DAVID JOHN ROCHE

COMPOSITION AND MUSIC SERVICES

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British-Welsh David John Roche’s compositions have been broadcast, televised, written about, and performed internationally to millions of people. He is the recipient of over 30 academic and professional awards.

He has composed pieces for vacuum cleaners and orchestra, epic planetarium shows, customised Dutch street organs, rock bands, video games, films, theatre shows, international orchestras, and anything beyond and in between that he can set his hands to.

His music tends to inhabit one of two worlds. It is either celebratory and bright, consciously in opposition to the world in which it was written, or manic, detailed, and violent in response to the poverty and politics of our time.

He studied at Cardiff University (BMus), Brasenose College at the Univerity of Oxford (Mst), and Downing College at the University of Cambridge (PhD).

'Bold, exciting, and beautiful' - Sir James Dyson on Acoustical Anatomy

'Exquisite [...] beautifully realised', 'beautiful tremolo, beautiful piece' - Adam Walton, BBC Introducing Wales on Tremolo Study 4

'Very fitting' as part of an 'absolutely brilliant' show - Wales 24/7 on Hansel, Gedeon, and the Grimms' Wood

'The highlight of the evening' - The Tab on Chapters

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COMPOSITION

CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL

Roche's classical music has been described as 'bold' and 'thought-provoking' (Cambridge Theatre Review), 'no mean feat' (BBC Music Online), praised for it's 'broad palette of musical colour' (The Tab), and performed as part of 'soaring' festivals (The Telegraph).

Roche's compositions have been televised and broadcast nationally and internationally, performed at the Cambridge Sir Harrison Birtwistle Festival, Cheltenham Science Festival, Cheltenham Music Festival, Musicfest Aberystwyth, Vale of Glamorgan Music Festival, St. Magnus International Festival, and many other festivals, concert halls, and venues nationally and internationally.

FILM AND MEDIA

Roche has been commissioned multiple times by The British Library, Royal Observatory Greenwich, Centre of the Cell, and Cambridge University Communications Department for films featuring Simon Callow, Yu-go Oh! voice actors, and for festival appearances featuring Brian Cox. His film and media compositions have been described by independent online reviewers as 'touching', 'the best', and 'awesome'. He was selected as the composer for Raunkiaer's Bright Young Things which has since been selected for the Frostbite International Online Film Festival.

OTHER

Roche has composed extensively in a number of genres. His composition 'No Regrets' was picked out of 15,000 entries as part of MySpace Mars Planets Radio, his composition Feel My Brass was used as part of an online series of videos, Random Odd Series, and has accumulated over 115,000 views and 1,000 likes. His piece End Times ('haunting') finished in the top 10 of Newground's annual underdog competition, his Second Steps ('great atmosphere and majesty') was shortlisted for the final round, and his Legend of Uncle Dave finished first place in the first round of the same competition ('wonderful and fast'). He was also placed second in the inaugural How to Write a Great Melody Competition.

Services.

SCORE PRODUCTION

Roche works professionally as a score producer, copyist, engraver, transcriber, proof reader, or any combination thereof producing scores and parts for concertising musicians. Notable projects include working on Steve Wishart's The Rough With the Smooth - a commission for The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment - and the Welsh National Opera's premiere performance of Lizst's unfinished opera Sardanapolo. Roche is currently working on an extended orchestral project with Paul Roland, 'the Godfather of steampunk music'.

education

Roche initiated and runs a bespoke teaching service. He works with roughly 30 private students each week, has reams of positive references and reviews, and specialises in a number of topics including - but not limited to - composition, score production, music theory, guitar studies, and piano. He provides tuition at Chesterton Community College, runs their Guitar and Ukulele Orchestra, and is fully CRB/DBS checked. Roche is based in Cambridge but also provides online tuition.

Performing

Roche is an experienced guitarist and conductor. He has performed as a featured soloist (electric guitar) at Brecon Jazz Festival and the Great Northern Jazz Festival. He conducted his first opera (The Opera) in 2011 and has worked with an enormous number of ensembles during his career as a musician.

Writing

Roche's writing has been featured in Metal Guru: The Life and Music of Marc Bolan, and The Devil's Jukebox: a Biography of Paul Roland. He has blogged extensively for Wales Arts Review, Ty Cerdd, Britten Sinfonia, and Hijinx Odyssey. He has also undertaken poetry writing workshops with Keats-Shelley Prize winnder Cahal Dallat.