Classical
Geoffrey Walker
I was born and schooled in Edinburgh and studied violin and composition as a junior student at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. I won a scholarship (non-choral) to read music at King’s College Cambridge and, among other things, studied composition with Arthur Wills and Alan Ridout. I then completed the MMus degree at Edinburgh University, studying briefly with Kenneth Leighton. After that, I tried working for a living for a year, but was lured back to Cambridge to study for a PhD. I spent several years entirely failing to complete my dissertation, but doing plenty of teaching, sports, composing and playing classical, jazz and folk violin, including several concerto appearances.
Rather abruptly, I abandoned any notion of a musical career, and went into hi-tech business, reaching board level within a USA group before opting for the blessed release of very early retirement. During that time I maintained my performing interests, inter al. as leader of The Cambridge Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor of The Cambridge Sinfonietta. I also decided to try to learn the piano properly, and after a period of study with Philip Mead, gained an ALCM diploma in piano performance. I am still working on it.
I now divide my time between composing, writing, working as an editor, walking and reading.
I compose in a wide variety of styles and have recently had pieces performed in Wales, England, Scotland and South America. I shall use the stimulus of Scotchsnap to write some new music, as well as polishing some of the older stuff. I like writing for unusual combinations, and have completed three commissions for the Absolute Zero Viola Quartet and a piece for six-part flute choir. I also enjoy writing tricky piano rags with an underlying didactic purpose. People sometimes ask me if I can play my own piano music; good question!
You can find out more about me and download some MP3s at my website.
- Six Pieces for Fiddle - 2009