News from 2011
Award News in 2011
In the 2011 Queen’s New Year Honours, it was announced that Howard had been awarded a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) for services to Music Education. He collected his CBE from HRH Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace in June.
Choral Music in 2011
Sunday, 13th November, in Westminster Abbey, at 18.30, the world première of Howard’s Every Purpose Under the Heaven: The King James Bible Oratorio, conducted by the composer. The work was commissioned by Sir Ewan and Lady Harper to mark the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible and was performed by school choirs from the United Church Schools Trust, with soloists Kirsty Hopkins and Noah Stewart. It is scored for string orchestra, piano, harp, guitar, cornet and percussion and is published by Faber Music. The conclusion of the oratorio prompted a spontaneous standing ovation throughout the Abbey. Further details here: King James Bible Oratorio at Westminster Abbey.
Veni, Sancte Spiritus was performed at the Sarratt Festival (23 September), and Eternal Light: A Requiem was performed regularly in 2011 across theUK, inSweden and inTexas andNorth Carolina inAmerica. Performances of this popular work included one atPlymouthParkUnitedMethodistChurch, Irving TX,USA (16 October); at Bath Abbey (5 November); at Årsta Kyrksal StockholmSweden (5 November), at Llanrindod Wells, Powys, Wales (12 November), and at St Mary’s Church WedmoreSomerset (10 December).
Howard was present on Saturday June 18th at the premiere of his new choral work for 4 choirs (in 4 languages!) A new Heart, a New Spirit commissioned by Truro Cathedral inCornwall. Another new work for 2011 was his oratorio for the United Church Schools Trust to mark the 400th anniversary of the publication of the King James Bible which received its premiere, conducted by the composer, in Westminster Abbey on 13th November.
Musicals News in 2011
Howard’s 1999 musical with Charles Hart, The Kissing-Dance enjoyed in March & April a highly successful sell-out run at the Jermyn Street Theatre in London. Guardian review (Lyn Gardner) can be found here. The Stage review (Mark Shenton) here. BroadwayWorld review is here. GarethJames’ blog review is here. rageoffstage review here. extra!extra! review here. the public reviews here. Kissing-Dance YouTube Channel can be reached here.
The Hired Man, Howard and Melvyn Bragg’s 1984 musical, revived in a production directed by Andrew Keates, enjoyed a stunning success at Clapham’s Landor Theatre throughout August. It has been nominated for 10 Off-West-End awards:- BEST PRODUCTION – BEST DIRECTOR (Andrew Keates) – BEST MUSICAL DIRECTOR (Niall Bailey) – BEST LIGHTING DESIGN (Howard Hudson) – BEST DESIGN (Freya Groves) – BEST SOUND DESIGN (Sarah Weltman) – BEST ACTOR (Joe Maxwell, Sean Paul Jenkinson) -BEST ACTRESS (Catherine Mort, Abigail Matthews). Here’s a selection of reviews: Mark Shenton The Stage : Miriam Gillinson The Guardian : Theo Bosanquet What’s on Stage : Ian Foster The Public Reviews : West End Geek : There ought to be clowns : Sandra Giorgetti British Theatre Guide
From 7th June – 1st July All Star Productions presented a revival of Howard’s 1986 musical Girlfriends at Ye Olde Rose and Crown Theatre Walthamstow. Some reviews of this production can be found here & here & here & here & here. This musical was also performed Splott AOS at St Teilo’s High School Cardiff, Wales (27-29 October). Two other musicals were also given performances in 2011: The Dreaming at Speen Festival (8-10 September) and A Winter’s Tale at the Civic Hall inStratford-upon-Avon (1-3 December).
Presenting and Other News in 2011
Howard was one of the contributing interviewers in BBC 2’s Arena Special Produced by George Martin in April. He attended a reception at Buckingham Palace hosted by the Queen celebrating young people and the arts on May 9th. Howard was a guest on BBC Radio 4’s Saturday Live on May 7th and on Your Desert Island Discs on June 11th.