Gordon Charles Cree

BMus Bachelor of Music (BM or BMus) is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of a program of study in music. In the United States, it is a professional degree, and the majority of work consists of presc ...

FGMS (born 14 July 1977, Ayrshire) is a Scottish singer, actor, musician and entertainer.

Early life and education

Gordon Cree was born and brought up in a working class home in Ayrshire, Scotland, UK. After being educated at local primary and secondary schools, and at the unusually young age of 16, he was admitted as an undergraduate student at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow where he graduated Bachelor of Music in 1998, aged 20. Following his formal education he studied piano and musical direction with Peggy O'Keefe, orchestral scoring and arranging with Brian Fahey and organ with Professor George McPhee at Paisley Abbey.

Career

He has earned his living exclusively from music for his whole adult life, and has performed at a very high professional level as a singer, pianist, organist, arranger, orchestrator, composer, conductor and light entertainer. He was the musical director for many seasons at the famous

Gaiety Theatre, Ayr The Gaiety Theatre is a category B listed performing arts venue in Ayr, Scotland. It is noted for its interior rococo features, its atmosphere and its acoustics. Early history The Ayr Gaiety was built in 1902, reconstructed after a fire in 19 ...

and has been personal accompanist and musical director to several well-known artistes, most prolifically Moira Anderson and Anita Harris. He worked for a time in the USA with legendary opera star,

Marilyn Horne Marilyn Horne (born January 16, 1934) is an American mezzo-soprano opera singer. She specialized in roles requiring beauty of tone, excellent breath support, and the ability to execute difficult coloratura passages. She is a recipient of the Natio ...

and has played prolifically for touring operas. He was, for some years, a popular fixture - both alone and with his trio - at Gleneagles Hotel for Sunday lunch, special functions and during the festive season. He has been a regular conductor for the Scottish concerts mounted by Raymond Gubbay International. He is currently the organist and director of music of St. Andrew's West Parish Church (formerly Renfield St. Stephens), which is one of the largest and most imposing churches in Glasgow's City Centre, almost directly opposite his old stomping ground at the King's Theatre.

Composer

Cree has published many works, most of them short and very light in nature. ;Selected Orchestral Works * ''Capri Suite'' * ''Angela'' (tribute to

Angela Morley Angela Morley (10 March 192414 January 2009) was an English composer and conductor who became a familiar household name to BBC Radio listeners in the 1950s. She attributed her entry into composing and arranging largely to the influence and en ...

) * ''Concertino'' (for organ and string orchestra) * ''Champagne Flutes'' * ''Fiddlers Free'' * ''Havanaise'' (for violin and orchestra) * ''Petite Marche Cérémoniale'' * ''Suite for Strings'' * ''Nocturne (for cello and orchestra)'' * ''The Bognor Bugler's Return'' (for trumpet and orchestra) * ''The Bognor Bugler's Farewell'' (for trumpet and orchestra) * ''Shades of Heather'' (for tuned percussion and orchestra) ;Solo Organ Works * ''Prelude'' * ''Meditation'' * ''Aria'' * ''Trumpet Tune'' * ''Toccata on Adeste Fideles'' ;Popular Music * ''Scotland, My Song Forever'' (song)

Personal life

He has been in a relationship with operatic and concert mezzo-soprano, Cheryl Forbes, since 2007. They have been married since 2012.

Charity work

He is well known for his support of various charity through his performance and endorsement. He has been active for many years on behalf of the Scottish Showbusiness Benevolent Fund (and is its vice-president and trustee), The Grand Order of Water Rats, he formerly sat on the Master Court of the Trades House of Glasgow and is an Executive Founding Trustee of the Ayrshire (East) Foodbank which he established alongside his wife, Cheryl Forbes. It was announced in August 2013 that Cree and Forbes would be stepping down as sole executives for the Ayrshire (East) Foodbank due to family and work commitments, but stated that it was their dear hope that others would come forward to continue the work of the charity. The charity resumed under new management in October of the same year. He is also the co-founder and organiser of a large-scale annual musical event which has raised tens of thousands of pounds for Scottish charities, including the Ayrshire Hospice, C.H.A.S., Combat Stress, Sight-Savers, Erskine Hospital and Food for Africa. A freemason, he is a member of Chelsea Lodge No. 3098, the membership of which is made up of entertainers, and into which he was initiated at Freemasons' Hall,

Great Queen Street Great Queen Street is a street in the West End of central London in England. It is a continuation of Long Acre from Drury Lane to Kingsway. It runs from 1 to 44 along the north side, east to west, and 45 to about 80 along the south side, wes ...

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, 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 dow ...

References

External links

Official Website
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Cree, Gordon 1977 births Alumni of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Living people People from Irvine, North Ayrshire Scottish classical composers British male classical composers Scottish classical pianists Male classical pianists Scottish conductors (music) British male conductors (music) 21st-century Scottish male singers British male pianists 21st-century British conductors (music) 21st-century classical pianists