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Mark Horton

Member

Composer/Lyricist: Composer
Genre: Concert
Email: markhorton@composers.freeserve.co.uk

Biography

Mark Horton studied composition with Anthony Powers at Cardiff University where he received the Morgan Lloyd Scholarship for Academic Achievement. He then began his teaching career whilst continuing to have success as a composer with The Way I Feel for violin & piano in the Gregynog Young Composer of Wales competition. After teaching for three years he studied for his Masters degree with Robert Saxton at the Guildhall School of Music where he was awarded the Wainwright Memorial Fund Prize for Composition for his choral work Epitaph on a Child. Soon after, he attended the Britten-Pears School for Advanced Composition studying with Magnus Lindberg, Colin Matthews and Julian Anderson. He is currently Director of Music at Biddenham Upper School in Bedford where he composes and arranges music for his students.

He has been involved with concert and festival management for some years, including the Deal Summer Music Festival (1995-2002) and the Bedfordshire County Youth Orchestra (1998-2001), and has co-ordinated events at large venues, including the Royal Albert Hall. He is planning an annual series of contemporary music concerts in Bedford starting in 2006.

His work has been performed at the Aldeburgh, Deal and Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festivals, and there have been radio broadcasts of his piece Epitaph on a Child by the BBC Singers. Recent scores include Crystal (cello & harp) for Duo G Selmi from Italy, Duo (shakuhachi & violin) for members of Ensemble Tozai from Japan, and Innocent?fs Song (SATB choir) for the Sunningdale Savoy Chorus. He has just completed the first of a series of solo works with Black for solo clarinet due to be performed by Chris Allen in Bedford on October 25. He is currently working on a romance for violin and chamber ensemble and a piano concerto.

Future projects

Prelude & Fugue
Recorder Quartet
First performance: To be arranged
Commissioned by The Flautadors

Cornet Concerto
Solo cornet and brass band
First performance: To be arranged
Commissioned by Bedford Town Brass Band

Important Works Performances
  1. Black (2005) 9 minutes Solo Clarinet First performance: Due on 25 November, St. Paul?fs Church, Bedford Commissioned and performed by Chris Allen
  2. Bach Improvisation (2003) 3 minutes Solo piano First performance: To be arranged
  3. Innocents Song (2002) 3 minutes SATB Choir First performance: 5 December 2002, Wellington College Chapel, Berkshire Commissioned and performed by Sunningdale Savoy Chorus
  4. Duo (2001) 3 minutes Shakuhachi and Violin First performance: 31 October 2001, Barber Institute of Fine Arts, Birmingham Composed for and performed by Ensemble Tozai
  5. Catriona (2000) 3 minutes 1.1.1.Cbsn-1.1.1.0-Perc-Hp-Pf-1.1.1.1.1 First performance: 30 July 2000, Snape Maltings, Snape, Suffolk Conducted by Oliver Knussen
  6. Crystal (2000) 7 minutes Cello and Harp First performance: Forthcoming Commissioned by Il Duo G Selmi
  7. Banquos Ghost (1999) 13 minutes Clarinet and Piano First performance: 26 July 1999, Deal Summer Music Festival Commssioned by the Deal Summer Music Festival and performed by Bill Kenchington and Simon Lepper
  8. When Will The Scenery Change? (1998) 6 minutes Piano trio First performance: 27 November 2001, Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival David Le Page, Adrian Bradbury and Andrew Zolinsky
  9. Seen From Afar (1997) 7 minutes Chamber Ensemble: 1.0.1.0-1.1.1.0-2Perc-Pf/Harpsi-1.0.1.0 First performance: 18 June 1997, Spitalfields Festival Guildhall Chamber Ensemble conducted by Simon Bainbridge
  10. Epitaph On A Child (1997) 3 minutes SATB Choir Text: Thomas Gray First performance: 14 March 1997, St. Giles?f Cripplegate, The Barbican, London BBC Singers conducted by Jason Lai Awarded the Wainwright Memorial Fund Prize for Composition (GSMD)
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