Norman O’Neill (1875-1934) was the leading British theatrical composer in the 1920s and 30s. He composed music for more than 50 plays, notably by J.M. Barrie, Shakespeare, A.A. Milne, Ibsen, Walter Scott and Ashley Dukes, showing a remarkable aptitude for devising music which enhanced a situation and reflected the stage characters. He studied with Arthur…
Mary Rae was born in Washington D.C. in 1951 and grew up in Virginia. She studied flute and voice in Boston and, at the same time, received a BA in Spanish Languages and Literature from Boston University. Mary has always been interested in composition, and devised for herself a course of self-study. Aside from writing…
Giacomo Puccini was an Italian composer born on December 22, 1858, in Lucca, Tuscany, Italy. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest exponents of operatic realism and is known for bringing the history of Italian opera to a close with his works. Puccini’s most famous operas include “La Bohème” (1896), “Tosca” (1900), “Madama…
Adolf Lotter was born in Prague on 4 December 1871 and studied double bass with František Černý, and composition with Antonín Dvořák, at the Prague Conservatoire. He lived in London from 1894, until his death in 1942, and quickly established himself as one of the leading bassists of his generation, performing with many of the…
David Heyes (b.1960) studied double bass with Laurence Gray and Bronwen Naish, later at the Royal College of Music in London, and completed his post-graduate studies in Prague with František Pošta (Principal Bass, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra). He has given recitals and masterclasses in 20 countries over the past few years and has been a juror…
May Halyburton studied double bass at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. On graduating in 1994 with a BA (musical studies), a Certificate of Post Graduate Studies and the Eugene Cruft Prize for double bass, she took up the post of sub principal bass with Orquestra Simfonica de Balears, de Mallorca. Since returning…
Billy Joel, born William Martin Joel on May 9, 1949, is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and pianist1. He is often referred to as the “Piano Man” after his hit song of the same name. Joel’s music career spans several decades, and he has been a prominent figure in the pop and rock music scenes since…
Charles Gounod was a French composer, organist, and pianist, born on June 17, 1818, in Paris1. He is best known for his operas, particularly “Faust” (1859) and “Roméo et Juliette” (1867), which remain in the international repertory1. Gounod’s music is characterized by its melodic richness and its blend of romantic sentiment with classical restraint and…
Edvard Hagerup Grieg was a Norwegian composer and pianist born on June 15, 1843, in Bergen, Norway. He is widely considered one of the leading Romantic era composers, and his music is part of the standard classical repertoire worldwide. Grieg’s use of Norwegian folk music in his compositions brought the music of Norway to fame…
Gustav Theodore Holst, originally named Gustavus Theodore von Holst, was an English composer, arranger, and teacher born on September 21, 1874, in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. He passed away on May 25, 1934, in London1. Holst is best known for his orchestral suite The Planets, but he composed many other works across a range of genres,…
