Compositions and Arrangements
Composition
Whilst at University I was known mostly for composing rather than my other musical studies. After a year of studying composition alone, under the inspirational Simon Holt, the compositional side of things went a bit dry. Life took over as they say, and I landed up in my present job. I've only finished one piece that I'm pleased with since then, and meanwhile with one exception I have decided to withdraw all my student works, until I have time to review them and re-present them for use. My very short portfolio therefore at present is as follows:
Written whilst still an undergraduate at City University, it remains one of the works I am most proud of. Though no programme was intended, I see it now as almost autobiographical, portraying a happy and confident young man without a worry in the world. Retrospectively I know that it held me back as I was never as pleased with my other compositions from this era as I was with this one. It was shortlisted by the Society for Promotion of New Music for professional performance though no performance actually followed. Despite its particular rhythmic difficulties it was eventually performed with some aplomb on February 1st 1991 at City University by Christianne Evans and Richard Sizer (violin), Lucy Castle (viola) and Judith Robinson (cello).
Welsh Folk Song Suite (2011) for String Orchestra
I was co-founder and have conducted the Wrexham Schools String Ensemble since 1996, and as the group grew it began to enter competitions, finding itself playing several times in the finals of the National Festival of Music for Youth at Symphony Hall, Birmingham. Performing a student composition with them prompted me to consider writing a piece for them myself. To suit the age range I needed it to be within their capabilities and be strong melodically too, so, whilst trying to maintain my own style I based each movement on an existing Welsh melody. All four movements were performed together for the first time in May 2012, and a second performance given by the Cambrian Orchestra took place on May 27th 2017.
Please click on the links to view the score, and do email me if you have any enquiries regarding performance or commission.
Arranging
Since moving back to Wrexham, I've been much more proficient as an arranger, and especially since 2000 when I first bought a copy of Sibelius for my new PC. Much of my arranging has been, out of necessity, for string orchestras and string quartet. My string orchestra arrangements have been mostly for school groups, with each part differentiated for the player or players concerned. I have many separate arrangements for each number, changing each as the players develop or change through the years.
Sheetmusicplus.com has recently made it possible for me to sell some of my arrangements of popular music that is still in copyright. I’ve sold quite a few already, and am interested in what happened to them next! If you bought one and have played it I would love to hear, and I’d love to put links to your performances on this site.
You can purchase them here:
America (My Country Tis of Thee) for Full Orchestra
Beatles - In My Life for String Quartet
Beatles - When I’m Sixty-Four for String Quartet
Bartok Romanian Dances for String Orchestra
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) for String Orchestra
Coldplay - Viva La Vida for String Quartet
Coldplay - Viva La Vida for String Trio
Coventry Carol for String Orchestra
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy (from "The Nutcracker") for String Orchestra
Dolly Parton - Nine to Five for String Quartet
Einaudi - I Giorni for String Quartet
God Save The Queen for Full Orchestra
Going Home (theme from “Local Hero”) by Mark Knopfler for String Quartet
Handel Overture to the Royal Fireworks for String Orchestra
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas for SSATB Choir
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas for String Quartet
Hallelujah Chorus for String Quartet
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas for String Orchestra
Iron Maiden - Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter - Waltz for String Quartet
A Million Dreams (from “The Greatest Showman”) for Flute, French Horn, Violin and Viola
A Million Dreams (from “The Greatest Showman”) for Flute, Trumpet, Violin and Cello
Pastorale from Corelli’s "Christmas Concerto" for String Quartet
Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody for String Quartet
Queen - Don't Stop Me Now for String Quartet
Queen - Somebody To Love for String Quartet
Queen - We Are The Champions for String Quartet
Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town for String Orchestra
The Twelve Keys of Christmas - Christmas exercise for solo violin / treble clef instrument
The Twelve Keys of Christmas - Christmas exercise for solo viola / alto clef
Variations on "Suo Gan" for String Quartet
When Christmas Comes To Town (from “The Polar Express”) for String Orchestra
When She Loved Me (from “Toy Story 2”) for String Orchestra
When She Loved Me (from “Toy Story 2”) for String Quartet
White Christmas for Junior String Orchestra
Some more of my arrangements are for sale at SCORE EXCHANGE, which you can find by clicking here. If you need any tune arranged for your ensemble, or, for example, a group playing at your wedding, please get in touch.
My new arrangement of Gershwin’s “Fascinating Rhythm” was premiered by Wrexham Symphony Orchestra on February 28th 2016, conducted by myself. In December 2017, Wrexham Youth Orchestra premiered my new arrangement of Torme and Wells’s “The Christmas Song”.
Copyist
I have done much work as a copyist and can "Sibelius" almost all forms of nomenclature. If you have some music you need professionally typeset please get in touch.