The Churchill Society
London.
Now, at this sad and breathless moment,
we are plunged in the hunger and distress
which are the aftermath of our stupendous struggle:
but this will pass, and may pass quickly,
and there is no reason except human folly or sub-human crime
which should deny to all the nations
the inauguration and enjoyment of an age of plenty.

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JAMES STEVENS studied with the late great BENJAMIN FRANKEL 1906 - 1973, was one of the finest British post-war composers whose career - as such - together with several other first class composers was totally destroyed by William Glock and the BBC. He started life as a jazz fiddler and arranger, and graduated to composing film scores. He wrote scores for more than a hundred films and gave a new dimension to the genre. He was also a great teacher as professor of composition at the Guildhall School of Music in London. He understood the nature of musical material in a way that is bequeathed to very few people. He also had the ability to impart this knowledge to his students, all of whom are ecstatic in praise of his work and the debt they owe him as creative artisits. He was a towering authority yet not in the least authoritarian. at the Guildhall School of Music in London, with DARIUS MILHAUD 1892 - 1974. was one of the group in Paris known as Les Six. (Milhaud, Durey, Honegger, Taillefaire, Poulenc, Auric) whose inpiration emanated from Eric Satie and who were the leaders of musical fashion in their day. His music is notable for its tremendous invention and vitality. He was appointed professor at the University of Los Angeles where, despite being in a wheel chair, he spent six months of every year. at the Conservatoire Nationale de Musique in Paris and privately at her own special behest, without fee and at her prime time, with NADIA BOULANGER 1887 - 1979. was the doyen of musical gurus in her life time. Composers from all over the world fought to get into her classes. Two of THE CHURCHILL SOCIETY'S MUSIC DEPARTMENT Committee Members studied with her - Geoffrey Grey and James Stevens. She was intrumental in reviving interest in the music of great composers such as Monteverdi and her discs of his work are generally regarded as definitive. She idolised her younger sister, Lili, in whose memory a group of emminent musicians instituted the Lili Boulanger Memorial Award "for composers of exceptional talent and integrity (sic)." Nadi's old address, famous the world over, 36 rue Ballu. Paris, was renamed 1 Place Lili Boulanger Paris. , the teacher to whom composers from all over the world flocked.

At the Guildhall he won the Wainwright Prize as "composer of the year" and subsequently the Royal Philharmonic Prize for his first symphony.

Later he won the Boston-based Lili Boulanger Memorial Award "for composers of exceptional talent and integrity", the Mendelssohn Scholarship, the Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai International Award in Tokyo for his buddhist requiem CELEBRATION FOR THE DEAD This is the Buddist requiem composed in honour of his parents. It won the Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai International Award in Tokyo on its first performance by the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra under Hroyuki Iwaki. It received a standing ovation when it was premiered in Europe by the Nederlands Radio Sinfonie Orkester under David Porcelijn. It uses titles of the Lotus Sutra to suggest that life is a continuum with no beginning and no end and that if humanity adopted the buddist ethic the world would be a better place. , and was nominated for a BAFTA award with his music for CHELWORTH This is the title sequence from the BBC TV series of that name. It was nomimated a BAFTA music award in 1990. a BBC TV series.

He was the only British composer to be selected by the international jury for the fiftieth anniversary of the Interntional Society for Contemporary Music, in the same year as he had a number one in the "pop" charts, Exploding Galaxy.

He has always worked "across the board" from out-and-out "pop" through jazz, film and TV scores, to serious concert music, and has written two musicals one of which, MAM'ZELLE NITOUCHE, has been staged several times, and an opera.

His latest work, so far unperformed, a piece of some duration, is a product of his acquaintance with the writings and personality of the controversial Japanese writer, Yukio Mishima, in which he explores in words (his own) and music, the nature of human personality, and the nature of time in this context. It is entitled THE RELUCTANT MASQUERADE.

Although he appreciates that music is probably the most emotive of all the art forms, his sole regret is that, being an esoteric, non-symbolic medium, is is impossible to express his concern with the humanties except by the addition of words, visuals or some other extra-musical element.

He was recently Head of the Churchill Society Music Department, and is also known for his writings and poetry.

Audio excerpts from his works are as follows:-

Waltz

Chelworth

Sands of Time.

Celebration for the Dead.

Exploding Galaxy.

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