Richard
Gordon-Smith
GRSM,
ARCM, Cert. Ed.
Composer
- Conductor - Violinist – Teacher
Richard
Gordon-Smith, was born in Croydon in 1951, studied at the
Royal College of Music in London, taught in Coventry, and played for
the Ulster Orchestra in Belfast, before joining
the RLPO in 1980.
The four-year period in Belfast produced a
handful of compositions, including the Brass Quintet The Age of Bronze and the Violin piece Paths of the Mystic Rose.
On joining the RLPO his output increased dramatically. The RLPS commissioned Welcome Carol in 1988, the orchestral children’s drama Soundcastle
in 1992, the riotous concert piece Hot
House in 1994 and the oratorio Lowlands Away in 1996. For this work
Richard was awarded the coveted 1996 Merseyside Arts and Entertainments
Award.
Other commissions include
the popular Zoo Suite,
(versions for Brass Octet and Orchestra), the Percussion Sextet Engineerium
(RNCM 1989), two further works for Brass Octet, Festival Fanfare and Fantasia, a Ballet for Wind Orchestra The Bacchae,
the Arts Suite Hotfoot On Hope Street
(HOPES, 1997), the Flute Quartet Orison
to the Wind (1998) and Overture NOW!, a tribute to British
orchestras. There is also much other
chamber music, including a String Quartet, and a Clarinet
Quartet.
Richard’s recent Trade
Winds, A Masque of Liverpool and the Sea, has been
commissioned by HOPES with the help of RLPS.
This large orchestral/choral work explores the maritime history of the
city through the poetry of John Masefield – premiere
at Philharmonic Hall on 13th
June 2005.
Richard is no stranger to
the conductor's baton, and directs his own and others' music in Liverpool and
elsewhere. He also runs regular music
workshops on Merseyside.
Richard Gordon-Smith’s music
is played in many different parts of the world - Europe, America, Africa, China and Japan - and broadcast
on radio and television. Richard is a
member of the PRS, the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters
and the British Music Writers’ Council.
He is Composer in Residence to HOPES: The Hope Street Association. A CD of Richard’s music on the RLPO LIVE
label (available at HMV) features Lowlands Away, Overture
NOW! and Hotfoot on Hope Street.