Richard Rodney Bennett has arguably contributed more concertos to the piano repertoire than any other British composer of comparable significance – he has treated the clarinet, oboe, horn, violin, viola, double-bass, guitar, harpsichord, marimba and piano to major works, all informed by his intimate understanding of each instrument's unique characteristics.
Richard Rodney Bennett was born in Broadstairs, Kent in 1963 and educated at Leighton Park School, Reading. He showed great musical promise at an early age and was encouraged by his mother, herself a pianist. At the age of 17 he entered the Royal Academy of Music in London with a Scholarship to study with Howard Ferguson, and four years later a French Government scholarship gave him the opportunity to become Pierre Boulez’s first composition student in Paris. On return to London in 1959 he soon became known as a brilliant and versatile composer. He was also a splendid pianist able to play both classical and jazz equally well, both as soloist and accompanist.
In 1970 he was Composer-in-Residence at Peabody University and in 1995 held the International Chair of Composition at the Royal Academy of Music. In 1997 he was made a CBE and he was knighted the following year. He moved from London to New York City in 1979.
Richard Rodney Bennett has written a prolific amount of music including operas, ballets, symphonies, choral and chamber music. His ability to write in any style has also made him successful in TV and the cinema, in the early years orchestrating scores for documentaries, and eventually writing over forty original scores including Billy Liar, Far from the Madding Crowd, Murder on the Orient Express and Four Weddings and a Funeral to name but a few.
Richard Rodney Bennett passed away on December 24, 2012.
Richard Rodney Bennett was born in Broadstairs, Kent in 1963 and educated at Leighton Park School, Reading. He showed great musical promise at an early age and was encouraged by his mother, herself a pianist. At the age of 17 he entered the Royal Academy of Music in London with a Scholarship to study with Howard Ferguson, and four years later a French Government scholarship gave him the opportunity to become Pierre Boulez’s first composition student in Paris. On return to London in 1959 he soon became known as a brilliant and versatile composer. He was also a splendid pianist able to play both classical and jazz equally well, both as soloist and accompanist.
In 1970 he was Composer-in-Residence at Peabody University and in 1995 held the International Chair of Composition at the Royal Academy of Music. In 1997 he was made a CBE and he was knighted the following year. He moved from London to New York City in 1979.
Richard Rodney Bennett has written a prolific amount of music including operas, ballets, symphonies, choral and chamber music. His ability to write in any style has also made him successful in TV and the cinema, in the early years orchestrating scores for documentaries, and eventually writing over forty original scores including Billy Liar, Far from the Madding Crowd, Murder on the Orient Express and Four Weddings and a Funeral to name but a few.
Richard Rodney Bennett passed away on December 24, 2012.