Andrew Wilson
A prolific and talented composer, Andrew will be the new Festival President for this year’s Tavistock Festival.
Andrew has been involved in producing concerts and giving lectures at the Tavistock Festival ever since it first started and he is honoured to follow in the footsteps of Adam Hart-Davis and Sarah Walker. He has watched the festival develop over the years into a celebration of wide-ranging musical genres, art exhibitions, lectures, literary workshops and theatrical performances. He is delighted to be able to support an event which firmly places Tavistock on the map and brings in professional musicians and artists to the South West. The festival offers opportunities for local people, as well as visitors, to appreciate concerts, exhibitions and performances that they otherwise might not have a chance to experience. Despite his new role as President, Andrew is still keen to maintain a hands-on approach to the festival and this year he will be running a workshop on Coleridge-Taylor's 'Hiawatha's Wedding Feast'.
Andrew Wilson grew up in Bedfordshire and his musical aptitude was evident from a very early age; by the time he was seven he was already composing music. After becoming a chorister in Luton, as well as learning to play the organ and the clarinet, his accomplished performance skills won him a Junior Exhibition Award Scholarship to attend music lessons at Trinity College of Music in London. He went on to study music at the Royal Holloway College of London University before commencing a career teaching music at Papplewick School in Ascot, and later Royal Grammar School in Worcester. He moved to Tavistock with his family in 1992 when he was appointed Director of Music at Kelly College, where he also took on the role of conductor of the Kelly Choral Society. At about the same time he started composing in earnest and his first published works began entering the music scene.
Andrew has composed numerous works ranging from sonatas for individual instruments to quartets to full choral and orchestral works. His years of teaching have helped him to acquire at least a rudimentary knowledge of most instruments, in fact he reckons he could play 'God save the Queen' on any instrument!
Andrew has a very disciplined approach to composing which stemmed from the necessity to produce compositions in a designated timeframe alongside his teaching career. All of his compositions have been created from a shed in his garden - albeit a very comfortable, heated and well-equipped shed. He finds that the confined space aids his creativity and helps him concentrate.
Andrew Wilson's works have been performed across the UK and in many international venues. In addition he was recently appointed to the board of the National College of Music as Director of Studies. He has won several awards, particularly since he stepped down from teaching and has more time to devote to composing; in the last year he won the international Small Choirs' Composing Competition 2015, he was a finalist in the composition competition at Greyfriars Festival of Worship and the Arts, and a finalist for The Ray Bardsley Carol Composition Prize 2015. He is obviously delighted that his works have received such acclaim, although he says that the real reward for composition is having your music performed and he is looking forward to the first performance of a new piece for the Tavistock Festival , "A Tavy Dance Suite" which will be played by the Chamber Ensemble of London.
Andrew Wilson’s music is published by Blackingstone Music Publishing and Spartan - for more details about his compositions or to commission a work visit www.andrew-m-wilson.com
You will find a full list of the festival events on our What's On section of dartmoorlinks.co.uk or to see the full festival guide please click here https://issuu.com/moorlinks/docs/tavistock_festival_2016-booklet-25p