he was featured in a BBC Radio 4 documentary. Gant set the text of the Poet Laureate Andrew Motion to music, creating A Hymn for the Golden Jubilee as part of the 2002 jubilee celebrations, at the request of the Lord Chamberlain's Office at Buckingham Palace. The piece was sung in many places across the world, including at the National Cathedral of Canada, by the Royal School of Church Music in Australia, and to Queen Elizabeth II in a concert at Windsor Castle. It was also featured on the official jubilee CD produced by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Choir of St Paul's Cathedral. This recording was broadcast on BBC Radio 2, 3 and 4, and on Classic FM, where it featured high in the classical music charts. Other compositions include "The Vision of Piers Plowman", an oratorio for the 2002 Three Choirs Festival, "A British Symphony", premiered by the Philharmonia in 2007, "May we borrow your husband?" an a cappella opera, "Don't go down the Elephant after midnight", an opera for soprano Patricia Rozario, a song-cycle for counter-tenor James Bowman, works for choir including the Christmas carols "What Child is This?" and "The Blessed Son of God", and arrangements such as "Still, Still, Still". His opera for young people, "Tod!", based on the life and work of Beatrix Potter, was commissioned by Cromarty Youth Opera and premiered by them, conducted by Edward Caswell, in August 2018. Writing career Gant has appeared at literary festivals across the United Kingdom and further afield, as well as on national television and radio. His association with Profile Books began in 2013 and he is the author of several books on music: Christmas Carols: From Village Green to Church Choir (2014) O Sing Unto the Lord: A History of English Church Music (2015) Music: Ideas in Profile (2017) Johann Sebastian Bach: A Very Brief History (2018) The Making of Handel's Messiah (2020) Five Straight Lines: A History of Music (2021) Political career At the May 2014 Oxford City Council election, Gant was elected as Liberal Democrat councillor for the Summertown ward. He was re-elected at the May 2016 election and took over as leader of the Lib Dem group and leader of the opposition. He has served on a number of council committees, including as Chair of the Scrutiny Committee from May 2016 to May 2021. He also chaired the Scrutiny Panel of