Archive for category: News

Richard has been busy recording and filming the two tracks of Love Song for Europe in time for the Autumn Equinox Concerts…

There is a solo guitar version and also a trio version featuring Richard with Gareth Huw Davies (double bass) and Stephen Hiscock (percussion) from The Burning Deck.

The new recordings will be available on all digital download platforms at the moment of sunrise in Sussex on Autumn Equinox: 6.26am on Thursday 21st September

All streaming proceeds will go to UNICEF

The two tracks in hi-rez audio (96-24 ALAC or FLAC) are ready to purchase now in Richard’s online shop.

Richard’s Autumn Equinox Concert Series will include Love Song for Europe. The concerts will begin in the beautiful church of St Michael’s, Lewes this Thursday.

‘These gigs all begin with music from Spain and South America but then head north for suitably autumnal British folk and my own homespun works.’

‘I’m looking forward to singing ‘The Ant and the Grasshopper’ as the leaves begin to fall and the evenings draw in.’

Says Richard

There is just one final concert at the Ropetackle Arts Centre in Shoreham on 28 July with a musical celebration to begin the summer holidays…

Richard says: 
‘Thanks to all who came to see me during my Music for Midsummer Tour 2023.  It was a dusty, sun-drenched adventure of satisfyingly diverse gigs. I travelled through some of the most beautiful countryside of any tour so far and met some remarkable people on the roadside and at the shows.‘

‘After the ride from North Wales to South Devon via Manchester, Lincolnshire and Ross on Wye, I returned home to play my last shows in and around Sussex. Here I am under the spotlight at the Trinity Theatre, Tunbridge Wells:’

‘Two shows were played with my quartet The Burning Deck. Corin Buckeridge, Stephen Hiscock, Gareth Huw Davies and I gathered around the Bicyclatter and played some tracks new and old including Triskellion from Rewilding and the recently re-released Wilbury Summer. The picture at the top is us at the Brighton Open Air Theatre...’

‘Before I get my deck chair out, I have one last concert at Ropetackle Arts Centre in Shoreham on Friday 28th July – a musical celebration to begin the summer holidays. I’ll be joined on stage by some old mates including Stephen and Gareth from The Burning Deck.’

Don’t forget to listen to Richard’s re-release of Wilbury Summer!

Meanwhile, have a great summer yourselves!

The sun shone brightly for Richard Durrant’s first week of concerts as he cycled through North Wales, Manchester, The Midlands and Herefordshire…

‘It’s so wonderful to be out and about playing this beautiful music to so many people. Also nice to have a mention by Petroc Trelawney on BBC Radio 3.’

Says Richard

Above: Richard at the Theatre Clwyd
Below: all set and ready to go and performing at the Stoller Hall, Manchester

Below: with schoolchildren from St. Margaret’s Primary School in Stoke Golding

The tour continues to Malmesbury Abbey in Wiltshire before south west venues in Taunton and Newton Abbott, and then over to a series of concerts in the South East.

This month marks the 20th Anniversary relaunch of the children’s  album Unleashed on British Isles by Paul Kelly and Richard Durrant…

Unleashed is a collection of British Isles folk songs for children of all ages. The recordings are colourful, vivid – almost cinematic with acoustic instruments, home spun sound effects and layers of rich vocals enriching the stories in such classic songs as My Bonny, Widdecombe Faire, The Gypsy Rover and The Golden Vanity.

On May 1st their version of Drunken Sailor will appear on all streaming platforms, followed by two other tracks from the album. The entire production will then be available for all to enjoy – children and adults alike!

‘I immediately knew that Paul had something special and his involvement with children’s music particularly chimed with me. With my three young children running around and a fourth on the way I felt that Paul and I could create something special that would celebrate these happy, adventurous times.’

Says Richard

American born Paul Kelly has mixed a career as an international opera singer and a children’s music composer and producer. He initially approached Richard to appear on one of his recordings. They became friends and ended up writing and recording two albums together.

‘Recording Unleashed on British Isles with Richard was, and still is, one of the high points in my musical life. It’s right up there with performing at La Scala, and a hell of a lot more fun.’

Says Paul Kelly

Drunken Sailor is now live on iTunes and Amazon and available on all streaming platforms including Spotify.

Did you know?

Throughout the 1990’s and into the early 2000’s Richard was very involved with children’s music…

Remember Watch?

This led to several years as a writer for both Watch and its sister programme Numbertime. His many songs were heard by a generation of children – including his own!

Richard’s first encounter with BBC Schools Television came in 1994 as guest presenter on the long running series Watch. 

Remember Metalheads?

This 26 episode cartoon series was made by Telemagination and screened on CBBC from 2003.

Richard composed the music for the series with fellow musician Richard Attree  from the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Both the Richard’s had studied at the Royal College of Music but only met when Richard Attree moved to Shoreham Beach.

In the run up to two shows, The Number 26 Bus to Paraguay on 3 and 4 March, Richard Durrant continues the story of his Paraguayan adventures and his exploration of the music of Barrios…

Richard’s first trip to Paraguay was centred around the launch of The Number 26 Bus to Paraguay. The tour included a concert in the Teatro Municipal, Asuncion where Barrios himself had played many years previously. At one point during the concert, the performance was stopped to welcome Richard as an ‘Esteemed Visitor’ to the capital city.

The certificate still hangs on the studio wall. Amongst so many wonderful and unexpected events there was a lovely stand out moment for Richard.

“After playing at a Barrios conference in the Hotel del Lago (pictured above) – a favourite haunt of Barrios – I was introduced to none other than Richard Stover who, years earlier had painstakingly transcribed and published most of Barrios’ solos.“

Says Richard

As a student, Richard would save up to buy these books as they came out. During their meeting in Paraguay, ‘Rico’ and he got on splendidly and stayed in touch afterwards.

Sadly, Richard Stover passed away in 2019 at the age of 74. He was an important figure in the Barrios story and is much missed. 

Shortly after Richard Durrant’s concert Richard Stover wrote the following:

Extremely musical and expressive, with virtuosity to spare. I am speaking of Richard Durrant, English guitarist who recently visited Paraguay. The public acclaimed him not only because he presented an all-Barrios program (which he played superlatively), but also because of his passion and tenderness, qualities that he communicates through his magnificent playing of the classic guitar.

Durrant is a musician of depth who can play a variety of musical styles, from the Concierto de Aranjuez with the Royal Philharmonic, to popular music and jazz. Here is a mature musician of extraordinary technical prowess.  

Richard Stover
Barrios biographer and ethnomusicologist (Caacupé, 2011)

Later came The Girl at the Airport album.Richard wrote the title track to celebrate the romance of touring abroad.

If you have a Spotify account you can listen to the music.

For this final album in the trilogy Richard wrote the title track The Girl at the Airport for guitar and string orchestra.

“I imagined flying out of Shoreham Airport bound for Paraguay aboard a white Dakota clutching my guitar case and a bundle of manuscripts. I’d stepped out of a Graham Greene novel and I could hear that string section behind my guitar long before I booked the orchestra. All I had to do was write it down.“

Says Richard