I am director of music for St Matthew's Church, Ashford, (Middx.), and was conductor of Feltham Choral Society from 1991 until 2016. I have director choirs and orchestras of all ages, and am conductor of the Richmond Music Trust Youth Training Orchestra and other ensembles, with whom I often perform my own specialy tailored compositions.
I have always had a keen interest in Baroque music and its performance, and founded the Ashford Baroque Ensemble in 2005, which I direct from the harpsichord. The ABE is an ensemble of professionals, semi-professionals and good amateurs who play music from the late Renaissance to early Classical periods. The ensemble quickly built up a reputation in the area for its varied, entertaining and high standard concerts, often championing lesser known composers such as the brilliant Thomas Linley.
I have always had a keen interest in Baroque music and its performance, and founded the Ashford Baroque Ensemble in 2005, which I direct from the harpsichord. The ABE is an ensemble of professionals, semi-professionals and good amateurs who play music from the late Renaissance to early Classical periods. The ensemble quickly built up a reputation in the area for its varied, entertaining and high standard concerts, often championing lesser known composers such as the brilliant Thomas Linley.
BA (Mus, Hons); ARCO; CertMusEd
email: philipbuckmaster@msn.com
I have been Director of Music at St Matthew's Church, Ashford, (Middx.) since 1990, and was conductor of Feltham Choral Society from 1991 until 2016. I have directed choirs and orchestras of all ages, including the Youth Training Orchestra and other ensembles for the Richmond Music Trust, with whom I often perform my own specialy tailored compositions.
I have always had a keen interest in Baroque music and its performance, and in 2005 I founded the Ashford Baroque Ensemble, which I direct from the harpsichord. The ABE is an ensemble of professionals, semi-professionals and good amateurs who play music from the late Renaissance to early Classical periods. The ensemble quickly built up a reputation in the area for its varied, entertaining and high standard concerts, often championing lesser known composers such as the brilliant Thomas Linley.
I have always had a keen interest in Baroque music and its performance, and in 2005 I founded the Ashford Baroque Ensemble, which I direct from the harpsichord. The ABE is an ensemble of professionals, semi-professionals and good amateurs who play music from the late Renaissance to early Classical periods. The ensemble quickly built up a reputation in the area for its varied, entertaining and high standard concerts, often championing lesser known composers such as the brilliant Thomas Linley.
Biography (can be used in concert programmes, with permission)
Philip Buckmaster was born in 1959. After some initial piano lessons with his grandmother, he taught himself to improvise - a skill which has served him well over the years. At age 10 he started formal piano lessons with Tony Russell, and later piano and organ with Gillian Ward Russell. Whilst still at school he enjoyed directing ensembles, often trying out his own compositions. One of his music teachers remarked that "he knew what he wanted from his singers and players, and knew how to get it."
He then attended the Colchester Institute School of Music, where he was awarded an honours degree, studying the organ under John Cooper and Harrison Oxley and gaining the ARCO diploma, the piano under Ruth Harte, conducting under Chris Phelps, and harmony and counterpoint under Alan Bullard. He also played the violin in the orchestra and sang in the chamber choir. He then followed a specialist course for music teachers at Kingston University, and now enjoys a varied career based in South West London, playing, teaching, directing, composing and arranging.
For many years he worked at the renowned Elmhurst School of Dance and Performing Arts as a dance pianist, (using those improvisation skills), an A level music teacher and a computer expert, (a skill he acquired in 'later life' through an interest in technical things) until their relocation to Birmingham in 2004. More recently he has taught organ at Hampton School and is currently a music teacher with the Richmond Music Trust, leading children's ensembles, often using his own specially tailored compositions. Since the age of 16 he has held Organist and Director of Music posts at various churches, (St Matthew's, Ashford since 1990) and has arranged, recorded and produced a collection of songs for children learning English as a foreign language. He was Musical Director of Feltham Choral Society from 1991 to 2016 and with them performed several of his own arrangements and compositions, including his collection of elaborate and entertaining Christmas Carol arrangements for choir and small orchestra, The Christmas Collection. Drawing on his interest in Baroque music and historically informed performance, in 2005 he founded the Ashford Baroque Ensemble, an ensemble of professionals, semi-professionals and good amateurs playing music from the late Renaissance to early Classical periods. The ABE has quickly built up a reputation in the area for its varied, entertaining and high standard concerts, often championing lesser known composers such as the brilliant Thomas Linley.
