+44 (0)161 295 6116
p.graham@salford.ac.uk

 

Born in Scotland Peter Graham read music at Edinburgh and London Universities (Goldsmiths' College) and following spells in publishing in New York and London he is currently Professor of Composition at the University of Salford in Greater Manchester, England.

His music is performed across the globe, from China, Japan, Korea and Singapore in the Far East to every major European country. Performers have included the Royal Philharmonic, New Zealand Symphony and BBC Concert Orchestras, the Royal Concertgebouw and Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra Brass, the Osaka Municipal Symphonic and United States Air Force Bands and the Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra. However, it is his music for British Brass Band which has established his international reputation.

Described by British Bandsman Magazine as "a spectacularly imaginative and innovative talent", he attributes his interest in brass to lessons from his father at the local Salvation Army band in Ayr, on the west coast of Scotland. He has written for all levels of brass band, from educational concert music to the most demanding test-piece. He is in the unique position of having had his music performed in every major brass band competition worldwide.

As an arranger his work has been performed on most British TV and Radio stations and he is a leading arranging team member for BBC TV's Songs of Praise, contributing to over 40 programmes. He has written for luminaries including Bryn Terfel, The Beautiful South, Peter Gabriel and Evelyn Glennie (for whom he orchestrated and composed the grammy-nominated album Reflected in Brass).

Peter Graham's music has won many prizes. He was the first European composer to win the American Bandmasters Association/Ostwald Award for Original Composition for Symphonic Winds, and in 2009 received the Iles Medal for services to music by the Worshipful Company of Musicians.

Current research projects include a multi-movement work for over 200 brass, vocal and instrumental soloists to be premiered in the Royal Albert Hall in June 2011.