Stephen Caudel is a British composer and guitarist. He studied at

Leeds College of Music Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populatio ...

where he took a specialist course in Classical and Jazz music and then moved to

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

to work as a composer and performer. He has met and worked with a wide range of established artists/musicians over the years including

Louis Clark Louis Clark (27 February 1947 – 13 February 2021) was an English music arranger and keyboard player. He trained at Leeds College of Music. He is best known for his work with Electric Light Orchestra and '' Hooked on Classics''. Clark started ...

, Art Garfunkel, Stanley Myers and

John Williams John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932)Nylund, Rob (15 November 2022)Classic Connection review ''WBOI'' ("For the second time this year, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic honored American composer, conductor, and arranger John Williams, who wa ...

. Caudel’s creative output to date includes 6 albums (4 solo) and several highly individual orchestral works. Having taken a break from music for several years due to family commitments, he currently lives in

Cumbria Cumbria ( ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in North West England, bordering Scotland. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local government, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumb ...

and has returned to music, actively composing and recording again.

Musical Influences

*Classical: Mahler, Chopin, Tchaikovsky *Jazz: Gershwin, Django Reinhardt, Stéphane Grappelli (became friends in the late 70s) *Popular:

Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developme ...

Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...

Orchestral works

* 1983 - Wine Dark Sea (Rock Symphony) – large scale classical/rock piece premiered at London's Victoria Palace Theatre with the Wren Orchestra conducted by

of "Hooked on Classics" and ELO fame. * 1985 - Nostalgie (Rhapsody) – for

Classical guitar The classical guitar (also known as the nylon-string guitar or Spanish guitar) is a member of the guitar family used in classical music and other styles. An acoustic wooden string instrument with strings made of gut or nylon, it is a precursor o ...

and Chamber Orchestra * 1993 - The Edel Rhapsody – for solo Wagner Tuba and Orchestra

Discography

Solo albums: * 1986 - Wine Dark Sea – adaptation of his rock symphony written and premiered in 1983 * 1988 - Bow Of Burning Gold * 1993 - Impromptu Romance * 1996 - The Earth In Turquoise – second rock/symphonic project * 2016 - Reflections In Blue - Guitar & Orchestra

Other albums

* 1982 - Hooked on Classics II - Guest soloist on the Rodrigo Guitar Concerto recorded at London's

Abbey Road Studios Abbey Road Studios (formerly EMI Recording Studios) is a recording studio at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music c ...

* 1995 - Scaramouche – with guitarist Tim Panting

Performing

Toured extensively (Britain, Germany and Japan) including Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, Markneukirchen Guitar Festival, Karuizawa Music Festival and 3 nights at London’s

Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...

as Special Guest of Art Garfunkel.

References

* 3. Content derived from official website ( see link below ) and personal interviews.

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Caudel, Stephen Year of birth missing (living people) Living people English composers Musicians from Sheffield Alumni of Leeds College of Music