Colin Welford
Encyclopedia
Colin Welford is a composer
for stage and screen, conductor
, orchestrator and music teacher
currently based in the United States
. He hold a Masters degree in Music from Oxford University
, England (Organ Scholar
, Brasenose College
), and pursued graduate study at The Royal College of Music, London (Orchestral conducting, composition), University of Miami
(Orchestral Conducting, composition) and at Columbia College Chicago
(Master's program in Film Composition). He was a faculty member of the New World School of the Arts
in Miami
, Florida
for three years where he led the Orchestral Department and taught orchestration, and at the University of Florida
and Florida International University
where he was a professor in orchestration and composition. He has conducted widely in Europe and the United States as a freelance Opera and Ballet conductor, and as staff conductor at the English National Ballet
. He was Music Director for the original 1997 stage production of The Fix
(Dir. Sam Mendes
) at the Donmar Warehouse
, London and Music Director
(later Music Supervisor) for Pete Townshend
of 'The Who' on the Broadway Musical The Who's Tommy
(Dir. Des McAnuff
) in the UK and Europe. Between 2000 and 2005 he served as Music Supervisor and Assistant Music Producer of Disney's The Lion King
on Broadway
(Dir. Julie Taymor
) and for eleven subsequent productions worldwide, earning a nomination for an NAACP award for outstanding service to people of color. He has arranged extensively for orchestra and choral ensembles, The New York Pops
orchestra amongst others, and scored independent film and animation. Orchestrator and arranger of several award-winning solo vocal albums, and conductor of orchestral albums which have gone Platinum in Germany and Holland. Music Director of the award-winning Chicago production of Wicked
(2005–2009) (Music by Stephen Schwartz
, Dir. Joe Mantello
). Conductor of Billy Elliot
(Dir. Stephen Daldry
) on Broadway and subsequently Music Director for Billy Elliot
in Chicago and Toronto (2009–2011)
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...
for stage and screen, conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
, orchestrator and music teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
currently based in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He hold a Masters degree in Music from Oxford University
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, England (Organ Scholar
Organ scholar
An organ scholar is a young musician employed as a part-time assistant organist at an institution where regular choral services are held. The idea of an organ scholarship is to provide the holder with playing, directing and administrative experience....
, Brasenose College
Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, originally Brazen Nose College , is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. As of 2006, it has an estimated financial endowment of £98m...
), and pursued graduate study at The Royal College of Music, London (Orchestral conducting, composition), University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
(Orchestral Conducting, composition) and at Columbia College Chicago
Columbia College Chicago
Columbia College Chicago is one of the largest art colleges in the United States with nearly 12,000 students pursuing degrees within 120 undergraduate and graduate programs...
(Master's program in Film Composition). He was a faculty member of the New World School of the Arts
New World School of the Arts
New World School of the Arts is a public magnet high school and college in Downtown Miami, Florida with dual-enrollment programs in visual arts, dance, theatre, musical theatre, instrumental music, and vocal music. Both the college and the high school are accredited by the Southern Association of...
in Miami
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
for three years where he led the Orchestral Department and taught orchestration, and at the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
and Florida International University
Florida International University
Florida International University is an American public research university in metropolitan Miami, Florida, in the United States, with its main campus in University Park...
where he was a professor in orchestration and composition. He has conducted widely in Europe and the United States as a freelance Opera and Ballet conductor, and as staff conductor at the English National Ballet
English National Ballet
English National Ballet is a classical ballet company founded by Dame Alicia Markova and Sir Anton Dolin and based at Markova House in South Kensington, London, England. Along with the Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and Scottish Ballet, it is one of the four major ballet companies in Great...
. He was Music Director for the original 1997 stage production of The Fix
The Fix
Christopher Michael Cillizza is an American political reporter for the Washington Post. He writes The Fix, a daily political weblog for the Post website. He is a regular contributor to the Post on political issues.-Career:...
