's work, 'Performance', or recreating Constable's The Hay Wain in Trafalgar Square live on BBC Television for The Big Draw, or Signum Records' Steve Long on the BBC Ten O Clock News or Kate Dineen's four-pager in The Times Magazine. It's hard to say. This is what some of my clients think:
“It was clear from the outset that you understood the dynamic of our team and the Buxton Interantional Festival ethos. Your industry insight and experience are enormously valuable to us.” - Michael Williams, Buxton International Festival (March 2023)
"Thank you so much for being who you are and doing what you do in the way you do. Working with you continues to be as enjoyable now as in 2015 when it all began" - Rachel Podger (October 2023)
Thank you for all your wonderful work getting so many people together for this; extraordinary.” - Ralph Allwood, Virtual Choral Evensong, The Rodolfus Foundation (May 2020)
“Thank you Kate, and brava!” - Robert Hollingworth, I Fagiolini (April 2019)
“Seriously stunning work. Thank you.” - Libby Percival, Percius/I Fagiolini (April 2019)
“Thank you so very much for all the work you have done. Your patience and skill has been invaluable. By any measure it has been a great success, so thank you.“ - Benjamin Sheen, The Choir of King’s College Cambridge (Christmas 2018)
"It’s been a huge pleasure working with you, Kate, and we cannot thank you enough. The range of opportunities and coverage that you were able to secure really helped to raise the profile of the Lucrezia Borgia’s Daughter release – it defies reason that a Guardian piece on convent polyphony could be shared over twenty-two thousand times…. We really look forward to the next stage of the project, and can’t think of anyone we would rather have working alongside us!" - Prof Laurie Straas (June 2017)
"You are phenomenally good at what you do." - James Buchanan, Amati Auctioneers (October 2016)
"Thank you sincerely for everything you have done to assist both the Board and me personally over the past few years. It's been great working together." - Dr Rhian Davies, Gregynog Festival (October 2016)
"Kate, you've done an absolutely fantastic job. It could not have gone better." - Suzi Digby (on the launch of ORA at The Tower of London (February 2016)
"Thanks a million for all you have done. You’ve really exceeded expectations and everyone including our funders, donors and Board have noted the steep incline in press coverage. You’ve really been a star." - Clare Norburn, Brighton Early Music Festival 2015 (October 2015)
"What an amazing few days! THANK YOU for everything!!! The ITV piece was, I know, very difficult to coordinate. You’re the best! - David Skinner, Alamire (September 2015)
"Kate - I just wanted to say what a great job you're doing. So focussed and effective. Thanks very much" - Robert Hollingworth, I Fagiolini (July 2015)
“Kate is an absolute pleasure to work with. She was recommended to us as a classical music PR guru, and not only has she exceeded everyone’s expectations in terms of musical profile achieved, she has also turned her hand to a whole range of PR activities reaching audiences far beyond the Classical Music world. Kate is a very calming influence, guiding us when the day-to-day gets hectic; she remains unruffled and positive at all times, and her book of contacts is invaluable!” - Lucie Kennedy, Director of Marketing and Development, Chetham’s School of Music
Kate has been absolutely key to generating public awareness and credibility for Vocal Futures and its essential work. She’s a gem.” - Suzi Digby (Lady Eatwell) OBE, President of Incorporated Society of Musicians, Founder of Vocal Futures and The London Youth Choir.
"Thank you for your advice and expert hand-holding." - Stephen Fry
"We have a new problem this year - who hasn't covered us?" - Sue Grayson-Ford, The Big Draw
"She is constructive, imaginative and super-efficient." - Alexandra Heybourne, BBC Radio 3 Classical Music & Television
"The King's Singers had the great pleasure to work with Kate Gedge over several seasons - including our 40th Anniversary - and found her advice to be creative, her contacts of great value and her imagination in press terms coupled with integrity." - Claire Long, General Manager, The King's Singers
"Kate Gedge was recommended to me and I could never have imagined that anyone could have generated so much press interest. She is a delight to work with and seems to understand intuitively exactly the best way to approach each project. I have recommended her to two other arts organisations both of whom have been as delighted as I with the work she has done." - Clive Barda, Photographer
"I never imagined that it would be possible to achieve one major national newspaper feature about our project, let alone four. And it was all done with such good humour and kindly, intelligent understanding and cooperation.” - Ralph Allwood