Christian Forshaw
Encyclopedia
Christian Forshaw is a British saxophone
virtuoso and composer
.
Christian Forshaw comes from Yorkshire and graduated from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in 1995 with distinction. He then began working with some of the world’s finest ensembles including the London Sinfonietta
, the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
and the Philharmonia Orchestra
. He has toured extensively with smaller ensembles including the Michael Nyman
Band, the ensembles Endymion, Icebreaker
and the Composers Ensemble. Since 2002 Forshaw has been Professor of Saxophone at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.
Forshaw is a member of Notes Inégales, directed by Peter Wiegold, and was featured as soloist with the group in 2005 playing Donatoni’s Hot. He has also made solo appearances with the Scottish Ensemble, giving several critically acclaimed performances of Richard Rodney Bennett
’s Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Strings, and with the London Sinfonietta in 2002 performing Pedro Rebello’s Aquas Liberas at the Queen Elizabeth Hall
.
Forshaw's debut album Sanctuary (QTZ2009) combines saxophone, voices, church organ and percussion in arrangements of sacred melodies as well as original composition. Sanctuary reached No.1 in both the Amazon.co.uk Classical Chart and New Zealand’s Concert FM charts, and made the Classic FM
"Hall of Fame" in 2005. received airplay on all leading classical music radio stations.
In 2006 Forshaw turned down a four album deal with SonyBMG in favour of setting up his own label, IntegraRecordsUK. This was to avoid having to consider market forces when creating further albums; something he felt would kill the creative process. His second album, Renouncement, was released on Integra in April 2007.
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
virtuoso and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
.
Christian Forshaw comes from Yorkshire and graduated from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in 1995 with distinction. He then began working with some of the world’s finest ensembles including the London Sinfonietta
London Sinfonietta
The London Sinfonietta is an English chamber orchestra founded in 1968 and based in London. The ensemble specialises in contemporary music and works across a wide range of genres, performing modern classics alongside world premieres, and includes music by electronica artists as well as folk and...
, the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society is a society based in Liverpool, Merseyside, England, that organises concerts and other events mainly in the field of classical music. The society is the second oldest of its type in the United Kingdom and its orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic...
and the Philharmonia Orchestra
Philharmonia Orchestra
The Philharmonia Orchestra is one of the leading orchestras in Great Britain, based in London. Since 1995, it has been based in the Royal Festival Hall. In Britain it is also the resident orchestra at De Montfort Hall, Leicester and the Corn Exchange, Bedford, as well as The Anvil, Basingstoke...
. He has toured extensively with smaller ensembles including the Michael Nyman
Michael Nyman
Michael Laurence Nyman, CBE is an English composer of minimalist music, pianist, librettist and musicologist, known for the many film scores he wrote during his lengthy collaboration with the filmmaker Peter Greenaway, and his multi-platinum soundtrack album to Jane Campion's The Piano...
Band, the ensembles Endymion, Icebreaker
Icebreaker (band)
Icebreaker is a UK-based new music ensemble founded by James Poke and John Godfrey. The group have established themselves as one of the UK's leading new music interpreters specializing particularly in post-minimal and "totalist" repertoire. They always play amplified and have a reputation for...
and the Composers Ensemble. Since 2002 Forshaw has been Professor of Saxophone at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.
Forshaw is a member of Notes Inégales, directed by Peter Wiegold, and was featured as soloist with the group in 2005 playing Donatoni’s Hot. He has also made solo appearances with the Scottish Ensemble, giving several critically acclaimed performances of Richard Rodney Bennett
Richard Rodney Bennett
Sir Richard Rodney Bennett, CBE is an English composer renowned for his film scores and his jazz performance as much as for his challenging concert works...
’s Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Strings, and with the London Sinfonietta in 2002 performing Pedro Rebello’s Aquas Liberas at the Queen Elizabeth Hall
Queen Elizabeth Hall
The Queen Elizabeth Hall is a music venue on the South Bank in London, United Kingdom that hosts daily classical, jazz, and avant-garde music and dance performances. The QEH forms part of Southbank Centre arts complex and stands alongside the Royal Festival Hall, which was built for the Festival...
.
Forshaw's debut album Sanctuary (QTZ2009) combines saxophone, voices, church organ and percussion in arrangements of sacred melodies as well as original composition. Sanctuary reached No.1 in both the Amazon.co.uk Classical Chart and New Zealand’s Concert FM charts, and made the Classic FM
Classic FM
Classic FM may refer to:*Classic FM , a British classical music radio station**Classic FM TV, a British classical music television channel*ABC Classic FM, an Australian classical music radio station run by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
"Hall of Fame" in 2005. received airplay on all leading classical music radio stations.
In 2006 Forshaw turned down a four album deal with SonyBMG in favour of setting up his own label, IntegraRecordsUK. This was to avoid having to consider market forces when creating further albums; something he felt would kill the creative process. His second album, Renouncement, was released on Integra in April 2007.