Jodie O’Regan is an Australian composer and librettist who creates music for singers; from pedagogical material to pieces for soloists to full length concert works. Inspired by the melodies and stories of Celtic folksongs, her music has been described as lyrical, expressive and “beautifully supporting the texts”.

Jodie’s instincts have been honed over a lifetime working with singers. After initially training and performing as a contralto, Jodie was drawn to singing, directing and composing for classical and folk vocal ensembles. Collaborating with her husband, baritone Emlyn O’Regan, Jodie has arranged a number of Celtic and roots folk songs for two voices, and has toured extensively with him to folk festivals.

She has worked with community singers through choirs, singing workshops and residencies. After studying the Kodaly approach to teaching musical literacy to children, she adapted the techniques to work with adults. Her work was recognised with a grant from the Australian Kodaly Scholarship to publish material for teaching Kodaly to adults. She has published a broad collection of compositions and arrangements for community choirs, and pedagogical pieces. She works as a teaching-artist with Lullaby Project Australia and was awarded Artist Of The Year in 2023.

Her larger sacred pieces include Forsaken, a dramatic setting of Psalm 22 for choir, organ, handbells and soloists, and Letters To A Queen, a chamber oratorio following the journey of one of the Wise Kings to Bethlehem. Her dramatic works include a score for Nashville Shakespeare Festival’s production of Pericles for full cast and band, Fire Songs, a chamber work celebrating Irish Goddess Brigid for 2 sopranos, harp, flute, cello, handbells and percussion, an operetta for soloists and piano of Polly who famously put the kettle on, and a setting of Beatrix Potter’s The Tailor Of Gloucester for soloists, string quartet and narrator.  Jodie has worked with numerous singers to develop art songs including mezzo-soprano Sally-Anne Russell, soprano Karina Bailey, soprano Amber Evans, soprano Bethany Hill and tenor Matthew Lykos.

Her writing includes libretto, poetry and she is working on her first play.

Jodie has a BA in Anthropology, graduate qualifications in Professional Communication and a Masters in Music. She has studied composition with Alan Belkin, Olla Palmqvist, Tony Lillywhite and Carl Crossin. She currently studies acting with Tony Knight and has undertaken training in playwrighting.