Graham Coatman

Graham Coatman is an established composer, musical director and pianist. His most recent commissions include works for the internationally renowned contemporary vocal ensemble Exaudi, Northern Ballet Theatre, violinist Harriet Mackenzie, National Saxophone Choir and soundtracks to films and installations by Carolyn Mendelsohn. His Arts Council commissioned opera Giovanni’s Women has toured to more than 30 UK venues. Other commissions have come from Bridgewater Hall, Wigmore Hall and festivals including Manchester Festival of Expressionism, Latour de France, Lincoln and Mananan Festivals. His opera Still Stories, in 7 scenes for solo soprano playing 14 characters in 15 minutes was originally commissioned by Stoke Newington Festival, and given in a new production for 2 singers, directed by Harry Fehr, at Royal Opera House Linbury Studio in June 2007. In the same month his children’s musical The Dolphin’s Tale was performed in Canberra, Australia.

As conductor and musical director Graham has worked with BBC Philharmonic, Orchestra of St John’s Smith Square, Sinfonia 21, Welsh National Opera, widely in theatre and with many choirs and choral societies at venues including London’s Royal Albert Hall and South Bank Centre and in Europe, at Notre Dame, Paris. For the British Council Graham has directed summer school and workshop performances in Altenburg, eastern Germany, and on choral tours across France and Holland. Besides his work in contemporary music, Graham is also involved in early music performance, as continuo player and conductor. He directed a performance of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas at Latour Festival in the south of France in 2005, and now regularly works with Peter Holman and his own choir, Leeds Guild of Singers. He recently completed editing a new performing version of Cavalli’s Vespro della Beata Vergine (1656) and a collection of Venetian madrigals by north European students of Giovanni Gabrieli, both for future publication.

Combining roles as composer and pianist, Graham has created scores for nearly 40 classic silent films, for British Film Institute tours and a number of regional film theatres and film festivals across the UK. These also include ensemble scores for classics such as The Cabinet of Dr Caligari, Nosferatu, Der Golem, The Last Laugh and An Italian Straw Hat.

He is widely recognised as a leader, devisor and consultant in education & community projects, having led major projects with the Wigmore Hall (where he was a founder Education Advisor 1999-2005), Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, English National Opera Baylis Programme, Glyndebourne Opera, English Touring Opera, Welsh National Opera, Opera North. He was lead composer on projects for spnm/PRSF Sound Inventors, Youth Music and most recently as National Project Manager for CP4P (Creative Partners for Progression) a major HEFCE funded action research project into creativity in learning, culminating in a national conference at The Sage, Gateshead in March 2008.

Graham gained his first degree at Bristol University, and continued postgraduate studies at Guildhall Schools of Music & Drama and subsequently at Nottingham University. His principal piano teacher was the eminent accompanist David Willison, and he studied composition with Patric Standford and Derek Bourgeois. His early compositions won prizes and awards from Yehudi Menuhin Competition, Greater London Arts Association, Vaughan Williams Trust and New London Chamber Choir 25th Anniversary Commission Competition.

In addition to his work as a freelance composer, musical director and pianist, Graham is currently Artistic Director of Hexham Abbey Festival, Chair of North East Early Music Forum, and at Leeds College of Music is a Lecturer in Composition and Performance Studies.