David Stoll

Composer

“Contemporary yet accessible,
witty and imaginative”

photograph by LVdigital

DAVID STOLL was educated at Oxford University, where he held the Hadow Scholarship in composition at Worcester College, and at the Royal Academy of Music, London. His work includes music for the concert hall, the theatre and the media. He is also a consultant on music and creativity, running projects in schools, INSET training for teachers, and workshops for corporate clients. He lectures and writes on various aspects of music, and represents composers and songwriters on several committees in the UK and Europe.

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CONCERT MUSIC

David Stoll’s concert music – catalogued below – includes works for orchestra, choir and various chamber ensembles. Much of the concert music is available on CD, including THE SHAKESPEARE SUITE and the first two String Quartets - both on Riverrun. FOOLS BY HEAVENLY COMPULSION (the third String Quartet), recorded by the Bingham String Quartet, was released in 2009 together with other related tracks on a new download CD for Academy Recordings.

David also writes for amateur and school ensembles, both choral and instrumental. Commissions include the GALLIONS CONCERTO for clarinet and string orchestra, the COLCHESTER SUITE for pipes and some cello pieces commissioned for the ABRSM Music Medals series.

To view scores, please contact David Stoll directly via the link at the end of this site. Some scores and CDs are available for purchase through www.tutti.co.uk.

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THEATRE MUSIC

David Stoll has written scores for several companies including the A&BC and the Royal Shakespeare Company. Notable productions include the A&BC Theatre Company's highly acclaimed IF I WERE LIFTED UP FROM EARTH, AS YOU LIKE IT, and HENRY VIII (considered to be one of the best productions in the RSC's year of the complete works). His opera FALSE RELATIONS was commissioned for the Arts Council's Year of Opera and Musical Theatre. David co-wrote the music for TELLER OF TALES, the musical about Robert Louis Stevenson, which has played in Edinburgh and California and he wrote the songs and music for GULLIVER for the Masque Youth Theatre in Northampton. He is currently working on a new children's musical.

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MEDIA MUSIC

David Stoll's music for television and radio is familiar around the world. He has written and recorded much production music – orchestral, chamber and electronic – which is regularly used in television programmes internationally. Recent commissions include library CDs for various ensembles, including the acclaimed WORLDSCAPES set of pieces for world instruments and strings.

David has also written many songs, stories and poems for children.

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EDUCATION WORK

One of the original team put together by the Department for Education and Skills, David was tasked with developing programmes for teaching composing in primary schools. He acts as a consultant in music and creativity in education and regularly runs composing projects and delivers INSET training on behalf of several Local Authorities. David also lectures and gives master classes at Universities and Conservatoires, and has written two books on teaching composing.

A recent project in Tower Hamlets primary schools gave rise to one of David’s best-known children’s song collections – SEALSONGS – specially designed for use in the Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning programme. The songbook has been bought by hundreds of schools around the country. Another recent primary school project – SONGLETS – was commissioned by A New Direction (Creative Partnerships); it is designed to help pupils remember things. In 2009 David was commissioned by Musical Futures to write their web-based KS3 materials on songwriting.

David also develops and provides workshops based on listening, creativity, problem solving and leadership in a wider context, including for the Department of Health, the Talent Foundation, Cass Business School and the multi-national corporation Beiersdorf.

For further information about David Stoll's educational work, please visit www.creative-confidence.com

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COMMITTEES

David Stoll is a former Chairman of the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors; he still sits on the Board and the Concert Executive Committee of BASCA, and is a Trustee of the BASCA Foundation. David represents UK composers on the European Composers’ Forum and attends the European Composer and Songwriter Alliance on behalf of BASCA.

A former Board Director of British Music Rights, David has led two Government funded projects:

IN TUNE IN EUROPE, a Seminar for European Composers and Songwriters, co-sponsored by the UK Government (DCMS) and the European Commission

BUILDING MUSIC, a research project for the DfES investigating visiting composers working in primary schools

In February 2002 David Stoll was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music for “distinction in his profession”.

