Alan Bullard (born 4 August 1947) is a British

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

, known mainly for his choral and educational music. His compositions are regularly performed and broadcast worldwide, and they appear on a number of CDs.

Early career and education

He was born in Norwood,

South London South London is the southern part of Greater London, England, south of the River Thames. The region consists of the Districts of England, boroughs, in whole or in part, of London Borough of Bexley, Bexley, London Borough of Bromley, Bromley, Lon ...

on 4 August 1947, son of artists Paul Bullard and Jeanne Bullard, and lived as a child in Blackheath,

South-East London Greater London is divided into five sub-regions for the purposes of the London Plan. The boundaries of these areas were amended in 2008 and 2011 and their role in the implementation of the London Plan has varied with each iteration. Purpose Sub- ...

. He attended

St. Olave's Grammar School St. Olave's Grammar School (formally St. Olave's and St. Saviour's Church of England Grammar School) ( or ) is a grammar school, selective secondary school for boys in Orpington, Greater London, England. Founded by royal charter in 1571, the sch ...

, where he learnt music with Desmond Swinburn, while studying piano with Geoffrey Flowers and John Allen at the Blackheath Conservatoire of Music. He then studied with

Herbert Howells Herbert Norman Howells (17 October 1892 – 23 February 1983) was an English composer, organist, and teacher, most famous for his large output of Anglican church music. Life Background and early education Howells was born in Lydney, Gloucest ...

Ruth Gipps Ruth Dorothy Louisa ("Wid") Gipps (21 February 1921 – 23 February 1999) was an English composer, oboist, pianist, conductor and educator. She composed music in a wide range of genres, including five symphonies, seven concertos and ma ...

and

Antony Hopkins Antony Hopkins (born Ernest William Antony Reynolds; 21 March 1921 – 6 May 2014) was a composer, pianist, and conductor, as well as a writer and radio broadcaster. He was widely known for his books of musical analysis and for his radio progra ...

at the

Royal College of Music The Royal College of Music (RCM) is a conservatoire established by royal charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, UK. It offers training from the undergraduate to the doctoral level in all aspects of Western Music including pe ...

, and took postgraduate study with

Arnold Whittall Arnold Whittall (born 1935) is a British musicologist and academic. Whittall's research areas have primarily been centred around the musical analysis of 20th-century music and aspects of the nineteenth-century, such as the music of Richard Wagner. ...

at the

University of Nottingham The University of Nottingham is a public research university in Nottingham, England. It was founded as University College Nottingham in 1881, and was granted a royal charter in 1948. Nottingham's main campus (University Park Campus, Nottingh ...

. For the next few years he taught music part-time in several art schools and at the

London College of Music London College of Music (LCM) is a music school in London, England. It is one of eight separate schools that make up the University of West London. History LCM was founded in 1887 and existed as an independent music conservatoire based at ...

(from 1970 to 1975). Apart from a short song written in 1967 when he was a student of

, the earliest work that Alan Bullard now acknowledges is his ''Three Poems of W B Yeats'' of 1973. This work, and a cluster of other choral works, (several of which found publishers such as Banks and the

RSCM The Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) is a Christian music education organisation dedicated to the promotion of music in Christian worship, in particular the repertoire and traditions of Anglican church music, largely through publications, tr ...

) written at about the same time, are almost the only pieces to survive this period.

Professional career

The opportunity of a permanent teaching post at what is now

Colchester Institute Colchester Institute is a large provider of further and higher education based in the city of Colchester. Colchester Institute provides full-time and part-time courses for a wide variety of learners including 16 to 19 year olds, apprentices, ad ...

(where Bullard taught from 1975 to 2005) caused a move to the

Essex Essex ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East of England, and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Kent across the Thames Estuary to the ...

countryside, and later to

Colchester Colchester ( ) is a city in northeastern Essex, England. It is the second-largest settlement in the county, with a population of 130,245 at the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 Census. The demonym is ''Colcestrian''. Colchester occupies the ...

. His pupils at the Institute included Christopher Wright. Here encouragement by several colleagues and friends resulted in a growing musical confidence and output: for example Colchester Choral Society (director Ian Ray) commissioned three large-scale works for choir and orchestra. In 1985 Bullard wrote a setting for unaccompanied choir of four sixteenth-century poems entitled ''Madrigal Book''. This work came to the attention of Stephen Wilkinson and was the beginning of a long association with Alan Bullard's choral music, resulting in several broadcasts by the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

Northern Singers. Meanwhile, his work in the area of

choral music A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...

for amateurs attracted the interest of

Oxford University Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the publishing house of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world. Its first book was printed in Oxford in 1478, with the Press officially granted the legal right to print books ...

, and there is now in their catalogue a wide variety of Bullard’s anthems and carols for different choral groupings and situations, many of which are performed worldwide. Many of Bullard’s orchestral pieces found first performances in

East Anglia East Anglia is an area of the East of England, often defined as including the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, with parts of Essex sometimes also included. The name derives from the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the East Angles, ...

