Composer Information: Tom Richardson

Tom Richardson is a busy composer, performer and teacher based in Glasgow, Scotland.

He was the winner of 2 Danny Awards at the open stage of Celtic Connections as part of guitar/fiddle duo Fret Don’t Fret and worked with the Kathryn Tickell band at the Strathclyde Suite. He composed music as one of the New Voices commissions on the 10th anniversary of Celtic Connections, performed at the Strathclyde Suite in the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. The composition was called ‘Aspiration Towards Freedom’ which was also performed as part of a Scottish/Indian evening of music at the Tramway as part of Celtic Connections festival.  Tom is a guitarist with the Phamie Gow band, performing with them in Spain, Italy and closer to home at the Glasgow Barrowlands and the Carnegie Hall in Dunfermline.

Tom recently composed the music for the Film Documentary 'The Promise' about a Tibetan Refugee camp in Nepal.

Tom frequently performs with piper Dr Simon Mckerrell at the Piping Centre in Glasgow as part of the Piping Hot Festival which takes place as part of the world piping championships.

Tom has been the recipient of a Scottish Arts Council award as part of Scottish/Indian fusion group Ceol Taal, with Dr. Simon Mckerrell on pipes, Vijay Kangkutkar on tabla and Tom playing guitar. This involved composing all the music for a concert which was performed at St Mungo’s Museum at Glasgow Cathedral.


Tom has performed on Radio Scotland including on Travelling Folk with guitar/fiddle duo Fret don’t Fret and for Global Gathering with Ceol Taal and at the Lorient International Music Festival in France as part of a folk fusion group called Brolum.

A recent performance of Tom's work was given at Clyde Auditorium, in Glasgow, with clarinettist Lorna Holl and dancer Sapna Jobanputra. Tom also performs with Lorna at Dougie MacLean’s Perthshire Amber Festival as part of Cabaret Amber.

Tom teaches guitar privately, constantly forming new ideas for tuition and adapting courses of music suitability for each student, including many pieces written by Tom.  He leads music workshops as part of a North Ayrshire project called Artscool. taking primary school children for a couple of hours after school and giving them the opportunity to participate in music related activities.  

He is involved in helping teachers with music lessons at the Glasgow Steiner School and arranges end of term performances. Tom has composed a number of poems and children’s songs which have been used in the same school. 

Tom also plays regularly in a Ceilidh group called Robbie Shepard’s Nightmare.

Live performances

Ceilidh
Last tram tae Auchenshoogle
Gary Blair
The Cutting edge
Robbie Shephard’s Nightmare

Folk
Clash O’ Heids
Raggle Taggle Gypsies
Shinaeg

Celtic
Fret Don’t Fret
Dr. Simon Mckerrell
The Journeymen
Phamie Gow Band
Brolum

Rock/Blues
The Rooters
Free at Last
10 Worlds
Big River Shiver
The Blackwater Blues Band

70’s Disco
Carwash

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E-mail: melodymuse@tiscali.co.uk