Orchestrations

For many years Richard has been in great demand as an orchestrator and arranger.
 
Throughout a 30 year association with the BBC Concert Orchestra his orchestrations have been heard on BBC Radio and Television, literally hundreds of times, mainly through the long running Friday Night is Music Night broadcasts but also on BBC TV and at the Proms. In 2008 Richard was Music Associate for BBC Television’s highly successful “Maestro” and he has provided orchestrations for (among others) Sir Willard White, Sir Cliff Richard, Michael Ball, Bryan Ferry, Gladys Knight, Ronan Keating and Will Young. He has also provided orchestrations for all of the major orchestras in the UK as well as many in Europe, America, Australia and the Far East.
 
For GRB Concerts he has made ten complete programmes which have been played in over fifty concerts throughout the UK and Europe; three have been recorded to CD and six have been broadcast by the BBC.
 
For various promoters he has created complete concert programmes which have toured the UK featuring the highest calibre of artiste including (among others) Ruthie Henshall, Louise Dearman, Kerry Ellis, Marisha Wallace, Ben Forster, John Owen Jones and Tim Howar.
 
In musical theatre he has created scores for eight complete shows including Lionel Bart’s “Blitz!”, the world premiere of UB40’s “Promises and Lies” and four shows at the prestigious Chichester Festival.
 
In 2009 he arranged, orchestrated and conducted a new ballet with Adam Cooper – “Shall we Dance” was based on the music of Richard Rodgers and played a hugely successful season in London at Sadlers Wells Theatre.
 
In the field of opera he has for many years been regarded as one of the most accomplished in arranging the scores for reduced forces. These versions are now performed around the world and include those of Mozart, Verdi, Puccini, Rossini, Bizet and Donizetti. In a lighter vein he has also made reduced versions of the entire Gilbert & Sullivan canon and Lehar’s “The Merry Widow”.
 
Please feel free to contact me if you have any enquiries regarding commissioning new orchestrations or hiring any of the above  – r.balcombe2@ntlworld.com