Robert Steadman

Robert Steadman (born April 1 1965) is a British composer of classical music who mostly works in a post-minimalist style but also writes lighter music, including musicals, and compositions for educational purposes. He also teaches and writes articles for music education journals, notably Classroom Music.

Background

Steadman was born in Chiswick, London and brought up in Basingstoke, Hampshire. He was a pupil at Richard Aldworth School, before studying on the Pre-Professional Music Course at Cricklade College, Andover. In 1984 he gained an Associate of the Royal College of Music (A.R.C.M.) in tuba.

He read music at Keble College, Oxford, graduating in 1986. During his time at Oxford, Steadman was the musical director or many shows and, notably, became President of the Oxford Revue working with Armando Ianucci and John Sparkes.

In 1995, Steadman moved to Nottinghamshire and, following his marriage to Tracy Fudge in 2000, he moved to Matlock, Derbyshire in 2001. They have one son and one daughter.

Steadman currently teaches at Lady Manners School, Bakewell whilst also working for the City of Nottingham LEA.

Steadman has written several compositions specifically to raise awareness of political and social issues and to raise funds for charitable organisations. Some of the pieces have been offered as downloads over the internet in return for a charitable donation.[http://www.thesteadmans.btinternet.co.uk//html/downloadnotebook.htm.

Compositions

While much of his output has been written for amateurs and young musicians he has also written several pieces of music for the percussionist Evelyn Glennie, for the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, for the London Brass Virtuosi, for saxophonist Sarah Field and for the East of England Orchestra (now Sinfonia Viva!). He has written three symphonies and two operas, but is best known for his choral compositions. He has also written many chamber music pieces, including those for the Holywell Ensemble. One of his anthems was used at the memorial service for the Dunblane Massacre. He's even branched out into radio jingles and wrote a song for the BBC Radio One DJ, Chris Evans.

Steadman uses strong rhythms and broad melodies. He has been stylistically compared to Michael Nyman and Mike Oldfield.

Symphonies and other orchestral music

The Elements: A chamber symphony is for a large mixed ensemble and uses the classical elements of Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth as influences for its four movements.

Symphony No 1: A symphony of dreams is scored for soprano and small orchestra and uses texts which make reference to Mahatma Gandhi and the assassinated US President John F. Kennedy.

Nottingham 100, a single-movement fanfare for full orchestra, was commissioned by the City of Nottingham to mark the centenary of the Royal charter granting its city status. It was premièred in the grounds of Wollaton Hall by the East of England Orchestra (now Sinfonia Viva!), conducted by Nicholas Kok, in 1997.

Symphony No 2: The Death of Stalin, relating the unusal events surrounding the death and funeral of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, is for soprano solo, large choir and large orchestra. The piece was commissioned and premièred by Nottingham Youth Orchestra, conducted by Derek Williams, at the Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, in March 2003 (the fiftieth anniversary of Stalin's death).

Steadman has also arranged a number of folk songs for orchestra, including She Moves Through the Fair, Simple Gifts and In Dulci Fidelis (a combination of O Come All Ye Faithful and In Dulci Jubilo).

Operas and musicals

Sredni Vashtar with the author Richard Adams based on the Saki short story.
The Box of Delights with a libretto written by John Masefield based on his own children's fantasy book of the same title. Commissioned by the Oxford Youth Music Trust in 1986.

Steadman also wrote a mini-opera for children, The Travelling Circus, which was commissioned by the West Oxfordshire Arts Association; it lasts just twelve minutes.

As well as the music for a number of plays and dance productions, Steadman has written two musicals with writers Paul and Sharon Sansom:

The Girls' Book of Heroines — a love story set in World War II.
Remote Control — a look at throwaway celebrity and 'Pop Idol' culture.

Choral music

Mass in Black is a setting of the Requiem mass in Latin, with additional texts about issues such as nuclear weapons and acid rain and several prophecies of Nostradamus. Commissioned by Basingstoke Choral Society in 1987 with funds from John Lewis but, because of its controversial subject matter, is still awaiting a premiere despite it twice being scheduled.

Magnificat is a setting of the "Song of Mary" from the Gospel of Luke for soprano and baritone soloists with choir and orchestra. Commissioned by St. Mary's Hospital Music Society, London to mark their 50th anniversary in 1991. This popular piece now exists in three performing versions: with full orchestra, with chamber ensemble and with piano, organ, and percussion.

