Richard Barnard is a British composer based in Bristol. He is regularly commissioned by professional and amateur choirs, writing music for groups including The Gesualdo Six, BBC Singers, Exultate Singers, Bath Camerata, City of Bristol Choir, Bristol Cathedral Choir and Orlando Chamber Choir. His pieces have been broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and performed by Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, Mark Padmore, Amy Dickson, Morgan Szymanski, Matilda Lloyd and Héloïse Werner.
Richard’s choral music always begins with the text, drawing out its meaning and emotion. Many of his pieces explore ideas of the natural world and the human spirit. He has written operas and vocal works commissioned by Welsh National Opera, Opera North, Helen Charlston (as part of her Isolation Songbook released on Delphian records), Bath International Music Festival and others. He has a Masters Degree in composition from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
He is an experienced communicator and educator, designing and leading creative workshops for leading organisations including CBSO, BCMG, WNO, Opera North, Bristol Beacon and Arnolfini. He also works with Turtle Key Arts to lead composition projects with autistic young people. His ‘Lockdown’ videos with soprano Elizabeth Karani were an online hit in 2020, re-published and shared by Royal Opera House, Classic FM and Opera North.
“A genius vignette for our times… musical brilliance” Classic FM