Andrew Findon
Encyclopedia
Andrew Findon is an English flautist and saxophonist. Educated at Harrow County School for Boys, he trained as an orchestral flautist, and served as principal flute of the National Youth Orchestra
in the early 1970s and three years at the Royal College of Music
. He branched out into the London musical scene, from dance band dates (working for Nat Temple
, Joe Loss
, Eric Delaney & Sidney Lipton among others) to Ballet Rambert, taking in The National Theatre
and the formation of the Myhra Saxophone Quartet with John Harle.
The early 1980s saw the start of his work with the "Michael Nyman Band
", with whom he still tours and records, and a most enjoyable period as a member of the folk-rock band, "The Home Service", recording albums with them and appearing at leading folk festivals. Andy is principal flute of The National Symphony Orchestra, and works with many other chamber groups, including The Ceruti Ensemble , London Saxophonic
and Saxpak. He has performed on Flute, Piccolo, Alto Flute, Contra Bass Flute, Saxophones, Clarinet, Ocarinas, Folk Whistles & Pipes
Recent years have included work in new Andrew Lloyd Webber
productions, "Whistle Down The Wind
", "The Beautiful Game
", for which he was named in the Sunday Times review, “Bombay Dreams
” and “The Woman In White
”. Other recent shows include “Sinatra At The London Palladium”, "Wicked
" and “Lord Of The Rings
" and Oliver at Drury Lane.
He is currently appearing at The London Palladium in The Wizard Of Oz.
Apart from his appearances on hundreds of other peoples albums, he has written and recorded for EMI’s KPM, Made Up Music, Inspired Music Libraries and featured on solo Panpipe cd’s for Virgin, Crimson and Emi.
2005 saw the release of “Andy Findon –Tracked” on the “Quartz” label and 2007 “When The Boat Comes In”, available at www.andyfindon.com.
In 2008 Andy transcribed and recorded Michael Nyman's "Yamamoto Perpetuo" for solo flute, an eleven movement, 37 minute work. http://www.andyfindon.com/albums.htm
In August 2011 he released "Density 21.5", an unaccompanied cd with the Nimbus Alliance record label.
He is currently playing with two trios:
"ELF" with Dave Lee (french horn) and Geoff Eales (piano). Their cd "Reflections" has been released on the Nimbus Alliance label http://elftrio.org/ and
"Acoustic Earth" with Pete Walton (guitar) and James Turner (percussion). Their album "Travelling Man" was released in 2010. www.acousticearth.com
The "Home Service" has a new lease of life with the cd "Home Service Live 1986" and the band is now performing at the major Folk Festivals and preparing a new album.
www.homeserviceband.co.uk
Andy is a "Pearl Flutes International Artist" http://www.pearlflutes.com and also owns the platinum flute made in 1950 by Charles Morley for Geoffrey Gilbert.
National Youth Orchestra
The National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain is an orchestra of 163 young musicians from the United Kingdom. The members of the orchestra are all aged between 13 and 19 years. The players are selected by auditions which take place in the autumn each year at various locations in the country...
in the early 1970s and three years at the Royal College of Music
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
. He branched out into the London musical scene, from dance band dates (working for Nat Temple
Nat Temple
Nat Temple was an English big band leader, and a clarinet and saxophone player.Amongst many others, he worked with Syd Roy, Harry Roy, Geraldo, Ambrose, Joe Daniels, and Lew Stone.-Career:...
, Joe Loss
Joe Loss
Joshua Alexander "Joe" Loss LVO OBE was a British musician and founder of the Joe Loss Orchestra.-Life:Loss was born in Spitalfields, London, the youngest of four children. His parents, Israel and Ada Loss, were Russian Jews and first cousins. His father was a cabinet-maker who had an office...
, Eric Delaney & Sidney Lipton among others) to Ballet Rambert, taking in The National Theatre
Royal National Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdom's two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company...
and the formation of the Myhra Saxophone Quartet with John Harle.