, often under the baton of Christopher Phelps. Bullard has also written much chamber music for many instrumental combinations and his music for wind groups, in particular, has found particular favour, as has his music for the recorder, an instrument he enjoys playing as an amateur. Bullard has also written much music for children and adult learners: he is a contributor to many instrumental collections and is the composer of ''Joining the Dots'' (

ABRSM The ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) is an examination board and registered charity based in the United Kingdom. ABRSM is one of five examination boards accredited by Ofqual to award graded exams and diploma qualificat ...

) an ongoing series to develop musical sight-reading, and the editor and author, with his wife Janet, of the ''Pianoworks'' piano tutor series published by Oxford University Press. Bullard claims to find ‘the writing of an interesting Grade One piece as exciting as any other musical challenge’.

Awards

In 2008 Bullard was awarded an

Honorary Doctorate An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or '' ad hon ...

by the

University of Essex The University of Essex is a public university, public research university in Essex, England. Established by royal charter in 1965, it is one of the original plate glass university, plate glass universities. The university comprises three camp ...

for his work in composition and education, and in 2010 he received three awards from the Music Industries Association (MIA) for his publications in that year.

Musical language and reception

Bullard acknowledges the influence of twentieth-century composers such as

Benjamin Britten Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten of Aldeburgh (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British music, with a range of works including opera, o ...

and

on his musical language, as well as that of mediaeval and renaissance music. Writers have described his music as ‘gentle, melodic, and unfailingly well-crafted’, and showing ‘a real sense of pianistic understanding, economical and linear without sounding clichéd’. Another critic has said ‘Bullard’s music shows a genuine love for melodic contours and a delicate shading of a harmonic language that is respectful of tradition without being a slave to it’. Of his

Christmas carols Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A liturgical feast central to Christianity, Chri ...

, writers have said that ‘Bullard’s direct tuneful language draws its chief source of inspiration from the eloquent simplicity of folk-carols’ and that ‘he shows a sensitivity to the text, and vocal lines that show a natural easy flow’ and found his carol ‘Glory to the Christ-Child’ to be a ‘rigorous and exhilarating setting of mediaeval

lyrics Lyrics are words that make up a song, usually consisting of verses and choruses. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist. The words to an extended musical composition such as an opera are, however, usually known as a "libretto" and their writer, ...

’. And educational material such as Pianoworks (with his wife Janet as co-writer) has been welcomed as ‘attractive, unpatronising and adult in manner’. Bullard's is not ivory tower music - what seems to please him most is to write music which performers enjoy playing and audiences enjoy hearing: music which might provide something of a challenge, but which is not out of reach. As one critic put it: ‘He sees his role as quietly getting on with the vocation of writing music that people will want to sing and play on the everyday, as well as the special occasion’.

Personal life

Alan Bullard is married to Janet Bullard (nee Dakin), a piano teacher and

singer Singing is the art of creating music with the voice. It is the oldest form of musical expression, and the human voice can be considered the first musical instrument. The definition of singing varies across sources. Some sources define singi ...

. They live in

, Essex and

Friston Friston is a village and civil parish in the East Suffolk (district), East Suffolk district, in the county of Suffolk, England. It is southeast of Saxmundham, its post town, and northwest of Aldeburgh. The River Alde bounds the village on ...

Suffolk Suffolk ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East of England and East Anglia. It is bordered by Norfolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Essex to the south, and Cambridgeshire to the west. Ipswich is the largest settlement and the county ...

, and they have two children and four grandchildren.

Main publishers

Forsyth Brothers LtdColne Edition

Selected list of compositions

Choral

*Dance of the Universe (1979) *Madrigal Book (1985) *Canticle of Freedom (1999) *A Summer Garland (2002) *A Feast for Christmas (2007) *Pictures of Night (2008) *Dover Te Deum (2009) *Wondrous Cross (2011) *Magnficat and Nunc Dimittis (Selwyn Service) (2012) *O Come, Emmanuel (2013) *A Light in the Stable (2014) *Psalmi Penitentiales (2016) *Images of Peace (2018) *Endless Song (2023)

Collections

*Alan Bullard Anthems *Alan Bullard Carols *The Oxford Book of Flexible Anthems *The Oxford Book of Flexible Carols *The Oxford Book of Easy Flexible Anthems *The Oxford Book of Flexible Choral Songs

Vocal

*The Sea of Faith (1995) *The Solitary Reaper (1995) *A Swan, a Man (2009)

Instrumental

*Dances for Wind Quintet (1982)

for descant or tenor recorder and piano or harpsichord (1983 Forsyth) *Overtones – clarinet quartet (1985) *String Quartet no. 1 (1989)

for descant recorder and optional piano or guitar, or string orchestra/quartet (1989 Forsyth) *Attitudes – solo guitar (1991) *Olympian Sketches – clarinet quartet (1993) *Three Picasso Portraits – saxophone quartet (1992)