Biography - short version (can be used in concert programmes, with permission)
Philip Buckmaster studied at the Colchester Institute School of Music, where he was awarded an honours degree, studying the organ under John Cooper and Harrison Oxley and gaining the ARCO diploma, and the piano under Ruth Harte. He also studied the violin, singing and conducting. He then followed a specialist course for music teachers at Kingston University, and now enjoys a varied career based in South West London, playing, teaching, directing, composing and arranging.
For many years he worked at the renowned Elmhurst School of Dance and Performing Arts as a dance pianist, an A level music teacher and a computer expert, (a skill he acquired in 'later life' through an interest in technical things) until their relocation to Birmingham in 2004. More recently he has taught organ at Hampton School and is currently a music teacher with the Richmond Music Trust, leading children's ensembles, often using his own specially tailored compositions. Since the age of 16 he has held Organist and Director of Music posts at various churches, (St Matthew's, Ashford since 1990) and has arranged, recorded and produced a collection of songs for foreign children learning English. He was Musical Director of Feltham Choral Society from 1991 to 2016 and with them performed several of his own arrangements and compositions. In 2005 he founded the Ashford Baroque Ensemble, who have quickly built up a reputation in the area for their varied, entertaining and high standard concerts.
Philip Buckmaster was born in 1959. After some initial piano lessons with his grandmother, he taught himself to improvise - a skill which has served him well over the years. At age 10 he started formal piano lessons with Tony Russell, and later piano and organ with Gillian Ward Russell. Whilst still at school he enjoyed directing ensembles, often trying out his own compositions. One of his music teachers remarked that "he knew what he wanted from his singers and players, and knew how to get it."
He then attended the Colchester Institute School of Music, where he was awarded an honours degree, studying the organ under John Cooper and Harrison Oxley and gaining the ARCO diploma, the piano under Ruth Harte, conducting under Chris Phelps, and harmony and counterpoint under Alan Bullard. He also played the violin in the orchestra and sang in the chamber choir. He then followed a specialist course for music teachers at Kingston University, and now enjoys a varied career based in South West London, playing, teaching, directing, composing and arranging.
For many years he worked at the renowned Elmhurst School of Dance and Performing Arts as a dance pianist, (using those improvisation skills), an A level music teacher and a computer expert, (a skill he acquired in 'later life' through an interest in technical things) until their relocation to Birmingham in 2004. More recently he has taught organ at Hampton School and is currently a music teacher with the Richmond Music Trust, leading children's ensembles, often using his own specially tailored compositions. Since the age of 16 he has held Organist and Director of Music posts at various churches, (St Matthew's, Ashford since 1990) and has arranged, recorded and produced a collection of songs for children learning English as a foreign language. He was Musical Director of Feltham Choral Society from 1991 to 2016 and with them performed several of his own arrangements and compositions, including his collection of elaborate and entertaining Christmas Carol arrangements for choir and small orchestra, The Christmas Collection. Drawing on his interest in Baroque music and historically informed performance, in 2005 he founded the Ashford Baroque Ensemble, an ensemble of professionals, semi-professionals and good amateurs playing music from the late Renaissance to early Classical periods. The ABE has quickly built up a reputation in the area for its varied, entertaining and high standard concerts, often championing lesser known composers such as the brilliant Thomas Linley.
Biography - short version (can be used in concert programmes, with permission)
Philip Buckmaster studied at the Colchester Institute School of Music, where he was awarded an honours degree, studying the organ under John Cooper and Harrison Oxley and gaining the ARCO diploma, and the piano under Ruth Harte. He also studied the violin, singing and conducting. He then followed a specialist course for music teachers at Kingston University, and now enjoys a varied career based in South West London, playing, teaching, directing, composing and arranging.
For many years he worked at the renowned Elmhurst School of Dance and Performing Arts as a dance pianist, an A level music teacher and a computer expert, (a skill he acquired in 'later life' through an interest in technical things) until their relocation to Birmingham in 2004. More recently he has taught organ at Hampton School and is currently a music teacher with the Richmond Music Trust, leading children's ensembles, often using his own specially tailored compositions. Since the age of 16 he has held Organist and Director of Music posts at various churches, (St Matthew's, Ashford since 1990) and has arranged, recorded and produced a collection of songs for foreign children learning English. He was Musical Director of Feltham Choral Society from 1991 to 2016 and with them performed several of his own arrangements and compositions. In 2005 he founded the Ashford Baroque Ensemble, who have quickly built up a reputation in the area for their varied, entertaining and high standard concerts.
BA (Mus, Hons); ARCO; CertMusEd