The early 1980s saw the start of his work with the "Michael Nyman Band
Michael Nyman Band
The Michael Nyman Band, formerly known as the Campiello Band, is a group formed as a street band for a 1976 production of Carlo Goldoni's 1756 play, Il Campiello directed by Bill Bryden at the Old Vic...
", with whom he still tours and records, and a most enjoyable period as a member of the folk-rock band, "The Home Service", recording albums with them and appearing at leading folk festivals. Andy is principal flute of The National Symphony Orchestra, and works with many other chamber groups, including The Ceruti Ensemble , London Saxophonic
London Saxophonic
London Saxophonic is a saxophone ensemble begun by Gareth Brady, Will Gregory and Simon Haram, while they were studying at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. They made their debut in 1994 on Atlantic Records with Sax Pax for a Sax, a collaboration with Moondog, who composed all of the works...
and Saxpak. He has performed on Flute, Piccolo, Alto Flute, Contra Bass Flute, Saxophones, Clarinet, Ocarinas, Folk Whistles & Pipes
Recent years have included work in new Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
productions, "Whistle Down The Wind
Whistle Down the Wind (musical)
Whistle Down the Wind is a musical based on the 1961 film Whistle Down the Wind with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Jim Steinman, known for his work with Meat Loaf and Bonnie Tyler.-Stage Premiere:...
", "The Beautiful Game
The Beautiful Game (musical)
The Beautiful Game is a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Ben Elton about a group of teenagers growing up amid religious intolerance in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1969....
", for which he was named in the Sunday Times review, “Bombay Dreams
Bombay Dreams
Bombay Dreams is a Bollywood-themed musical, with music by A. R. Rahman, lyrics by Don Black and the book by Meera Syal and Thomas Meehan,and produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The London production opened in 2002 and ran for two years...
” and “The Woman In White
The Woman in White (musical)
The Woman in White is a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and David Zippel with a book by Charlotte Jones, based on the novel The Woman in White written by Wilkie Collins...
”. Other recent shows include “Sinatra At The London Palladium”, "Wicked
Wicked (musical)
Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It is based on the Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West , a parallel novel of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum's classic story The Wonderful Wizard...
" and “Lord Of The Rings
The Lord of the Rings (theatre)
The Lord of the Rings is the most prominent of several theatre adaptations of British author J. R. R. Tolkien's epic high fantasy novel of the same name, set in his world of Middle-earth. The show includes music by A. R. Rahman, Christopher Nightingale, and the band Värttinä, with book and lyrics...
" and Oliver at Drury Lane.
He is currently appearing at The London Palladium in The Wizard Of Oz.
Apart from his appearances on hundreds of other peoples albums, he has written and recorded for EMI’s KPM, Made Up Music, Inspired Music Libraries and featured on solo Panpipe cd’s for Virgin, Crimson and Emi.
2005 saw the release of “Andy Findon –Tracked” on the “Quartz” label and 2007 “When The Boat Comes In”, available at www.andyfindon.com.
In 2008 Andy transcribed and recorded Michael Nyman's "Yamamoto Perpetuo" for solo flute, an eleven movement, 37 minute work. http://www.andyfindon.com/albums.htm
In August 2011 he released "Density 21.5", an unaccompanied cd with the Nimbus Alliance record label.
He is currently playing with two trios:
"ELF" with Dave Lee (french horn) and Geoff Eales (piano). Their cd "Reflections" has been released on the Nimbus Alliance label http://elftrio.org/ and
"Acoustic Earth" with Pete Walton (guitar) and James Turner (percussion). Their album "Travelling Man" was released in 2010. www.acousticearth.com
The "Home Service" has a new lease of life with the cd "Home Service Live 1986" and the band is now performing at the major Folk Festivals and preparing a new album.
www.homeserviceband.co.uk
Andy is a "Pearl Flutes International Artist" http://www.pearlflutes.com and also owns the platinum flute made in 1950 by Charles Morley for Geoffrey Gilbert.