|
|
||
|
|
Nicholas O'Neill | |
 drawing Jeff Pountain |
|
Currently works as a freelance pianist, organist, singer and conductor with composing as the main focus of his efforts. more...  Oculi Omnium |
|
|
Biographical NotesNicholas O'Neill was born in Cheltenham in 1970. At the age of seven it was noticed that there was possibly some latent musical talent hiding in him, so an application was made to join Gloucester Cathedral Choir. He was accepted, started piano lessons and almost immediately began committing notes to paper, receiving his first performance at the tender age of twelve, in the Cathedral.He gained his F.R.C.O. before leaving school and then went to Magdalen College, Oxford as an Organ Scholar, graduating in 1992 with a degree in Music. In that year he was unanimously awarded the Norwich Festival Composition Prize and proved to himself that this was no fluke making the workshop of the Cornelius Cardew Composition Prize in 1993 and by winning the Gregynog Young Composers' Award in the same year, then sharing the Barbara Johnstone Prize in 1994. Late in 1995 he moved to London, having lived in Cheltenham for the previous three years. continue |
|
His playing work has included appearances on national and local radio, BBC 1, ITV and Channel 4 television, several recitals across Europe as well as various CD recordings, while his pieces have been performed across the country. His musical endeavours have never been confined to the classical area however. Quite apart from a three year stint as a cocktail pianist at the Queen's Hotel, Cheltenham, he has squandered many evenings playing drums or bass guitar in various bands, the most notorious of which were Chainsaw and Bristol-based barbershop/metal combo the Electric Druids, for whom he was active as a songwriter. When not writing or playing he immerses himself in following Formula One motor racing, where being half Italian, he naturally supports Ferrari through thick and (usually) thin! He also enjoys poetry, socialising, good food and wine, and when not listening to Takemitsu, Leighton, Finzi or Lutoslawski, he tends to relax to the music of his favourite bands - Del Amitri and King's X. |
|
|
|
Selected Works |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Recordings The Organs of Oxford - OXRECS - OXCD41 Music for a May Morning - CANTORIS - CRCD2366 |
|
Return to top of page
Return to British Composers main index or take a look at MUSICNOW main page to see what's new.
To contact Nicholas please e-mail Email.