I have had no formal musical education other than having some trumpet and guitar lessons as a school boy. I composed many songs and melodies as a teenager and during my twenties. At University I played guitar, sang in a folk group and ran a folk club.
I wrote music very much in the folk style. Here is one of those songs from that time called ‘I long for the summer’ where I am singing and playing the 12 string guitar.
I followed a career in education and then an Education Consultant until my full retirement in 2012.
Music became a big part of my life in the 1990s when I sang tenor in a very vibrant and accomplished school choir. That is where I increased my capacity to read and understand sheet music. I then successfully led a school to become a Specialist Performing Arts College, where dance, drama and musical theatre thrived. I started to play guitar again and was part of the school orchestra.
In 2009 two things happened simultaneously, which prompted me to write music again. Firstly, I visited a recording studio i where I met a young musician who subsequently helped me to make recordings of some of my music from the 1970s. I knew that I could write great melodies but I realised that was not enough and I had to learn so much more. Here is an extract from one of those recordings.
I started to play the guitar again and here is one of my compositions from that time entitled ‘When’
I also started writing new songs. Here is a pop ballad I wrote in 2012 called ‘I wish I had the words’ . The lyrics were co written with Darren Whitehead.
In my time at the studio I learnt the essentials of music technology, the skills of studio recording, musical composition, musical arrangement and I had piano lessons. I also discovered that I had the ability to create interesting harmonies and counter melodies. In that year I co wrote two songs with an american composer, one of which was placed on a soundtrack for a film which unfortunately never made it to the screen due to the problems of the global financial crisis.
The second thing that happened in 2009 was that I joined a Choral Society as a tenor/baritone and was exposed to a whole new world of choral music and harmony both from classical composers to the likes of more modern composers like Rutter and Jenkins.
In January 2011 I was invited to submit some music for consideration by the Musical Director of the Choral Society and he and the committee chose 4 of my songs for the Christmas Concert in 2012. I was given the task of writing the sheet music, ready for rehearsal in September.
With some help from some choir members, the use of music technology and a lot of hard work the sheet music was ready in time and I was praised for its quality. There were many positive comments about the music from members of the choir, some of which are on this website.
In 2012 – 2013 I used what I had learnt to write a four part harmony, Opera entitled ‘A Better World’ which was performed by a Choir in July 2014. My second Opera ‘A New Spring’ was performed by the Choir in September 2016. Many of my choral pieces have been performed in the intervening years.
A comprehensive list of my choral compositions is documented here on the website. As you will see my music covers modern and contemporary themes. It has also been adapted in many forms to appeal to different types of choir and singing groups of all abilities.
Since 2015, through my membership of ChoralNet and my web site, I have managed to advertise and sell choral sheet music on line to choirs in the UK and USA.
In 2011 I met up with an old school friend who is a well known and accomplished poet, to write some songs. We had written together as teenagers. It was a productive time and two of the songs Crooked Wood and Cherry Tree are both highlighted on this site. We used some of his poems as the basis for many compositions, none more so than for the song entitled ‘The Fortune Teller.’ I am singing and playing guitars for this composition. The folk style is still very much an influence upon my songwriting style.
In 2017 I decided that I wanted to adapt my choral compositions into piano arrangements. These are now complete and I have produced 2 volumes of piano music, Piano Harmonies Volume I and 2, highlighted on this site.
Now in 2020 I am using the time to write more music – watch this space……………………………….
I do hope that you enjoy listening to my music. Thank you for your time.
Ray Saunders, June 2020