Rich Batsford
Encyclopedia
Richard William Batsford (born 25 October 1969) is an English pianist, composer and singer-songwriter. He is a recording artist and a frequent performer in and around his home in Birmingham UK, presenting shows featuring a mix of meditative solo piano instrumentals and reflective songs.
Batsford is also a co-creator of creative network Project X Presents and Musituality, a platform for musicians of various faiths to perform together.
area, known as a focal point for the city’s musical and creative communities. Beginning his vocal training as a choirboy in St Marys Church
, he went on to sing in the National Youth Choir
and the CBSO Chorus.
He stood as candidate for the Green Party
in Acocks Green ward
in the 2004 local government elections.
/shoegaze band Einstellung
, for a concert in which Batsford both supported and accompanied the band, highlighting elements of post-rock shared by both artists.
In September 2009, Batsford released Valentine Court, a debut album of solo piano music on his own Mouflon Music label drawing comparisons with minimalist composers Steve Reich
and Philip Glass
and impressionist Claude Debussy
.
In 2009 he made his major festival debut with an appearance at the The Big Chill music festival
performing in the Vida La Vida tent curated by ambient DJ Mixmaster Morris
and was given an encore. Other festival appearances include Gigbeth, Drop Beats Not Bombs and ArtsFest
- the latter on an outdoor stage in Birmingham's Centenary Square
.
In June 2011 he showcased Mindfulmess, an album of songs with a well received concert at mac
(the Midlands Arts Centre). The album features lyrics partly inspired by his Buddhist
spiritual practice with elaborate vocal harmonies owing a debt to a lifelong appreciation of pop artist Brian Wilson
, all accompanied by his delicate trademark piano patterns.
Batsford plays a Roland
FP4 digital piano.
Inspired by the success of the event, in particular the coming together of Christian
and Islam
ic elements in a Christian building, Mick Perrier of St Marys Schola and Amran Ellahi of A’ashiq Al Rasul joined with Rich Batsford to create Musituality -- a portmanteau combining the words music and spirituality. The project was launched to to a full capacity audience at Birmingham Cathedral
in 2009 in a concert well received by the local music community.
A further concert in 2010 at the Birmingham Buddhist Centre saw the same collaboration.
Batsford is also a co-creator of creative network Project X Presents and Musituality, a platform for musicians of various faiths to perform together.
Early life
Born in Birmingham, Batsford has lived since an early age in the suburban MoseleyMoseley
Moseley is a suburb of Birmingham, England, two miles south of the city centre. The area is a popular cosmopolitan residential location and leisure destination, with a number of bars and restaurants...
area, known as a focal point for the city’s musical and creative communities. Beginning his vocal training as a choirboy in St Marys Church
St. Mary's Church, Moseley
St. Mary's Church, Moseley is a parish church in the Church of England located in Moseley, Birmingham.-History:St. Mary's Church, Moseley was licensed by the Bishop of Worcester in February 1405, and the 600th anniversary was celebrated in 2005 with a series of special events.The church is medieval...
, he went on to sing in the National Youth Choir
National Youth Choirs of Great Britain
The National Youth Choirs of Great Britain is the name given to a family of choirs for young singers in the United Kingdom. It comprises a total of eight choirs and in the 2009/2010 season almost 800 young people between the ages of 8 and 23 participated in the choirs.-About the choirs:The...
and the CBSO Chorus.
He stood as candidate for the Green Party
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
in Acocks Green ward
Acocks Green (ward)
Acocks Green ward is an electoral ward in south-east Birmingham, England, and includes the districts of Acocks Green, Fox Hollies and Tyseley.-Ward History:...
in the 2004 local government elections.
Early career
In the 1990’s Batsford performed as singer and main songwriter in Indie Guitar bands including Maroon. Two of his dark, short stories were published in fiction magazines. He also promoted comedy show The GAG Club and was one of the original partners in setting up the Birmingham Comedy Festival.Solo career
In 2007 Batsford collaborated with krautrockKrautrock
Krautrock is a generic name for the experimental music scenes that appeared in Germany in the late 1960s and gained popularity throughout the 1970s, especially in Britain. The term is a result of the English-speaking world's reception of the music at the time and not a reference to any one...
/shoegaze band Einstellung
Einstellung
- Biography :Einstellung Formed in 2004. In 2006 their debut album "Wings Of Desire" was released on CD on Chatterbox Records. At the same time, "Sleep Easy Mr Parker", a 28-minute, one-track CD single was released on Bearos...
, for a concert in which Batsford both supported and accompanied the band, highlighting elements of post-rock shared by both artists.
