Composer Information: Richard Hamer

Richard Hamer was born in 1956 in Church Village, S. Wales. After a late start, taking up saxophone aged 18, he gained a place at Leeds College of Music three years later, following this with a one year post graduate teacher training course in Cardiff.

His career to date has been mainly as a performer and teacher on sax, clarinet and flute, ranging from jazz, with his own ensembles from quartet up to big band, and appearances with various leading UK and USA players, (Bobby Shew, Stan Tracy, Loren Schonberg, Lew Tabackin) to the BBC National Orchestra of Wales on the "straight" side, as well as plenty of varied broadcasting/recording and theatre work. He has previously served as musical director of the Welsh Jazz Orchestra, and in the mid 80's founded and directed the successful South Glamorgan youth jazz ensemble "Jazz News" which grew out of a series of workshops undertaken for the Welsh Jazz Society.

Richard has held various teaching posts, including full time tutor for South Glam education authority, and as visiting tutor with the Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff University, and South Glam Institute of Higher Education.

He has always composed and arranged for his own and other ensembles, and recently decided to expand on this by writing pieces for publication, and as a result of this has received commissions to collaborate with other musicians on their work.

He currently lives in Cardiff, with his wife Gaynor, son Nathan, and daughter Lauren (Richard and Lauren are half of the Cardiff Saxophone Quartet) and holds the post of senior woodwind tutor with Gwent Music Support Service, also continuing to work as a freelance player.

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