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Richard Churches

Member

Composer/Lyricist: Composer
Genre: Concert
Email: richardchurches@frontierpress.fsnet.co.uk

Biography

'sensitive . . . lyrical gift'
British Music Society Journal

Richard Churches was born in Caerleon (Wales) in 1966. He began his musical career as a chorister and began studying composition with Gwyn Pritchard in Bristol at the age of 15. It was during this period that he became interested in the music of Cornelius Cardew. His compositional work at this time was almost entirely avant garde, although he also took an Associate Diploma in Harmony and Counterpoint, mixing his avant garde studies with the development of traditional skills.

He studied composition at Royal Holloway College (London University) with Brian Dennis and singing with Bryan Harper. It was during his studies with Brian Dennis that he became influenced by Cardew's rejection of the avant garde, as detailed in 'Stockhausen Serves Imperialism'. Although partly sympathetic with the political sentiments it was the aesthetic arguments which he found most influential.

It was at this time that he began to search for a style of composition more meaningful to him. This culminated in correspondence with John Cage which was later resumed shortly before Cage's death. Churches' studies with Brian Dennis were also highly influential both aesthetically and in relation to a growing interest in Chinese poetry. This interest is clearly demonstrated in his output. This line of development, inspired in part by Dennis, was ultimately to result in a rejection of the avant garde in favour of a more traditional aesthetic which places the importance on communication ahead of complexity.

In 1994 he was placed third in the Cornelius Cardew Composition for three of his songs from 'The Whole Wide World is White', a setting of Mao Tse Tung's poetry. In 1995 he was awarded a grant from the Holst Foundation to produce the compact disc 'Songs From A Jade Terrace' (Jeremy Huw Williams, baritone; Nigel Foster, piano - recorded at the Royal Academy of Music).

He is published by Andresier Editions and Frontier Press, and founded the 'British Contemporary Music Anthology' (Frontier Press) with Gerald Leach and Brian Dennis. He is a member of the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters and the British Music Society and is included in the 'International Who's Who of Music and Musicians'.

In 1990 he contributed a chapter to the Composers' Guild of Great Britain's 'Composers in Education' project, and has written two chapters for 'The Scratch Orchestra (1969-1974), A Symposium', to be published by Music Now. Richard Churches is one of less than 100 Advanced Skills Teachers in music (part of a recent government scheme to promote excellence in schools) and has spent much of his time working with young people, especially as a conductor. He has conducted youth orchestras, amateur orchestras and choirs. He was Director of Music at the International School of Turin from 1989 to 1991 and Director of Music at a Haberdashers' Company School from 1991 to 1997.

He performs regularly as a baritone and recently performed with Hugh Shrapnel and Robert Coleridge during the 2000 Edinburgh Festival Week.

Extract from CD 'Songs from a Jade Terrace' at
www.musicnow.co.uk

Important Works Performances
  1. Huatzu Hill (baritone, piano) 1985
  2. Meng Wall Hollow (piano) 1985
  3. The Rapids by the Luans' (baritone, piano) 1985
  4. The Lady ot'Hsi (piano) 1985
  5. Seeing off Ch'en Tzu-Fu to the East of the Yangtze (baritone, piano) 1985
  6. Three Pieces for Guitar 1986
  7. The Whole Wide World is White (baritone, piano) 1986
  8. Concert Overture (piano, orchestra) 1987
  9. Meng Wall Hollow (string orchestra) 1987
  10. Meng Wall Hollow (string orchestra) 1987
  11. The Lady of Hsi string (orchestra) 1987
  12. Loushan Pass (baritone or tenor, piano) 1987
  13. The Fairy Cave (baritone, piano) 1987
  14. Four Pieces for Guitar 1987
  15. At Huichang (baritone, piano) 1989
  16. Snake Dance (piano) 1989
  17. Garden of the Sphinxes (piano) 1989
  18. Dance of the Demondim (piano) 1989
  19. Jig (piano) 1989
  20. The Purple Magnolia Tree (piano) 1990
  21. Autumn (piano) 1990
  22. May Song (piano) 1990
  23. Wedding-Day (piano) 1990
  24. Return to Shaoshan (baritone, piano) 1991, rev.1995
  25. The Mill Pond at Fenin Crewi (piano) 1992
  26. Devil's Bridge (piano) 1992
  27. Clarach Cross (piano) 1992
  28. A Firm Ripe Apple (SATB or TTBB) 1992
  29. The Song of the Sibyl (piano) 1992
  30. Brand (symphony orchestra) 1992
  31. So Love Has Failed (SATB) 1992
  32. Soft, Soft Sweet Grass (baritone, piano) 1993 Broken Threads (baritone or tenor, piano) 1993
  33. Song of the River Bank (cello, piano) 1993
  34. Prelude & Fugue for solo violin (vn) 1994
  35. A Firm Ripe Apple (TTBB) 1995
  36. Faded Leaves (baritone, piano)1995
  37. So Love Has Failed (SSAA) 1997
  38. Longing (baritone, piano) 1999
  39. Requiem Mass 2000
  40. Flute Sonata 2001
 None added