(Dir. Sam Mendes
Sam Mendes
Samuel Alexander "Sam" Mendes, CBE is an English stage and film director. He is best known for his Academy Award-winning work on his debut film American Beauty and his dark re-inventions of the stage musicals Cabaret , Oliver! , Company and Gypsy . He's currently working on the 23rd James Bond...
) at the Donmar Warehouse
Donmar Warehouse
Donmar Warehouse is a small not-for-profit theatre in the Covent Garden area of London, with a capacity of 251.-About:Under the artistic leadership of Michael Grandage, the theatre has presented some of London’s most memorable award-winning theatrical experiences, as well as garnered critical...
, London and Music Director
Music director
A music director may be the director of an orchestra, the director of music for a film, the director of music at a radio station, the head of the music department in a school, the co-ordinator of the musical ensembles in a university or college , the head bandmaster of a military band, the head...
(later Music Supervisor) for Pete Townshend
Pete Townshend
Peter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...
of 'The Who' on the Broadway Musical The Who's Tommy
The Who's Tommy
The Who's Tommy is a rock musical by Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff based on The Who's 1969 double album rock opera Tommy, also by Pete Townshend, with additional material by John Entwistle, Keith Moon and Sonny Boy Williamson.-Productions:...
(Dir. Des McAnuff
Des McAnuff
Desmond McAnuff is the Canadian-American artistic director of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival and director of musical theatre of such Broadway productions as Big River, The Who's Tommy and Jersey Boys.-Biography:...
) in the UK and Europe. Between 2000 and 2005 he served as Music Supervisor and Assistant Music Producer of Disney's The Lion King
The Lion King (musical)
The Lion King is a musical based on the 1994 Disney animated film of the same name with music by Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice along with the musical score created by Hans Zimmer with choral arrangements by Lebo M. Directed by Julie Taymor, the musical features actors in animal costumes as well...
on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
(Dir. Julie Taymor
Julie Taymor
Julie Taymor is an American director of theater, opera and film. Taymor's work has received many accolades from critics, and she has earned two Tony Awards out of four nominations, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Costume Design, an Emmy Award and an Academy Award nomination for Original Song...
) and for eleven subsequent productions worldwide, earning a nomination for an NAACP award for outstanding service to people of color. He has arranged extensively for orchestra and choral ensembles, The New York Pops
The New York Pops
The New York Pops is the largest independent symphonic pops orchestra in the United States, and the only symphonic orchestra in New York City specializing in popular American music...
orchestra amongst others, and scored independent film and animation. Orchestrator and arranger of several award-winning solo vocal albums, and conductor of orchestral albums which have gone Platinum in Germany and Holland. Music Director of the award-winning Chicago production of 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...
(2005–2009) (Music by Stephen Schwartz
Stephen Schwartz
Stephen Schwartz may refer to:*Stephen Schwartz , American musical theater and film lyricist and composer*Stephen Suleyman Schwartz , journalist, political author, and historian...
, Dir. Joe Mantello
Joe Mantello
Joseph Mantello is an American actor and director best known for his work on Broadway productions of Wicked, Take Me Out and Assassins, as well as earlier in his career being one of the original Broadway cast of Angels in America...
). Conductor of Billy Elliot
Billy Elliot
Billy Elliot is a 2000 British drama film written by Lee Hall and directed by Stephen Daldry. Set in the fictional town of "Everington" in the real County Durham, UK, it stars Jamie Bell as 11-year-old Billy, an aspiring dancer, Gary Lewis as his coal miner father, Jamie Draven as Billy's older...
(Dir. Stephen Daldry
Stephen Daldry
Stephen David Daldry, CBE is an English theatre and film director and producer, as well as a three-time Academy Award nominated and Tony Award winning director.-Early years:...
) on Broadway and subsequently Music Director for Billy Elliot
Billy Elliot
Billy Elliot is a 2000 British drama film written by Lee Hall and directed by Stephen Daldry. Set in the fictional town of "Everington" in the real County Durham, UK, it stars Jamie Bell as 11-year-old Billy, an aspiring dancer, Gary Lewis as his coal miner father, Jamie Draven as Billy's older...
in Chicago and Toronto (2009–2011)