Gareth Churchill

Composer. Collaborative Artist. Teacher.

Composing

As a composer I work across a range of styles, from collections of aesthetically related instrumental pieces such as Elemental Studies and Compass Points, to choral works such as Two Morys Rhymes and Braich Wen, to large-scale chamber operas like The Bridge Between Breaths. As a disabled artist, my creative practice is shaped by my lived, personal experiences of the mechanical interacting with the organic and my work explores the tension between these states. An interest in language and exploring musical ‘codes’ created through translation is behind the sound of all of my work.

Collaborative Musicianship

As a collaborative artist I am interested in giving artistic expression to the lived experiences of others, empowering communities to tell their stories through music. Collaborative projects include Grey Matters with Headway Cardiff and South East Wales, Grinding with South Wales Gay Men’s Chorus and I have been a member of Paraorchestra since 2019.

Teaching Practice

I am passionate about inspiring the next generation and supporting adults of all abilities to become the best musicians they can be, and I have been teaching privately for more than 20 years. During my postgraduate studies I was an associate lecturer at Cardiff University School of Music, and I have been a music teacher at Cardiff University Centre for Continuing and Professional Education since 2010. I have delivered composition workshops (in English and Welsh) for Aberystwyth, Bangor and Cardiff Universities and have spoken at conferences ranging from the Centre for Advanced Welsh Music Studies to the British Forum for Ethnomusicology.