Roy Westbrook gained a diploma in music history at London University (Morley College) and was for some years the head of music day schools at Oxford University, where he also led music summer schools. After some years leading the University's business school he has returned to music teaching and writing, and recently took part in the Arts in Residence courses on Bruckner, Mahler and Bach He is co-author (with Terry Barfoot) of a history of opera, and has taught day schools on Sibelius in Oxford and elsewhere.
Rarely does a concert entirely devoted to a big Mahler Symphony later acquire a second half, let alone one containing just twenty minutes of a cappella singing.
Many of Rachmaninov's works were written for himself to play at the piano, but he was also a considerable composer for the voice, covering everything from intimate songs to operas and liturgical choral music.
John Bunyan's allegory occupied Ralph Vaughan Williams for a lifetime, culminating in the 1951 stage work, premiered at Covent Garden. Roy Westbrook follows the composer's progress...
