Rupert Bawden

Born in London in 1958 Rupert Bawden holds the qualifications of PADI Master Scuba Diver (acquired in Papua New Guinea) and PhD (from Cambridge) and he has enjoyed a varied career in music and beyond. After studying composition with Robin Holloway he produced works to commission from the London Sinfonietta, Nash Ensemble, BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Singers, National Orchestra of Wales; and for the North Wales, Aldeburgh and King’s Lynn Festivals and BBC Proms. The ballet Le Livre de Fauvel was commissioned by the Munich Biennale and staged in 1992 by the Bavarian State Ballet and broadcast on radio and television in Germany. 

During this term he was working as a professional violin/violist; he played works by Berio, Lutosławski, Muldowney, Henze and Knussen under their direction, the latter two becoming friends and supporters. The piano and orchestra concertante The Road of Mirrors was composed for Sir Richard Rodney Bennett. He conducted works by Tippett, Holloway, Turnage, Goehr, Sawer, Birtwistle, Gruber and Kagel in their presence.

In 1994 he left the music profession, trained as a paramedic then joined the London Ambulance Service for 23 years. While working full-time he composed the opera The Sailor’s Tale and was elected for two terms as a borough councillor in Lambeth and Tower Hamlets. He served in the cabinets of both authorities and counts the establishment and naming of The Michael Tippett School, a Special School in Herne Hill for severely disabled secondary-age children, as his proudest achievement. He never gave up performing and gave the French premieres of the Gordon Jacob 2nd and Malcolm Arnold viola concertos during this time. 

Now happily retired he spends his time playing chamber music and concertos, cycling, swimming, playing Bridge as well as learning Hebrew and Hungarian.

He lives in Mile End with his long-term partner Peter Owens: they took advantage of both civil partnership and marriage at the first opportunity.
 

Biography

Born in London in 1958 Rupert Bawden holds the qualifications of PADI Master Scuba Diver (acquired in Papua New Guinea) and PhD (from Cambridge) and he has enjoyed a varied career in music and beyond. After studying composition with Robin Holloway he produced works to commission from the London Sinfonietta, Nash Ensemble, BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Singers, National Orchestra of Wales; and for the North Wales, Aldeburgh and King’s Lynn Festivals and BBC Proms. The ballet Le Livre de Fauvel was commissioned by the Munich Biennale and staged in 1992 by the Bavarian State Ballet and broadcast on radio and television in Germany. 

During this term he was working as a professional violin/violist; he played works by Berio, Lutosławski, Muldowney, Henze and Knussen under their direction, the latter two becoming friends and supporters. The piano and orchestra concertante The Road of Mirrors was composed for Sir Richard Rodney Bennett. He conducted works by Tippett, Holloway, Turnage, Goehr, Sawer, Birtwistle, Gruber and Kagel in their presence.

In 1994 he left the music profession, trained as a paramedic then joined the London Ambulance Service for 23 years. While working full-time he composed the opera The Sailor’s Tale and was elected for two terms as a borough councillor in Lambeth and Tower Hamlets. He served in the cabinets of both authorities and counts the establishment and naming of The Michael Tippett School, a Special School in Herne Hill for severely disabled secondary-age children, as his proudest achievement. He never gave up performing and gave the French premieres of the Gordon Jacob 2nd and Malcolm Arnold viola concertos during this time. 

Now happily retired he spends his time playing chamber music and concertos, cycling, swimming, playing Bridge as well as learning Hebrew and Hungarian.

He lives in Mile End with his long-term partner Peter Owens: they took advantage of both civil partnership and marriage at the first opportunity.
 

Recordings by this composer

Recordings
The Sailor's Tale cover

The Sailor's Tale

NMC Recordings

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Compilations with this composer

Compilations
The NMC Songbook

The NMC Songbook

NMC Recordings

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External Links

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