User:APMcNeill/sandbox

ANDREW MCNEILL

BIOGRAPHY

Composer and saxophonist Andrew McNeill has written and appeared as soloist on BBC TV and Radio, Scottish Television, SKY Television and European networks. He has toured across Europe, Egypt and the USA as well as broadcast live in the Edinburgh International Music Festival on the Internet. His concert appearances include the Barbican Concert Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank, and Chichester Cathedral. As a saxophonist, he has played at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club and toured the USA. Recent tours include a Spanish production of Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht's 'Threepenny Opera' ('A opera dos tres reas') starring Luis Tosar, which received 6 nominations for the Maria Casares Theatre Awards 2012.

Andrew McNeill was schooled as a classical saxophonist and composer at the Guildhall School Of Music and Drama, when he was awarded the 'Concerto Prize' and the 'Lady Mayoress' Prize', and where he earned the reputation for being at ease on the Classical stage and in Jazz settings. His appearances as a concerto soloist span a repertoire from Baroque through romantic classical music by composers such as Alexander Glazunov to Debussy and Ibert, to the more outrageous and brutal score by Harrison Birtwistle, 'Panic'. A notable BBC TV recording was a performance of a crossover style 'Sonata for sax & piano' by jazz saxophonist Phil Woods (close friend of Charlie Parker) of which renowned clarinetist Michael Collins commented, "as soon as he puts the saxophone in his mouth it just speaks".

Projects include the world premiere recordings of Michael Finesse's 'Lostlands' for soprano saxophone & ensemble and 'Kulamen Dilan' for soprano saxophone & percussion on Metier Records. He has collaborated with artists and composers including Tony Award winner Frances Ruffelle (Eponine, Les Miserable), and on the album 'Frances Ruffelle' produced by Gary Kemp (Spandau Ballet), and Steve Sharples (composer, Moulin Rouge). Other projects include the contemporary dance group Ballet Rambert in their production of Kurt Weill's 'Seven Deadly Sins and collaborations with Alison Limerik, David Jordan and Lena Fiagbe.

As a composer, he was commissioned to write the classical score 'Deadly Nightshade' performed by members from the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and a classical jazz score for Hjalmar Bergman's play 'Marqurelle'.

Studio productions and commissions include compositions for designer Todd Lynn. Andrew McNeill’s cutting edge electro rock-contemporary classical music score for video ‘Chimaera’, featuring London Fashion Week, was used in a Todd Lynn documentary broadcast across Cable TV in the USA. His music has also featured with Todd Lynn on renowned fashion photographer Nick Knight’s online fashion company ‘SHOW studio’. Andrew has also written music for international companies Cap Gemini, British Telecom, Renault, and financial organization St James Place, where his atmospheric sci-fi score was featured in the Barbican Concert Hall.

Andrew has coached the saxophone section in the National Youth Wind Orchestra and led masterclasses in UK colleges including Trinity Music College, London. He was awarded BBC Radio 2 Young Musician of the Year 1995. Andrew currently lives and teaches in London and in the summer 2012, he will be leading a saxophone masterclass in Sardinia, Italy.

During his studies, Andrew received support from Drapers Hall, London and Goldman Sachs.