“Messagesquisse was sensuously and scintillatingly delivered, with the fiendish solo superbly executed by Richard Birchall. And the latter’s own moody Mirrors, replete with glissandos, harmonics and vocal hissing, revealed a composer who knows how to exploit fully the possibilities of his instrument” - The Times, January 2011
Richard Birchall is one of the UK's most versatile young musicians, and is beginning to earn a reputation both as a performing cellist and as a composer and arranger. He made his Purcell Room debut in 2010 in a recital which included London premieres of works by Edward Harper and Sally Beamish, receiving a number of enthusiastic reviews. He has appeared as concerto soloist with the Guildford Symphony Orchestra, Croydon Symphony Orchestra, Nonesuch Orchestra, Sinfonia Tamesa and others, at venues such as St John's Smith Square and West Road concert hall, Cambridge. Richard returned to the South Bank earlier this year to perform Pierre Boulez's Messagesquisse in the opening concert of the Park Lane Group New Year Series; his piece Mirrors - a PLG commission - was premiered in the same concert by cello octet Cellophony. His Psycho Suite, a transcription for the Tippett Quartet’s disc of chamber music by Bernard Herrmann, is now released on Signum Classics.
In November 2010 Richard gave the UK premiere of Samuel Zyman’s Suite for Two Cellos with the great Mexican cellist Carlos Prieto; other recent chamber work has included appearances at Wigmore Hall, Cadogan Hall and the Barbican, and a performance of Ravel's Piano Trio with Clare Hammond and Philippe Graffin. He was solo cellist at Glyndebourne House in Julian Philips's new chamber opera 'Ghosts', and further contemporary chamber music projects include BBC Stockhausen and Murail celebrations from LSO St Luke's, broadcast on Radio 3. Richard is founder and co-director of cello octet Cellophony, appearing at festivals throughout the UK and further afield; the group made its Wigmore Hall debut in December 2011.
In November 2010 Richard gave the UK premiere of Samuel Zyman’s Suite for Two Cellos with the great Mexican cellist Carlos Prieto; other recent chamber work has included appearances at Wigmore Hall, Cadogan Hall and the Barbican, and a performance of Ravel's Piano Trio with Clare Hammond and Philippe Graffin. He was solo cellist at Glyndebourne House in Julian Philips's new chamber opera 'Ghosts', and further contemporary chamber music projects include BBC Stockhausen and Murail celebrations from LSO St Luke's, broadcast on Radio 3. Richard is founder and co-
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“An evidently gifted composer as well as performer” - The Guardian
“Subtle and fastidious musicianship... Richard Birchall is an impressive player” - The Classical Source
Richard is a member of the Philharmonia Orchestra, and has appeared as guest Principal Cello with the Northern Sinfonia and the Irish Chamber Orchestra; he also works regularly with the English Chamber Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra and others. He recently gave a set of masterclasses at Penn State University during a tour of America with the ICO.
Richard read Music at Cambridge University before studying as a postgraduate cellist at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Louise Hopkins. As a student he participated in masterclasses with Gary Hoffman (at the Manchester International Cello Festival), Philippe Müller, Martin Lovett, and Alexander Rudin. He was winner of the prestigious Muriel Taylor Scholarship in 2005 and subsequently won major awards from the Musicians' Benevolent Fund, Martin Musical Scholarship Fund, Countess of Munster Trust and the Craxton Memorial Trust.