In Memoriam is an eighty-minute work for soprano and tenor soloists, choir and orchestra including air raid siren and the use of megaphones on the subject of remembrance. It incorporates well known hymns and poems including Hubert Parry's "Jerusalem". Commissioned by Nottinghamshire Local Education Authority to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II, and was premiered on Remembrance Sunday 1995 in The Albert Hall, Nottingham.

Gloria is a setting of the Christian Gloria using the same vocal and instrumental forces as the famous setting by the Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi. Commissioned (with funds from the National Lottery) by the Sinfonia Chorale Chamber Choir, it was premiered by them at St Mary's Church, Lace Market, Nottingham in May 1998.

The Ashtead Psalms is a setting of three psalms for soprano, children's choir, choir and orchestra commissioned by the Ashtead Choral Society and premiered by them, conducted by Paul Dodds in January 2000.

Tehillim for Anne is a setting of three psalms in Hebrew for choir and string orchestra, written to mark what would have been Anne Frank's seventy-fifth birthday. It was premiered in Southwell Minster in November 2004 by Southwell Choral Society, who also performed the work at the Imperial War Museum North to mark Holocaust Memorial Day in 2005.

Chamber music

Steadman has written a very wide range of chamber music including:

By the Railway Sidings: a sonata for piano (written for Amanda Hurton and premiered at the Newbury Spring Festival).
Bubble's Gonna Burst Soon for brass quintet (written for the Apollo Brass Quintet).
Still Life with Quartet for clarinet, violin, 'cello & piano (commissioned by the City of London Freemen's School and recorded by the Holywell Ensemble).
Ten Little Indians: an A-Z of the brass ensemble for 10-piece brass ensemble (commissioned by London Brass Virtuosi).
The Rains are Coming for saxophone quartet (written for The Fairer Sax).
Your Jumper's Very Woolly for piano trio (premiered by the Holywell Ensemble at the British Music Information Centre).

Wind band music

Challenge the Rainbow which explores a variety of avant-garde techniques and controlled improvisation. It was premiered at a British Association of Symphonic Bands and Wind Ensembles conference.
floccinauci... for flute and oboe soloists with wind band was premiered in Denmark in 1994.
The Dethe of Robyn Hood for narrator and wind band which was premiered in Sherwood Forest, Robin Hood's legendary home.
...space turned and twisted in on itself which takes its title from A Space Odyssey (novel) was commissioned by Kieran O'Riordan and the University of Nottingham wind orchestra.
Did you buy a Porche yet? for flute clarinet and saxophone ensembles. The players have a certain amount of choice in how to play the piece: which octave, how many repetitions etc. The title is a quote from the Bill Murray/Scarlett Johansson film Lost in Translation and is a reference to male's reaching middle age. It was premiered by the Bromley Youth Music Trust.

The Millennium

Amongst a number of commissions by a variety of performers to mark the Millennium, Steadman was commissioned to compose two pieces which were performed in the Millennium Dome.

Nottingham Songbook - set of songs about the City of Nottingham, its famous people and places.
Sturdy as the Oak - a piece of music for orchestra.

Conducting

Steadman has, naturally, conducted many performances of his own works but also Handel's Messiah, Vivaldi's Gloria, and much orchestral music. He has particularly worked with many youth music organisations including the Oxford Youth Band and Nottingham Music School Orchestra. In November 2005 he conducted the Lady Manners School Orchestra at the Schools Prom at the Royal Albert Hall, London. He has also been Musical Director for many musicals and shows.

Discography

Mr DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up... (1997)
- Performers: The Holywell Ensemble
- Record label: Mapa Mundi
The Rains are Coming (1997)
- Performers: The Scottish Saxophone Quartet
- Record label: SSQ
Nottingham Songbook (2000)
Kintamarni (2003)
- Performers: Kintamarni Saxophone Quartet
- Record label: Kintamarni
- Includes "The Rains are Coming"

References

Mick North.Dunblane:Never Forget (Mainstream Publishing, ISBN 1840183004)
Sarah Galloway (1993).''Hampstead and Highgate Express accessed December 2005
BBC News (2004).Composer pens Anne Frank tribute accessed December 2005
Evelyn Glennie website - list of commissions accessed December 2005
"Matlock Today" - Matlock Live! accessed December 2005
"BBC Nottingham" - review of Canto Virginem accessed December 2005

External links

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