to previous page

... born in Stockleigh Pomeroy, Crediton, Devon. Click on Background for the fascinating story of how John Jordan became a composer, conductor and pianist!

Certificate in Education (Teacher) 1971.
B.Mus. Goldsmiths College, London University 1978.
M.Mus. Leeds University 1988.

Compositions include: songs, choral music, works for piano solo, also for piano and one other instrument, works for string quartet, string orchestra, wind band and for symphony orchestra. Also a chamber opera and a children's operetta.

Performances at: B.M.I.C. ◦ The Warehouse, London ◦ The Sherman Theatre, Cardiff ◦ Birmingham University ◦ Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church, London ◦ The CHaucer Theatre, London ◦ Kingston University, Surrey ◦ Aldershot Barracks, Hampshire ◦ Blackheath Concert Hall, London ◦ Garnet College, London ◦ Poole Arts Centre, Dorset ◦ Greenwich Festival, London ◦ Benslow Hills, Hertfordshire ◦ Aberystwyth University, Wales ◦ Dietrich Bonhoeffer Kirche, London

Published works are by Bardic Edition: Essex. Roeginga Edition: Essex. Westerleigh Publications: Devon.

Bret was born in Birmingham and attended a Post Graduate Jazz course at the Guildhall School of Music in 1986, studying with inspiring teachers, Don Rendell, saxophone, clarinet with the Tony Coe, and composition / arranging with Scott Stroman, as well as master classes with Kenny Wheeler, Stan Tracey, and John Talyor.

Bret has performed in London and the UK with various Jazz ensembles, as well as leading his own contemporary Jazz Qt, which featured the brilliant pianist / composer Peter Jacobsen, who sadly died in 2002. (Who would have enjoyed the Canford Composer's Workshop). Further studies followed with clarinet at Trinity College and London College, and also with David Campbell, Thea King, Paul Harvey and Peter Maunder.

Between 1987 and 2001, Bret held position of Woodwind Teacher / Ensemble coach for independent schools, and the London Borough of Barnet, and presently works as computer professional.

Composed works include pieces for Jazz ensemble, small chamber ensembles, and solo instruments. New compositional plans include a Bartok inspired piece for clarinet and piano, as well as an Orchestral piece inspired by Ellioitt Carter's Boston Symphony. Bret is also interested in composing for radio and television, an area he would like to develop.

Donald Lane is a retired hospital physician, who received his musical education as a junior exhibitioner at Trinity College 1945-53, and only returned to composition in the 1990's. His works include some 20 songs with piano, several small scale works for various instrumental ensembles and some choral settings, one with orchestra. He conducts the Radcliffe Orchestra, which is made up of Oxford medical staff and their friends, and which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2003.

Mark is a voice-over artist, TV presenter and science text book author. Currently he is doing the voice-overs for some military training software and is also doing the narrations for television for the blind on ITV. He is presenting science programmes on Friendly TV (a Sky Channel). He has had three text books published in 2003, and another two are due out in February 2004. He has just started to write another; Science for the 21st Century. This is due for publication in 2005.

Mark has attended the Canford Composers' Workshop on numerous occasions.

Andrew McBirnie was born in Portsmouth and read music at Bristol Univerity (BA 1992) followed by postgraduate study in composition at the Royal Academy of Music (MMus 1994, PhD 1997). Between 1997 and 2002 he taught music in independent schools, firstly in Northumberland and then in Reading, where he was Director of Music at The Oratory School (1999-2002). In December 2002 he took up the position of Chief Examiner in Music for London College of Music Examinations at Thames Valley University.

Andrew's music has been performed widely in Britain, Europe, the US, Canada, Australia and the Far East, by artists and ensembles including the London Sinfonietta / Martyn Brabbins, the BBC Singers / Simon Joly, the BBC Philharmonic / Martyn Brabbins, the RAM Symphony Orchestra / Elgar Howarth, the Bennelong Ensemble, Harlequin, and Onyx Brass. His music has been broadcast several times on BBC radio and television, and he was a finalist in the BBC Young Musician of the Year / Lloyds Bank Composer Award in 1993. Two pieces, Sonatina for Brass (1995) and Variation for Joanne Johnson (1997) have been recorded on CD. The Trio I (1988) is published by Breitkopf & Härtel.

Former teachers include David Penri-Evans, Adrian Beaumont, Michael Finnissy and, most importantly and influentially, Justin Connolly. He has also studied at Tanglewood in the USA as a Fellow in Composition, with Henri Dutilleux, George Perle, and Oliver Knussen; and at Dartington, with Peter Sculthorpe. Andrew attended the Canford Composers' Workshop with Malcolm Singer in 1992 and retains fond memories of a wonderful week of friendship and music-making.

profile

I have attended the Canford composers' workshop since it started in 1987, missing only two years. I would describe my style of composition as chromatic and dissonant, but with recognisable melodic shape. Recent compositions include a 'Romanza and Scherzo' for double wind quintet, 'Nocturne and Intermezzo' for flute and piano, and a 'Sarabande' for wind quintet. These have been played by Canford's leading wind players, who said they enjoyed them. As an amateur clarinettist with considerable experience of wind chamber music, I hope I write idiomatically for wind instruments. If you are a wind player looking for new repertoire, why not click on them? Send me an e-mail if you want to perform them in public.

Current compositional plans include pieces for horn and piano and two oboes and piano, both requested by Canford instrumentalists. I am also planning to expand the Sarabande into a suite of three dances.

Apart from designing websites, I am a part-time mathematics tutor, and help to run the local village choir. My musical education stems from school in the '70's, and the Thames Vale Youth Orchestra. Since then I have played 'cello in numerous amateur orchestras, and a few smaller ensembles. My academic background is applied maths, with a PhD in climate modelling. I later worked in software, including an interesting spell with a digital audio company.

I returned to composing in 2001 when I found myself in transition from one job to another. I have been told that my music has a Scottish air (not Welsh?). Recent compositions include a rumba, an anthem without words, two orchestral suites, one with electric guitar and harp, and a few songs. My orchestral works have been performed locally by an amateur group.

I am married and live in rural West Wales. Home Tel: 01974 272342. Talwrn, Llanrhystyd, Ceredigion, Wales, U.K., SY23 5EL.

I first got seriously interested in music when I started playing cornet in Dartmouth Borough Band in 1947. After a career in Government Service I retired in 1994 and took a BA in Music at Reading University, studying part-time and graduating in 1998.

Since then, I have been working on a PhD in Composition, again part-time. This includes compositions for acoustic instruments and for computer synthesis, the latter using unusual tunings, such as 10- and 16-note equal temperament. At present I play double bass, piano and various early instruments, and am conducting a small wind band.

to next page