In September 2009, Batsford released Valentine Court, a debut album of solo piano music on his own Mouflon Music label drawing comparisons with minimalist composers Steve Reich
Steve Reich
Stephen Michael "Steve" Reich is an American composer who together with La Monte Young, Terry Riley, and Philip Glass is a pioneering composer of minimal music...
and Philip Glass
Philip Glass
Philip Glass is an American composer. He is considered to be one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century and is widely acknowledged as a composer who has brought art music to the public .His music is often described as minimalist, along with...
and impressionist Claude Debussy
Claude Debussy
Claude-Achille Debussy was a French composer. Along with Maurice Ravel, he was one of the most prominent figures working within the field of impressionist music, though he himself intensely disliked the term when applied to his compositions...
.
In 2009 he made his major festival debut with an appearance at the The Big Chill music festival
The Big Chill (music festival)
The Big Chill is an annual festival of alternative, dance and chill-out music and comedy, held in the grounds of Eastnor Castle during early August...
performing in the Vida La Vida tent curated by ambient DJ Mixmaster Morris
Mixmaster Morris
Mixmaster Morris is an English ambient DJ and underground musician. Relating specifically to ambient music, Morris stated "It's exactly what you need if you have a busy and stressful life".-Life and career:...
and was given an encore. Other festival appearances include Gigbeth, Drop Beats Not Bombs and ArtsFest
ArtsFest
ArtsFest is an annual arts festival held in September in Birmingham, England.Since 1997 ArtsFest has brought together free short demonstrations of dance, music, film and theatre to concert halls, theatres, and open-air stages in various parts of central Birmingham...
- the latter on an outdoor stage in Birmingham's Centenary Square
Centenary Square
Centenary Square is a public square on Broad Street in central Birmingham, England, named in 1989 in celebration of the centenary of Birmingham achieving city status in 1889....
.
In June 2011 he showcased Mindfulmess, an album of songs with a well received concert at mac
Mac (Birmingham)
mac is a non-profit arts centre situated in Cannon Hill Park, Edgbaston, Birmingham, England. It was established in 1962 and is registered as an educational charity which host plays, concerts and films shows; and holds art exhibitions, music classes, and workshops for all ages.The centre re-opened...
(the Midlands Arts Centre). The album features lyrics partly inspired by his Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
spiritual practice with elaborate vocal harmonies owing a debt to a lifelong appreciation of pop artist Brian Wilson
Brian Wilson
Brian Douglas Wilson is an American musician, best known as the leader and chief songwriter of the group The Beach Boys. Within the band, Wilson played bass and keyboards, also providing part-time lead vocals and, more often, backing vocals, harmonizing in falsetto with the group...
, all accompanied by his delicate trademark piano patterns.
Batsford plays a Roland
Roland Corporation
is a Japanese manufacturer of electronic musical instruments, electronic equipment and software. It was founded by Ikutaro Kakehashi in Osaka on April 18, 1972, with ¥33 million in capital. In 2005 Roland's headquarters relocated to Hamamatsu in Shizuoka Prefecture. Today it has factories in Japan,...
FP4 digital piano.
Project X Presents
Batsford co-created the creative network Project X Presents with Marc Reck, Anne-Marie Pope and Anthony Ramm, producing a series of five events dubbed “Omnimedia Experiences” beginning with Like Fxck in July 2006 in the Epic Skate Park in Birmingham. The events featured artists from a wide range of disciplines coming together to blend their work into a seamless, immersive event lasting up to seven hours, usually presented across three stages, with the audience in the middle The Birmingham Post described the event as “destabilising the established role of the ‘spectator’ in performance theatre and drawing you in to an impressively eclectic and complex mix of art forms”.Musituality
The Musituality project grew out of a series of concerts called “Music by Candlelight” St Mary’s Church, Moseley, organised by Rich Batsford as part of the Moseley Festival. The concert held in July 2008 included a small choir called St Mary’s Schola, which consists of a double quartet of singers drawn from St Mary’s Church Choir, alongside performances of Qawwali and nasheed from Islamic vocal group A’ashiq Al Rasul.Inspired by the success of the event, in particular the coming together of Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
and Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic elements in a Christian building, Mick Perrier of St Marys Schola and Amran Ellahi of A’ashiq Al Rasul joined with Rich Batsford to create Musituality -- a portmanteau combining the words music and spirituality. The project was launched to to a full capacity audience at Birmingham Cathedral
St Philip's Cathedral, Birmingham
The Cathedral Church of Saint Philip is the Church of England cathedral and the seat of the Bishop of Birmingham. Built as a parish church and consecrated in 1715, St Philip's became the cathedral of the newly formed Diocese of Birmingham in the West Midlands in 1905...
in 2009 in a concert well received by the local music community.
A further concert in 2010 at the Birmingham Buddhist Centre saw the same collaboration.