Archive for category: News

How did a lump of ancient wood, buried for 5,000 years in an English bog, become an exquisite and adored musical instrument?

Richard Durrant has teamed up with friend, film-maker and former BBC presenter Neil Pringle to make a short documentary about the story of a unique classical guitar.  

How exactly did a huge Fenland black oak tree, which fell and lay undisturbed in the silt of the flooded forest floor for 5,000 years, end up making music in the 21st century?…

The 30-minute film follows Richard on a journey around England, meeting the cabinet-maker Hamish Low who saved and preserved the wood, and the luthier Gary Southwell (pictured) who lovingly transformed the precious timber into a remarkable and beautiful musical instrument. 

‘A wonderfully interesting and inspiring film. Superb quality… and Richard still playing as beautifully as ever.’

Gordon Giltrap MBE, English guitarist and composer

Also featured are on-location and studio performances of some of Richard’s own compositions, including: 

• Step Gently from the album Rewilding
• an excerpt from Book of Spells
• The Bog Oak Bouree from the album Stringhenge.
  

Bog Oak Guitar is a fascinating and engaging story, which celebrates an extraordinary piece of England’s natural history, and shines a light on the incredible talents of three passionate men. 

Premiering this captivating 10 minute video of Richard Durrant’s latest composition for solo guitar inspired by the magical landscape and rich heritage of England’s South Downs.

The Crest The Coombe The Twitten is a guitar solo influenced as much by the English Folk Baroque style of John Renbourn and Bert Jansch as it is by Vaughan-Williams and Elgar.

The three movements express Richard Durant’s affinity with the Sussex countryside and the South Downs in particular. It was commissioned by artist Tony Sharp for his wife Jill.

The first movement, The Crest expresses two main things: the breathtaking beauty as seen from the highest points on the South Downs Way and the ‘busier’ aspects of a hilltop view – there is usually a lot going on!

Next comes The Coombe, inspired by the riverless valleys punctuating the downs. In this case somewhere to find refuge from the exposed downland trackway, but hung with mist and strange atmospheres.

The Twitten concludes the work by tracing the procession of ancient trackways that still survive as narrow alleyways through villages, towns and often housing estates. They can be mundane, neglected, often forgotten altogether but they often provide a link with the distant – even neolithic – past as well as a route back up onto the ridgeway of the long distance downland track.

Richard has spoken of chance encounters in the twittens of Hollingbury including an 11th century troubadour, a Persian Prince and various old school mates.

The Crest The Coombe The Twitten was produced by Richard with film maker Neil Pringle. The live guitar recording was filmed by Peter Lisney with sound recordist Felix Durrant. Watch out too for the cameo appearances by Brian Gulland, Frank Horsley, Louise Durrant and a hilltop flash mob!

We hope you have enjoy the film!

My Childhood, My Country – 20 Years in Afghanistan premiered on ITV on Monday 6 September with original music by Richard Durrant.

You can still see the programme on ITV Hub

This unique film follows the life of a boy in Afghanistan over two decades, telling his story and that of his country in the years that followed 9/11. The film has now been extended to bring things up to date and to include the current worrying developments in Afghanistan.

Richard Durrant wrote the music for this film alongside Asa Bennett and Dimitri Tchamouroff.

Produced by Seventh Art Productions, we first meet Mir Hussain as a cheeky, funny 7-year-old living in a cave next to the destroyed Buddhas of Bamiyan statues in central Afghanistan. Over the following two decades the film bears witness to his adventures and Afghanistan’s struggles. 

“20 years in the making, following the story of mischievous and endearing seven-year-old Mir Hussain from 2001 to 2021, this film is both a remarkable portrait of one child’s life in Afghanistan and of the conflict that has engulfed the region. This unique film could not be more timely.“

Kevin Lygo, Managing Director, Media & Entertainment at ITV 

More than a personal journey, My Childhood, My Country – 20 Years in Afghanistan, is a powerful examination of what has – and has not – been achieved in Afghanistan over the past 20 years.

‘I can safely say that no film has captured the life inside an Afghan family in the way this one does. And little did we know that the final days of filming would coincide with the Taliban once again being in control of the country.’

Director Phil Grabsky

Watch ‘My Childhood, My Country – 20 Years in Afghanistan’ on ITV1 and ITV Hub on Monday 6 September at 10:45pm (immediately after News at Ten).

Announcing a brand new album of original music by Richard Durrant recorded with producer Paul Cartledge.

Watch this video of one of the tracks from the album: Tracing Starlight

This new album is now available on all streaming platforms including Spotify and Apple Music.

Join us on Sunday 30 May for an evening of music, poetry and discussions celebrating both Eastern and Western culture, in support of the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music (ESNCM) in Palestine.

British composer, concert guitarist and ukulele virtuoso, Richard Durrant is looking forward to being involved in this special Converging Cultures event next Sunday. 

‘After a year of being locked away it’ll be refreshing to take part in an event designed to highlight a wider perspective.  There is beauty and there are harsh realities out there stretching way beyond Covid and sometimes only the arts will make us stop and think.

“With this in mind the Converging Cultures – PalMusic UK Virtual Concert Series has been organised. I’m so pleased to be part of this evening of music, poetry and discussion celebrating both Eastern and Western culture, in support of the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music.‘

Says Richard

Richard will be joined by performance poet and human rights activist Rafeef Ziadah. Rafeef has appeared in major venues across several countries, with powerful readings on war, exile, gender and racism. She has also released three albums, with her performance of poems such as ‘We Teach Life, Sir’ and ’Shades of Anger’ going viral within days of their release.

This concert is produced by PalMusic UK,committed to improving the lives of young Palestinians through music.

PalMusic UK nurtures links between Palestinian and British musicians, building bridges, enriching lives and creating life-changing opportunities.

Converging Cultures: Richard Durrant & Rafeef Ziadah
 30 May 2021 : 7pm – 9pm
Tickets: £10 plus £1 fee

Buy a ticket online at eventbrite