Today's Featured Composer:

Gareth Wood

| music by this composer |

Gareth Wood was born in Cilfynydd, Wales, in 1950. By the age of five, he was playing the piano by ear, but did not have lessons until he was seven. He went to Pontypridd Boys' Grammar School, where he began to play the guitar and double bass. He joined the Glamorgan Youth Orchestra on the double bass in 1967, and the National Youth Orchestra of Wales. In 1968, he was the winner of the Glamorgan Youth Eisteddfod, on the guitar.

He entered the Royal Academy of Music in the same year where he studied double bass with John Walton and composition with Dr Frederick Durrant and Paul Patterson. He won numerous prizes, including the Lucas Medal for Composition and the Eugene Cruft Prize for Double Bass. He was commissioned to write a Fanfare for the 150th Anniversary of the R.A.M., which was performed at Westminster Abbey in the presence of Princess Alexandra. In 1972 he left the Academy and joined the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra as a double bass player. He has since played regularly with the English National Opera, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, though he now plays full time with the RPO. He has written two fanfares for the RPO, one for their thirtieth birthday concert, and the other for their Silver Jubilee concert, to mark the Queen's Silver Jubilee.

In 1975, his overture, `Tombstone Arizona' for brass band was performed and recorded at the Royal Albert Hall. Since then numerous commissions have resulted in a number of works for brass band, including `Culloden Moor' (written for the National Youth Brass Band of Scotland). `Introduction & Allegro' (used for Scandinavian Championship in 1978) `Hinemoa' (commissioned by New Zealand Band Association for their Centenary Championship in 1980) `The Margam Stones' (commissioned by West Glamorgan Youth Brass Band).

Gareth Wood has written Concertos for Trumpet (for James Watson) and Tuba (for John Fletcher) and a Concertino for E horn as well as a number of solos, some of which are included in the syllabus of The Associated Board and Trinity College of Music.

His compositions for orchestra and chamber music are widely known and admired. Gareth Wood also writes for wind band, and has a flair for writing for young players.