Gabriel Jackson (born 1962 in

Hamilton, Bermuda The City of Hamilton, in Pembroke Parish, is the territorial capital of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda. It is the territory's financial centre and a major port and tourist destination. Its population of 854 (2016) is one of the sm ...

) is an English

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 Defi ...

. He is a three-time winner of the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors British Composer Award. From 2010-2013 he was associate composer to the BBC Singers. Philip Barnes of Choral Journal describes him as "prominent among his British contemporaries by reason of a prolific output and engaging style". Jackson's work includes a significant body of organ compositions, piano and other instrumental works, but he is probably best known for his vocal music, especially for his deft use of text. While he cites Michael Tippett and

Igor Stravinsky Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky (6 April 1971) was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor, later of French (from 1934) and American (from 1945) citizenship. He is widely considered one of the most important and influential composers of the ...

as influences, he is also drawn to soul and R&B, and this influence is noticeable in his music. Jackson was a chorister at

Canterbury Cathedral Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England. It forms part of a World Heritage Site. It is the cathedral of the Archbishop of Canterbury, currently Justin Welby, leader of the ...

before studying composition at the Royal College of Music, first under Richard Blackford, then with John Lambert. He was awarded the R.O. Morris Prize for Composition in 1981 and 1983, and in 1981 also won the Theodore Holland Award. Notable compositions include the commissioned piece for the 2009 Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at King's College, Cambridge, a new work to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Tallis Scholars in 2012 and a full-length Passion for

Merton College, Oxford Merton College (in full: The House or College of Scholars of Merton in the University of Oxford) is one of the Colleges of Oxford University, constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the ...

in 2013.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jackson, Gabriel 1962 births Living people English composers People from Hamilton, Bermuda