MARTIN BUSSEY
Martin Bussey combines the roles of composer and conductor. His music often reflects his passion for voices as well including a substantial catalogue of instrumental works, particularly for organ and piano. Much of Martin’s music reflects his strong interest in history and literature, and life in the borderlands between Cheshire, Shropshire and Wales. Currently he is working on a work for tenor and piano reflecting the archaeological excavation of the Roman city of Uricon (Shropshire), and a cycle for baritone Damian O'Keeffe, setting the poetry of Thomas Merton for performance in Northern Cathedrals. (click on underlined links for more detail)
Martin is published by Composers Edition.
Mary’s Hand, a one-woman show about Mary Tudor, was premiered in the summer of 2018 at Tete-a-tete Opera Festival to great critical acclaim. Created with Di Sherlock and mezzo-soprano Clare McCaldin, the staged work was described by The Independent as ‘outstanding’. This was followed in the 2020 festival by the audio-visual piece, Timeless Figure, inspired by clockmakers Joyce of Whitchurch, written for rising baritone Peter Edge. This was revived in November 2023 in Shropshire and Manchester to enthusiastic audiences.
In 2021 the premiere of a substantial commission from Pinner Music Festival, A Brother Abroad, was given. Composed for baritone Marcus Farnsworth and three instrumentalists, This focuses on the 14th century Bishop Peter of Bologna. Repeated in 2022 at the Ludlow English Song Weekend it was recorded in February 2024 for release on the Resonus Classics label alongside Martin’s cycles of Emily Bronte, A Chainless Soul, performed by Alison Rose; and Walt Whitman, Children of Adam; with Libby Burgess as pianist in both cycles. It was performed at the 2024 Southwell Music Festival alongside two companion pieces for solo French horn, The Rites Observed, and solo flute, La Rossa.
July 2022 saw the first performance of What the Dickens, an evening entertainment with original solo and choral settings of words by Dickens and his contemporaries, commissioned by the St Marylebone Festival.
Shropshire Lass, a semi-staged piece for soprano and guitar, sets the poetry of twentieth century Shropshire poet Mary Webb and received premiere performances in Shrewsbury, Malpas and Nantwich as part of the Marches Songbook Project in 2022.
Martin’s songs and choral music have been broadcast on many occasions on BBC Radio 3 and performed at many venues including Wigmore Hall, and at Lake District Summer Music, Endellion and Three Choirs Festivals.
Previous recordings on Resonus Classics include Through a glass, songs performed by Marcus Farnsworth and James Baillieu; and In no strange land, a survey of Martin’s choral music sung by Sonoro, directed by Neil Ferris. The latter was described as ‘glorious’ in BBC Music Magazine.
Martin was a Choral Scholar at King’s College, Cambridge after which he studied singing at the Royal Northern College of Music. He ran the aural, academic music and choral programmes at Chetham’s School of Music from 1988 to 2013. He currently directs Chester Bach Singers and Cantiones Choir of Oswestry. He is a longstanding vocal tutor at Manchester University; Chairman of the Finzi Friends; a director of Ludlow English Song; and a trustee of Kantos Choir.