News from 2008
Choral and other compositions News in 2008
Howard’s major new work – Eternal Light: A Requiem was premièred at The Lowry in Salford in September 2008.
Commissioned by London Musici (Artistic Director: Mark Stephenson) to celebrate its 20th anniversary it is both a choral-orchestral-dance piece and a choral-orchestral work. It was first performend by London Musici, The Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, and Rambert Dance Company (Artistic Director: Mark Baldwin). A review in the Guardian and more information can be found here.
Howard wrote a new anthem, Music, Sister of Sunrise, to be performed at the excellent! gala concert at Sadler’s Wells Theatre on July 15th. Excellent! was a special event to celebrate the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) Music and Dance Scheme, and the achievements of the country’s most talented young dancers and musicians.
Howard’s new commission for Julian Lloyd Webber and the Chipping Campden Music Festival, And the bridge is love, premiered at St James’ Church in Chipping Campden on May 21st. Thomas Hull conducted the Festival Academy Orchestra. It was followed by performances at Birmingham Town Hall with students of Birmigham Conservatoire in June, with the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra at Linlithgow (19th August ) Stirling ( 20th August ) and Edinburgh (21st August). A review of it in the Independent can be found here.
Howard’s The Lord is my Shepherd (Psalm 23) is featured on Katherine Jenkins’ CD Sacred Arias.
Musicals News in 2008
Howard’s 1986 musical Girlfriends had its Dutch premiere on June 20th at Fontys Hogeschool (Academy). The show was directed by Jos Dom (staging & acting) and Jack Breikers (vocal coaching). The team also included Hans Sleurink (Dutch translation) and Linda Lepomme (artistic management & production), who were responsible for the outstanding 2001 Flanders Royal Ballet production of The Hired Man.
The Hired Man revival set in Pembrokeshire, reopened the Torch Theatre Milford Haven in March, after a 2-year refurbishment. It was directed by Peter Doran and was a sell-out. The Hired Man was also staged in New York from June 5th – 29th 2008 as part of the Brits Off Broadway Festival. The show received a clean sweep of excellent reviews in New York. Reviews can be found here. 2008 also saw the release of a new CD of this production which can be ordered from Amazon here or downloaded via i-Tunes here.
A new Double CD of Howard and Charles Hart’s 1999 musical The Kissing-Dance is released.
Presenting News in 2008
Howard was Kirsty Young’s Desert Island Discs Castaway on Sunday 25th May 2008, on BBC Radio 4. His BBC Radio 2 series, Howard Goodall’s Class Acts, featuring exceptional young musicians in British music schools & arts colleges aired on Friday evenings during September & October.
Awards News in 2008
On June 26th Howard was honoured with an Honorary Doctorate of Arts by the Universityof Bolton. He was also honoured at the 28th Annual ASCAP Awards held in London on 5th October 2008, for his Mr Bean’s Holiday score (most performed works by British composers in the USA 2007). Howard’s Channel 4/Tiger Aspect productions series How Music Works won the Learning on Screen Video & Broadcast Award
Education News in 2008
In his role as the National Singing Ambassador, Howard was keynote speaker at the Music Learning Live! conference at The Sage Gateshead on January 30th. The speech can be read in transcription here. He was also keynote speaker at the ContinYou conference on March 18th, and the MMA Conference on May 10th.