University of London

Faculty Member, Central School of Speech and Drama

Professor of Music Theatre

Central School of Speech & Drama

About

Paul Barker is a composer of many operas, theatre and concert works performed, recorded and televised internationally.

CD’s of his music include Turquoise Swans (Sargasso 2000) & Entre Palabras (Quindecim, 2004). He is the author of Composing for Voice (Routledge, 2003) and contributed two articles to the Oxford International Encyclopedia of Peace (2010).

Commissions include London International Opera Festival, London Mozart Players, London Festival Orchestra, Lontano and Gemini Ensembles, the Brodsky String Quartet and soloists such as Joan Lluna, Tasmin Little and Sarah Leonard for major UK and International Festivals. Prizes include Royal Philharmonic Society Prize. He also works as a pianist, conductor & stage director.

El Gallo: an opera without text for 6 actors and two string quartets was commissioned by Teatro de Ciertos Habitantes, Mexico. It was premiered at the festival of Mexico in the Historical Centre in March 2009, since when it has been televised and received about 70 international performances.

In 2011 El Gallo will tour to Santiago de Chile (January), Chicago, Seattle (US) and Brighton Festival UK (April/May 2011). A new musical, Sigrun's Fire, in collaboration with writer Stephen Clark, will premiere in February 2011.

His children's opera, Hello, Mr Darwin! commissioned by Opera UK was premiered in November 2010 and a tour is being planned for 2011-12.
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He is Professor of Music Theatre and course-leader, MAMT at the Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London.

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