Richard Blackford is one of the foremost concert and media composers in Europe. His concert works are performed regularly around the world and his music for film and television is broadcast frequently in almost every European country. His much-acclaimed Pietà won the Ivor Novello Composer Award in 2020 for the Choral Category and has already received multiple performances. World-renowned tenor Jonas Kaufmann writes of Pietà: "Richard Blackford has created an outstanding choral work: a passionate and personal tribute in memory of all who suffer from violence, suppression and political persecution, which has deeply impressed me. Finally a modern composer who is not afraid of writing beautiful and touching music!"
In 2024 his Songs Of Nadia Anjuman (for soprano and string orchestra), a Britten Sinfonia commission, which received five-star reviews from The Times and The Guardian was nominated for a Sky Arts Award and an Ivor Novello Award. Also in 2024 he was Composer-in-Residence at the Presteigne Festival, where his commission Spirit of Delight was premiered along with four other major performances of his works. His Mirror of Perfection and Pietá continue to receive regular performances worldwide, the latter being given its Scottish premiere by the Edinburgh Royal Choral Union under Michael Bawtree.
2025 sees four major world premieres. On February 5, 6 and 7 his Cello Concerto, commissioned by the Czech Philharmonic for the virtuoso cellist Alisa Weilerstein, will be premiered in the Rudolfinum, Prague with the Czech Philharmonic under Tomáš Netopil. On May 8th his La Sagrada Symphony receives its premiere in the Royal Festival Hall by the Philharmonia Orchestra under David Hill. On July 27th his 50-minute cantata The Black Lake, a Three Choirs Festival commission, receives its premiere with BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Three Choirs Festival Chorus and soprano Elizabeth Watts, again under David Hill. His Sonata Colombina, commissioned by rising star violinist Clarissa Bevilaqua, also receives its premiere in 2025 in Salzburg.
CD recordings of Vision Of A Garden, Mirror Of Perfection, La Sagrada Familia Symphony, Babel and Richard's new orchestration of the Verdi Requiem for two pianos, organ and percussion, commissioned by The Bach Choir, are released in 2023/2024
Richard is a Trustee of The Bach Choir and President of the Bournemouth Symphony Chorus.
He is published by Novello and Nimbus Publishing and his current recordings are available on Nimbus and Signum Records.
