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Anthony Foster

Professional

Composer/Lyricist: Composer
Genre: Media

Biography

Anthony Foster has composed for schools' festivals; incidental music for BBC productions; instrumental, choral and organ music for sacred and secular use.

41 published works and five in current preparation.

Born Gravesend, Kent, April 1926
Educated at Gravesend Grammar School.
Studied piano with Anne Collins and Arthur Tracy Robson.

Studied organ with John Cook at Holy Trinity, Stratford-upon-Avon; and John Webster at the University Church of St Mary the Virgin, Oxford.

Studied orchestration with Dr Gordon Jacob CBE (formerly Professor of Composition, Royal College of Music, London); and Richard Arnell (formerly Principal Lecturer, Trinity College of Music).

Qualifications: LRAM, ARCO.

Held school (music) and church (organist and choirmaster) appointments in Northfleet, Stratford-upon-Avon, Oxford and Brighton (from 1948 to 1977).

Biographical references in Debrett's PEOPLE OF TODAY; INTERNATIONAL WHO'S WHO IN MUSIC (IBC, Cambridge); DICTIONARY OF COMPOSERS FOR THE CHURCH IN GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND (Mansell).

Recordings:

JONAH AND THE WHALE (1983)
Harrow School of Young Musicians, Royal Albert Hall London Concert
HSYM cassette

JUBILATE DEO (1988)
Organ solo performed by Alan Thurlow (Organist & Master of the Choristers, Chichester Cathedral)
ABBEY ALPHA ACA 576 (LP)

A CHILD IS BORN (1987)
CD/cassette/LP
BANDLEADER BND 1045

CHRIST THE LORD IS RISEN AGAIN (1997)
CD
LAMMAS LAMM 098D

CHILD OF HEAVEN (1987)

Music published by:

OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS (OUP) (Choral & Instrumental)
EPWORTH PRESS (Choral)
FREEMAN (Choral)
ANBERDON (Choral & Instrumental)
H W GRAY (NEW YORK) (Choral)
OECUMUSE (Choral, Organ & Orchestral)
BARRY BRUNTON MUSIC PUBLISHER (BBMP) (Choral, Instrumental & Orchestral)
CD
LAMMAS LAMM 098D

Important Works Performances
  1. CAROL & RUMBA (1972/1973) Recorders, perc, pno 4 mins Published by OUP
  2. CHILD OF HEAVEN (Christmas) (1990/1991) Choral (SATB) 3 mins Published by Oecumuse
  3. CHRIST THE LORD IS RISEN AGAIN (1981/1982) Choral (SATB) 3 mins Published by OUP
  4. CLASSICAL SUITE i) Organ solo (1989/1990) ii) Full orch arr'ment (1973/1974) 17 mins Published by Oecumuse
  5. JONAH AND THE WHALE (1973/1974) Choirs, instr, audience 7 mins Published by OUP
  6. JUBILATE DEO (1984/1985) Organ solo 4? mins Published by Oecumuse
  7. THE SAILOR & THE MAID (1-act light opera) (Libretto: Barbara Foster) i) Vocal/pno accomp't (1965/1991) ii) Orchestral arr'ment [fl, cl, timp, perc, str] (1995/1995) 37 mins Published by BBMP
  8. SLOW WALTZ & CALYPSO (1966/1968) Recorders, perc, pno 5mins Published by OUP
  9. THREE SKETCHES FOR GUITAR (1974/1989) Guitar solo 11 mins Published by BBMP
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