Geoffrey Gray

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Geoffrey Gray (2005)

Geoffrey Gray (born September 26, 1934 in Gipsy Hill ) is an English composer , conductor and violinist .

biography

Geoffrey Gray lived on the outskirts of Dartmoor until the beginning of World War II , when he was sent to Scotland to live with his paternal grandparents. Since he showed an interest in the violin at a young age , his parents had planned a career as a concert pianist. He attended the Royal Academy of Music and studied violin, composition , piano and conducting . His teachers in composition were William Alwyn , Benjamin Frankel and later in Paris , Nadia Boulanger .

In 1959 he went to New Zealand , where he worked as a freelance violinist for a while until he became "Tour Musical Director" of the New Zealand Opera Company . Several of his early plays were broadcast on the National Commercial Broadcasting Service .

In 1960 he returned to England, where he became director of a music school in Suffolk . After only a year he moved to London and lived there for the next 40 years as a freelance violinist. During this time he composed works for various ensembles. He played for the ballet, musicals and pop concerts. He often went on tour with the Lindsay Kemp theater troupe as a violist, pianist and percussionist .

Since 1996 he lived mainly in Cornwall and then to Margate where he concentrated almost exclusively on composing. In March 2003 his friend, the composer Edwin Carr died . He got in touch with oboist Dominique Enon to write a piano reduction for his concerto for oboe and orchestra. This meeting proved fruitful, as on his return to France he came into contact with the work of the conductor Kurt Masur with the Orchester National de France .

Today Gray lives in Dorset .

Works

  • Sonata in C for Piano , Lili Boulanger Prize , 1958
  • The Pied Piper , opera for children, libretto by Margaret John, 1958
  • A Christmas Cantata , for female voices and orchestra, 1959
  • The Tinderbox , for narrator, violin and piano, 1960
  • Sonata No. 1 for violin & piano , 1961
  • Serenade for Piano , 1962
  • Six Cavalier Songs for Sop. & Piano , 1962
  • Capriccio for String Orchestra , 1963
  • Cock Robin, Betty Botter, Lullaby , Variations on Nursery Rhymes, 1964
  • Patterns , ballet music, 1964
  • Sarabande , ballet music, 1964
  • Dance-Game , symphonic scherzo, 1967
  • String Quartet No 1 , 1967
  • Aria for Flute (oboe) & Piano , 1968
  • Sonata alla Toccata for Piano , 1968
  • Sonata for Brass , 1968
  • Autumn '69 (The Prisoners) , for four orchestras, 1969
  • Inconsequenza for 4 Percussion Players , 1969
  • John Gilpin for solo SATB & W / W 5tet , 1969
  • Notturno for String Quartet , 1969
  • Quintet for Fl. whether. Clar. Hrn & Bassoon , 1969
  • Divertimento Pastorale for Brass 5tet , 1970
  • Sarabande for Dead Lovers , suite from the ballet music Sarabande , 1970
  • The Autumn People , for chamber orchestra, 1970
  • 12 Labors of Hercules , for symphony orchestra and two storytellers, 1971
  • A Mirror for Cassandra , quintet for piano, violin, cello, oboe and horn, 1971
  • Serenade for Double Woodwind 5th , 1971
  • Ceres , ballet music, 1972
  • Concerto Grosso No 1 , 1972
  • Saxophone Quartet , 1972
  • Songs for Instruments (Septet) , 1972
  • Three Jacobean Songs for Tenor & String Orchestra , 1973
  • A Dream of Dying for Soprano & Instrumental Ensemble , 1974
  • 3 Pieces for 2 Pianos , 1975
  • Concertante for 2 Solo Violins & Chamber Orchestra , 1975
  • Flowers of the Night, Sonatina for Violin (Flute) & Piano , 1975
  • March Militaire No 1 , for brass and percussion, 1975
  • Tryptich , for symphony orchestra, 1975
  • Sonata for Cello & Piano , 1976
  • Song from "Death's Jest Book" by TL Beddoes , for soprano and piano, 1978
  • Dreams of a Summer Afternoon , Trio for violin, horn and piano, 1980
  • 4 Studies for Piano Solo , 1981
  • Suite for Strings , 1981
  • Sonata for Clarinet & Piano , 1983
  • Contretemps for W / W 4tet , 1984
  • Three Songs for Soprano, Clarinet & Piano , 1984
  • A Morning Raga for Double Bass & Piano , 1985
  • Sonata for Viola & Piano , 1987
  • Concerto Grosso No.2 for Solo Violin & Strings , 1988
  • Partita for Trumpet & Piano , 1988
  • Sonata in 4 Movements for Violin & Piano , 1988
  • 10 Easy Pieces , for piano, violin, oboe, horn and cello, 1989
  • A Bit of Singing & Dancing , 1996
  • The Pike , quintet for piano, violin, viola and cello, 1996
  • 4 Bagatelles for 2 Flutes , 1997
  • Scerzo Strepitoso , symphonic piece, 1997
  • Cantar de la Siguiriya Gitana for Tenor & Piano Trio , 1998
  • Preamble & 5 Variations for Bassoon & Piano , 1999
  • De Vinetas Flamencas, for Tenor & Piano , 2001
  • Tango all Sonata for Cor Anglais & Piano , 2002
  • Eurus: The East Wind , quartet for piano, flute, clarinet and bassoon, 2003
  • Threnody, Capriccio & Anthem for Oboe Choir , 2003
  • A scene from Old Russia , for Pinaotrio, 2004
  • Two Xmas Carols for a capella choir , 2004
  • Aubade for Oboe & Piano , 2005
  • Trio Concertante for Oboe, Bassoon & Piano , 2007

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Gray, Geoffrey
BRIEF DESCRIPTION English violinist, conductor and composer
DATE OF BIRTH September 26, 1934
PLACE OF BIRTH Gipsy Hill