- homage to Walter Carroll for recorder (treble doubling descant and optional garklein) and piano or guitar (1995 Forsyth) *Spring Pictures – violin and piano (1996) *Winter Variations – cello and piano (1998) *Cyclic Harmony – clarinet or saxophone choir (1998)

for recorder and piano or guitar (2003 Forsyth) *Large White Rock – chamber ensemble (2004) *String Quartet no. 2 (2006) *North Sea Sketches – recorder ensemble (2010) *Journey through Time –

woodwind orchestra The woodwind section, which consists of woodwind instruments, is one of the main sections of an orchestra or concert band. Woodwind sections contain instruments given Hornbostel-Sachs classifications of 421 ( edge-blown aerophones, commonly know ...

(2010)

Orchestral

*Fanfares for orchestra (1985) *Sinfonietta for brass, percussion and strings (1987) *Aztec Genesis – full orchestra (2000) *Recorder Concerto (2010) *Hark to the Bells (2012)

Educational

*Fifty for Flute (1995) *Lunar Landscapes for cello (1995) *World Atlas for piano (1996) *Sixty for Sax (2005)

Series

*Party Time (1996-8) *Circus Skills (2001–2) *Pianoworks (2007–) *Joining the Dots (2010–)

Selected list of choirs, performers, and conductors of Bullard’s music

Selected choirs

*BBC Northern Singers *BBC Singers *Chapel Choir of Selwyn College Cambridge *Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Montreal *Choir of Coventry Cathedral *Choir of Ely Cathedral *Choir of Kings College Cambridge *Choir of St John’s College Cambridge *Colchester Choral Society *Elysian Singers *

Fairhaven Singers The Fairhaven Singers is a chamber choir based in Cambridge, UK, directed by Ralph Woodward. The choir is a mixed ensemble of about 48 amateur singers singing choral repertoire from the 15th century to the present. Among the major works it has per ...

*Ionian Singers *Joyful Company of Singers *Reading Phoenix Choir *St Michael’s Singers *The Allegri Singers *The Sixteen
Vasari Singers
*VocalEssence, Minneapolis *Waltham Singers *William Byrd Singers of Manchester *Wooburn Singers

Selected performers

*Anna Tillbrook *Beth Spendlove *Christian Forshaw *Colin Baldy *Daniel Grimwood *

Huw Watkins Huw Thomas Watkins (born 13 July 1976) is a British composer and pianist. Born in South Wales, he studied piano and composition at Chetham's School of Music in Manchester, where he received piano lessons from Peter Lawson. He then went on to r ...

*Ian Mitchell *James Oxley *Jamie Walton *Joby Burgess *

John Turner John Napier Wyndham Turner (June 7, 1929September 19, 2020) was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 17th prime minister of Canada from June to September 1984. He served as leader of the Liberal Party and leader of the Opposit ...

*Lindsay Gowers *Nigel Clayton *Maria Jette *Nancy Ruffer *Sarah Burnett *Sarah Leonard *Sarah Watts *Susie Allan *William Coleman

Selected orchestras and ensembles

*Bloomsbury Woodwind Ensemble *Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra *British Clarinet Ensemble *Chinook Clarinet Quartet *Composers Ensemble *Ebony Quartet *Farnaby Brass *Gemini *Georgian String Quartet *Langdon Chamber Players *Quince String Quartet *Royal Ballet Sinfonia *Saxology

Selected conductors

*Aidan Oliver *Andrew Massey *Andrew Nethsinga *Bob Chilcott *Charles Hine *Christopher Phelps *

Elgar Howarth Elgar Howarth (4 November 1935 – 13 January 2025) was an English conductor, composer and trumpeter. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Grove noted that "his performances are marked by powerful concentration and a clear communicat ...

*Geoff Harniess *Graham Ross * Gwyn Arch *Harry Christophers *Ian Ray
Jeremy Backhouse
*John Wallace *Michael Finnissy *Michael Nicholas *Paul Leddington Wright *Philip Brunelle *Roderick Earle *Sarah MacDonald *Shea Lolin *Stephen Cleobury *Stephen Wilkinson * Ralph Woodward *

Timothy Salter Timothy Salter (born in Mexborough, Yorkshire in 1942) is an English composer, conductor and pianist. Biography Timothy Salter studied at St John's College, Cambridge, where he won the John Stewart of Rannoch Scholarship in sacred music. His ...

References

External links

Official Alan Bullard websiteChoral ConnectionsAlan Bullard biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bullard, Alan 1947 births Living people Alumni of the University of Nottingham British composers British music educators Composers from London People educated at St Olave's Grammar School Musicians from the London Borough of Croydon Musicians from the Royal Borough of Greenwich People from Blackheath, London