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Douglas Finch, one of Britain's most innovative and imaginative musicians, is an award-winning pianist as well as composer for piano, chamber ensembles, orchestra, theatre and film. A passionate believer in the artistic and educational value of improvisation, he has organised and performed in numerous improvisational events, including the highly acclaimed Tradition and Innovation festival at St. Giles Church Barbican Centre in 1998 and In the MOMENT, a festival of dance and music at Trinity Laban, Greenwich in February 2009 that featured over 350 performers. His extraordinary extemporisation skills have been heard in concerts around the world, and featured on popular radio programmes such as CBC’s Morningside in Canada, and BBC Radio 3’s Music Matters.
Born in Winnipeg, he began studying with his mother, and then Winnifred Sim and Jean Broadfoot. After further studies with William Aide at the University of Western Ontario and Beveridge Webster at the Juilliard School in New York, he won a silver medal at the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels (1978). He then embarked on an active and varied career internationally as a performer and composer, performing his own works as well as a large concerto and solo repertoire from Bach’s ‘Well-Tempered Clavier’ to Ives’ Concord Sonata.
In 1994, after moving to London, he co-founded The Continuum Ensemble, with whom he has collaborated in premiering many new works. His CD with the ensemble of Roger Smalley’s solo piano and chamber music for NMC was released in April 2004 to critical acclaim. The ensemble also recorded his score for the feature film Painted Angels (1999, directed by Jon Sanders) which was described by Michael Church in The Independent as “an extraordinary triumph of artistic will”.
Douglas Finch has written many works for piano, chamber ensemble, orchestra, theatre and film. Recently, his Toccata Montuna was chosen for the new ABRSM syllabus for Grade 8. He was Head of Keyboard at Trinity College of Music from 1999 – 2007, and continues there as Professor of Piano and Composition. He is in demand as a teacher and lecturer, including regular visits to Chethams in Manchester, and has sat on a number of juries including the Ibiza International Piano Competition.
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