combination of listening to an eclectic record collection which my parents owned, that afforded the opportunity to hear music by JS Bach, Handel and Grieg, as well as Gospel music with blues influences, and Psalms orated by the late Theodore Bikel with orchestral accompaniment, to name a few. My late mother supervised my practice sessions at the piano to begin Composer, performer and educator with, while my father taught me to read music, along with taking us to hear live Tell us a little about yourself. I have an eclectic interest in creativity and music, such as Handel’s Messiah. During primary school, I remember being taken as a result have maintained a portfolio career, as a performing musician, who has to hear solo recitals at Leeds Art Gallery, and afterwards being a part of a select been known to perform on BBC Radio 3’s group who went backstage to meet the In Tune, or as a composer, responding to artist. High School years presented plenty commissions plus having my score Elegy of opportunities to develop as a pianist performed on tour across the USA by the Sphinx Virtuosi. I also write for publication, and flautist and join in with extra-curricular and have recently contributed an essay to a music and drama activities. I recall hearing book published by Serendipity UK entitled the Lindsay String Quartet and the pianist Reflections: Cultural Voices of Black British Radu Lupu, among others, and there was an opportunity to discuss the workings Irrepressible Resilience. This year, in of Opera North when Lord Harwood was January, I enjoyed the privilege of Elegy being released on the Chineke! orchestra’s invited to a sixth form society meeting. I was able to look inside the grand piano album Spark Catchers, among the wonderful pieces by fellow composers on as Mr Lupton delivered a fiery account of Chopin’s Revolutionary Study during a this new recording on the NMC Recording music lesson. These were inspirational Label. I have also contributed to a BBC Radio 4 programme presented by the jazz chapters, before more formal study of music education at King Alfred’s College, pianist/composer Julian Joseph called Winchester, (now known as University of The Trumpet Shall Sound, which explored Winchester), gaining piano performing and the contribution black composers have teaching diplomas from the Royal College made to classical music across a historical of Music and Royal Academy of Music timeline. Earlier this year, I was invited as a visiting lecturer to deliver a workshop, at respectively, and later postgraduate study Norwich University of the Arts, for students at Andrews University, Michigan, USA. on the MA in Music for Moving Image. What would you say is your greatest achievement to date? The rapid unravelling of events in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic is having I enjoyed working on a project called a huge impact on the livelihoods of Ballare: To Dance that was commissioned musicians. Consequently, there are a for the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad number of projects that have had to be in the East Midlands. It was a great suspended, as well as some that will be opportunity to explore the impact of completed in the near future, as safer the universal power of music, that was ways of working are developed. One of ultimately enjoyed by a very culturally those projects is contributing a number of diverse audience in Leeds, Nottingham pieces to an album of production music and Leicester. The project took the for EMI, Sparkle and Burn. Recently, I have audience on a musical journey across the been invited to write a piece for BBC Radio African diaspora, Argentina, Mexico, Cuba, 3’s Composer Postcards. Spain and India, through sound worlds that are associated with these countries. Who (or what) has most influenced you Within this project, I wrote two new and your career? works, including a suite for solo steel pan I’d say it is the impact of personalities and strings and a piece called Mantra for within my environment. It’s also a an Athlete.
Philip Herbert. Photo: Michael Stockton
Ask me a question Philip Herbert
ism.org
@ism_music
facebook.com/ISMusicians
@ism_music
Who is your all-time favourite artist and why? Wynton Marsalis is one of my favourite artists, because of his eclectic interest in a variety of musical genres, including classical music and jazz. His passion and concern that music education is available for the next generation is also an impressive credential. Whatever he embraces, he always delivers to a very high level, and when he performs, he enjoys it and makes it appear to be done so effortlessly. What was the last CD or music download that you purchased? Sheku Kanneh-Mason’s performance of Après un rêve by Gabriel Fauré. What are your plans for the future? To deliver the composition projects that it is within my power to complete. Wait and see how government guidelines impact decisions for safer working practices for work that I have completed which needs to be recorded. Finally, what is your ISM membership to you? My ISM membership provides me with support, is inclusive in outlook, gives guidance, and provides me with up-todate information on practical matters from experts in relevant fields, relating to being a musician in the 21st century. philipherbert.org
incorporated-society-of-musicians
ism_music