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DISCOGRAPHY - buy CDs here
	Meridian Piano Quartet Piano Sonata Sonata for Two Pianos String Trio The Pro Arte Trio with David Ward and Noel Skinner
Shakespeare Suite - Sonia Slany and Jacqueline Norrie (violin), Sophie Renshaw (viola), Nick Cooper (cello) - with Shelagh Sutherland (piano), Anna Noakes (flute) , Melinda Maxwell (oboe), Martin Robertson (clarinet), John Orford (bassoon) and Pip Eastop (horn). “Contemporary yet accessible, witty and imaginative” – HMV Choice; “an attractive palette of tonal colour, mood and thematic treatment” – The Hampstead and Highgate Express; “committed playing and a sincere and attractive vision” – amazon.co.uk.
	Quartets - String Quartets nos.1and 2 played by Solid Strings
Sad Steps - Virelai's CD features three works by David Stoll, including "The Fair Singer"
	FOOLS BY HEAVENLY COMPULSION (String Quartet no 3) Bingham String Quartet Click here for information on this album which is available for download from iTunes
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MAJOR CONCERT WORKS

work: Piano Quartet
date: 1987
first performance: Holland, January 1990

work: According to Vashti
date: 1987
first performance: England, March 1988

work: Sonata for Two Pianos
date: 1990
first performance: Holland, February 1991

work: Piano Sonata
date: 1991
first performance: Holland, May 1992, New York, May 1993

work: String Trio
date: 1992
first performance: Art in Action festival, 1992

work: Fanfares and Reflections
date: 1992
forces: wind sextet
first performance: St John's Smith Square, March 1993

work: Who is Sylvia?
date: 1994
forces: piano duet
first performance: Concertgebouw, December 1994

work: String Quartet
date: 1994
performance: Toronto, June 1998

work: All the World's a Stage
date: 1994
forces: upper-voice choir
first performance: Manchester, May 1995

work: Monument
date: 1995
forces: harmony band
first performance: Holland, May 1995

work: The Bowl of Nous - Cantata
date: 1996
forces: Mezzo-Soprano, Baritone, 3 trebles, SATB and orchestra
first performance: London, May 1997, Toronto June 1998

work: Who, if not I?
date: 1996
forces: voices and chamber orchestra
first performance: Sydney, May 1998

work: False Relations
date: 1997
forces: opera in one act
libretto: Andrew Gallacher
first performance: Lincolnshire, March 1997

work: The Shakespeare Suite
date: 1997
forces: chamber ensemble
first performance: On CD

work: Motet in Memoriam
date: 1998
forces: large choir
first performance: New York, September 2000

work: Midwinter Spring
date: 1998
forces: orchestra
first performance: St James's, Piccadilly, February 1999

work: String Quartet # 2
date: 1999
first performance: On CD

work: The Prayer of Hermes
date: 2000
first performance: London, June 2000

work: Cello Concerto
date: 2000
first performance: London, May 2001

work: Octave Variations
date: 2001
forces: tuba quartet
first performance: Art in Action Festival, Waterperry, Oxford, July 2001

work: The Path to the River
date: 2001
first performance: Chroma, St Cyprian's London, August 2003
forces: octet, mixed ensemble

work: Cello Sonata
date: 2001
first performance: Richard Jenkinson and Samantha Newbold, St Martin in the Fields, London, 5th April 2002

work: Fools by Heavenly Compulsion (String Quartet #3)
date: 2002
first performance: Bingham String Quartet, St Giles Cripplegate,
25th April 2002

work: Sonnet
date: summer 2002
first performance: Stratford-upon-Avon, April 2003
forces: string orchestra

work: Pot-Pourri
date: autumn 2002
first performance: London, January 2003
forces: orchestra

work: Blow Brass
date: 2003
first performances: Washington, April 2003; Stratford-upon-Avon, April 2003

work: Theatre Dreams
date: 2003
forces: Brass Quintet

work: A Colchester Suite
date: 2003
forces: Pipes
first performance: Colchester, August 2006

work: String Quartet No. 4
date: 2005
first performance: London, July 2005 by the Bingham String Quartet as part of the Leytonstone Festival

work: Gallions Concerto
date: 2006
forces: clarinet with school string orchestra and piano

work: The Song of Deborah
date: 2007
forces: string quartet and mezzo-soprano
first performance: At a private memorial service in London, December 2007

work: Sinfonietta for 12 Clarinets (a reworking of parts of The Colchester Suite)
date: 2008
forces: clarinets (2sop, 2alt, 5Bb, 2 bass, 1c-alt)

also works for piano, piano duet, school ensembles, choirs and songs.

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OTHER INTERESTS

David Stoll has a keen interest in philosophy, which is often reflected in his music. He also very much enjoys reading and walking.

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David Stoll is a Member of the Performers and
Composers Section of the ISM