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Although
he is obviously well known as a teacher Pete also manages a hectic
freelance career both as a writer and as a performer - being equally
well known as a jazz-pianist and a singer.
His
long-standing interest in Music Theatre and song-writing has resulted
in two appearances at the VIVIEN ELLIS PRIZE for
new musicals. In 1988 he won the SPECIAL PRIZE for the gospel musical "DAVID
AND GOLIATH" and in 1992 he was outright WINNER with a show
entitled "CECIL JACKSON FIGHTS BACK". Songs from
both these shows subsequently gained Gold and Platinum discs when
released separately in Denmark. Following this in 1993 Pete's
reputation as a jazz pianist and vocal coach led to a year's hard
labour as Musical Director for "FIVE GUYS NAMED MOE"
in the West End and he subsequently decided to return to the more
precarious life of the freelance jazz musician and educator.
Since that
time Pete has been fortunate to travel the world both as a performer
and as a teacher. His work in both these areas has taken him to
Finland, Russia, France, Bulgaria as well as all around the British
Isles where his role as an educator takes him to schools, community
centres and into prisons. In 2003 - he travelled to Australia where he
spent three weeks running a professional development course for music
teachers in jazz and vocal skills. This trip was a result of his close
association with the groundbreaking jazz syllabus developed by the
Associated Board for which he is a Consulting Editor and a contributing
composer and arranger. Other educational publications include a Small
Band Jazz series for Stainer and Bell Publishers, a forthcoming book
for the Associated Board on how to play from chord symbols and various
articles on working without notation.
As a
pianist Pete has worked with many of the leading jazz names here and
abroad and for the last decade has been the U.K. Musical Director for
the legendary American jazz singer MARK MURPHY. He
also runs a trio under his own name with a critically acclaimed album
called "The Bad and the Beautiful" - featuring the great Scottish sax
player BOBBY WELLINS.
As a
singer, Pete is a member of the "KENNY WHEELER VOCAL PROJECT"
with the wonderful NORMA WINSTONE and in addition
to this his work with Kenny both as a singer and arranger has led in
recent years to high profile appearances at the Berlin jazz festival
and the "Summer Jazz" festival in central Finland. More recently he
conducted the Kenny Wheeler Big Band at concerts in London and at the
Appleby Festival in the north of England and is to be one of five
singers taking part in ABDULLAH IBRAHIM’S VOCAL
PROJECT in Essen, Germany.
Over the
past few years Pete has not only directed that great jazz/choral work, ELLINGTON'S
SACRED MUSIC, with STAN TRACEY but 2005
found him singing the baritone lead as well - in a performance with the
Echoes of Ellington Orchestra at Bury St Edmunds Cathedral. In June of
2004 he formed the Glasgow Jazz Festival Chorus from the choir of The
Royal Bank of Scotland and opened the festival in a concert with Lianne
Carol and the Bancroft brothers. For this he received an ‘ARTS
IN BUSINESS’ AWARD He has travelled worldwide in
his capacity as a choral director and educator – the past few
years have taken him to Australia again – teaching on a
Kodaly Summer School at the University of Queensland and also Hong
Kong, Singapore and Malaysia - with further trips planned to
the Far East over the next few years.
With such
experience behind him Pete has become recognised as a composer for, and
director of, large ensembles - able to handle the logistical and
administrative challenges of bringing disparate forces together.
Recent
commissions include two oratorios, "DAVID AND GOLIATH"
- for unison choir, SATB choir, soloists and big-band
(performed with a choir of five hundred children at the Albert Hall in
April of 2003) and "BABEL" - for narrator, five
hundred strong children's choir and nonet – commissioned in
2004 by Barking and Dagenham music services. This work was also revived
in April 2005 at the ROYAL ALBERT HALL with considerably larger forces.
Twenty six school choirs from West London joined a big-band and
symphony orchestra - one thousand children in all - to give the work a
second hearing.
“DAVID
AND GOLIATH” similarly returned to The ROYAL ALBERT
HALL in April 2007 – this time with a twelve hundred children
singing with big-band and orchestra.
2004 saw
the premier of a piece called "BETHLEHEM" combining
Israeli and Palestinian poetry with a traditional Christmas carol. It
was commissioned by St Marylebone School in London and scored for three
choirs, orchestra, soloist, rhythm section and an African drumming
ensemble – and the following year saw a repeat commission and
a similar reworking of another Christmas carol – “O
COME, O COME EMANUEL”. With such educational
projects, the focus for the children is as much on the process as on
the product – the ‘process’ of pulling it
all together is as important as the presentation of the finished
‘product’.
Looking
ahead, there are exciting new projects to develop and various
commissions with their attendant deadlines fast approaching as Pete
continues to juggle the different sides of his career as a busy
singer/pianist/arranger/composer - all this is in addition to his
on-going work as one of Europe's leading jazz educators. He has finally
been recognised in this respect, winning the 2007
PARLIAMENTARY JAZZ AWARD for services to Jazz Education.
Pete has
three children and lives with his wife Nikki Iles in the village of
King's Langley in Hertfordshire.
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