- About -

David Loxley-Blount (b.1989) is an award-winning British composer based in Finchley (London, UK). Besides performances in many churches and Cathedrals his work has been broadcast on BBC Radio 3, performed at the Palace of Westminster and sung under the Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square.

Since winning the Composition Prize at St Albans International Organ Festival / Choir & Organ Composition Competition in 2013 he has become known best for his organ music. His instrumental music has been performed by professional ensembles including the Allegri String Quartet and the London Firebird Orchestra. His choral music has been sung by choirs including Rochester Cathedral Choir and The Choir of St Bride's Fleet Street.

He was the inaugural recipient of The Eric Thompson Charitable Trust's Annual Award (2015/16) for a significant project associated with organ study, performance, composing, recording or research. His application was regarded by the Trustees as 'the most ambitious and relevant submission'. The award resulted in the composition of DuoSet, a set of 4 pieces for organ and solo instruments which were premiered in October 2016 in the heart of the City of London at St Lawrence Jewry next Guildhall. As part of the Award during 2016 David studied with the internationally recognised composer Paul Patterson.

David graduated from Middlesex University with First Class Honours in Music and the Dean's Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Performing Arts. He is a Fellow of the National College of Music, an Associate of the London College of Music, and was recently elected as a Fellow of the Guild of Musicians and Singers. He has been a member of the Incorporated Society of Musicians since 2008/09.

He has studied with Paul Patterson, Brian Inglis, François Evans, Peter Fribbins, Francis Pott and John Webb (who recently won the British Composers’ Award for Community or Education Project). David's studies with John and Paul were kindly supported by the Sheena Booth Music Trust and The Eric Thompson Charitable Trust respectively.

2018 & 2019 will see first performances of the following significant commissions:

• L'esprit magique: Love the ‘you’ you hide - commissioned by Martin Kasparek
  World premiere - 24th June 2018 - Collégiale de Saint Imier, 2610 St-Imier, Switzerland
  UK premiere - 4th September 2018, 1pm - St Lawrence Jewry next Guildhall, CIty of London, GB
  Third performance - 5th September, 1:10pm - St Michael and All Angels with St James, Croydon, GB
  USA premiere - date to follow (2019)
  
  
• Title TBA - commissioned by Stephen Massil
  A solo organ piece consisiting of five contrasting movements commissioned to commemorate the life and work of Peter Prelleur (1707-1741), the first organist of Christ Church Spitalfields. To be performed on the recently restored organ.
  World premiere - 2nd March 2019 (as part of London Organ Day) - Christ Church Spitalfields, London, GB
  
  
• Does Aught Come After, a nine-movement cycle comissioned by the relatives of Roland Leighton, which sets the poems sent by Roland Leighton to his his fiancée Vera Brittain during the First World War. Many of these poems featured in the 2014 feature film adaption of Vera Brittain's 'Testament of Youth (BBC Films/Heyday Films/Screen Yorkshire/BFI)'.
  
  
• Hampstead Suite, commissioned by Proms at St Jude's, a five movement work that explores the legacy of Cecil Sharp, will be premiered outside the main music and literary festival.

Selected significant premieres of David's work that took place during 2016 and 2017 include:

• Adventus, premiered by Ashley Wagner, in an organ recital at Worcester Cathedral, November 2017.
  
  
• Chorale Prelude on Christus, der ist mein Leben, winner of the Audience Prize in the 2017 Orgelbüchlein Project / Royal College of Organists composition competition. Premiered by Nicholas Morris, at St George's Hanover Square, London.
  
  
• The Magical Dwarf, composer-in-residence, conference and concert held at St Stephen's, Rosslyn Hill, Hampstead.
  
  
• Ridgewell: Hymn of Reminiscence, commissioned by Michaela Cottee, to mark the Centenary of the Organ at St Laurence Ridgewell, Essex. Premiered in a celebratory Centenary Organ Recital given by Andrew Cantrill.
  
  
• The dark Somme flowing, commissioned by Rochester Cathedral Choir to mark the Centenary of the Battle of the Somme (July 2016). This was selected as an 'Editor's Pick of what's on' in the July/August 2016 edition of Choir and Organ magazine.
  
  
• DuoSet, commissioned as a result of the 2015/16 Annual Award from The Eric Thompson Charitable Trust.

Please see the events page for details of when and where you can hear David's music, and do check the homepage or twitter for the latest news.

For a more detailed, but summarised chronology of major/significant events prior to 2016 please continue to read below:

2015 saw the completion of David's longest work to date and his music selected for a workshop with the Master of the Queen's Music (Judith Weir). Liberate te ex inferis: Poema ex Dante a twenty-five minute symphonic poem for solo organ based on Dante's Divine Comedy comissioned by Jonathan Allsopp (Organ Scholar, Durham Cathedral). The première was given by Jonathan in Durham Cathedral as the centerpiece of one of the Cathedral's summer evening recital series in July 2015. 'Limadie meets London' was selected by Judith Weir and Thomas Trotter for a public workshop held in London, organised by Choir & Organ in partnership with the Royal College of Organists in which David was commended for his approach to organ music. Other significant performances and premieres during 2015 include: Kernewek Suite (Norwegian Flute Ensemble / Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church), Inflemus [a spatial work for trumpet and organ] (Darren Moore & Jem Stephenson / St Lawrence Jewry next Guildhall) and Truro Triptyque (Tak Chow / Brentwood Cathedral, Essex, UK). Nicholas Chalmers gave the première of Chorale Prelude and Postlude at St James Muswell Hill, an organ that composers such as Olivier Messiaen and Sir Lennox Berkeley regarded highly for its special character.

2014 included the first broadcast of David's music on BBC Radio 3 and a twenty-five minute programme of his compositions performed at the Palace of Westminster, including premières of after... and Rhapsody No.1 for Flute. Other significant premières during 2014 included: Simul certāminis invicem accidit (London Firebird Orchestra / Rickett Quadrangle, Middlesex University), The Blood of Sunset (Middlesex University Chamber Choir / St Mary's, Hendon), Truro Triptyque (Tak Chow / Truro Cathedral), Chorale Postlude on Wenn mein Stündlein vorhanden ist (Tom Bell / St Michael and All Angels, Croydon), Travelling Triptyque (Tak Chow / St Michael's Cornhill, City of London) and the first performances of two carols; Love Came Down at Christmas in Southwark Cathedral during the Financial Times Carol Service (repeated in Trafalgar Square the same week) and the third of David's South Yorkshire Folk inspired carols Our Saviour and King in the Service of Nine Lessons and Carols at St Jude-on-the-Hill, Hampstead Garden Suburb.

2013 proved to be a defining period. April marked his first international competition success with Sonus Repercussus winning the Choir & Organ Magazine Composition Competition held in partnership with St Albans International Organ Festival. James McVinnie gave the première of the winning work in St Albans Cathedral during the 50th Anniversary prize-winners concert. Around the same time The Allegri String Quartet selected The Morning River Glideth to be premièred in a public concert, and North London Chorus premièred Holmfirth. The year concluded with the première of Diadem (Choir of St Jude-on-the-Hill, Anna Steppler & Nicholas Chalmers).

2009-2012

• 1st Prize at North London Music Festival - x3 (2009, 2010 & 2012)

Premieres (selected list):

• Occultus Sonor (conducted by Ben Palmer)
• Sweet Bells (conducted by Benedict Kearns)
• Fanfare for Alan (in the presence of the Bishop of Edmonton)

last updated: 04-Sep-2018

David J Loxley-Blount

BSc BA (Hons) ALCM FNCM MISM FGMS