Emma-Ruth Richards

Emma-Ruth Richards is a composer much in demand in the UK and overseas, acclaimed for her understanding of both instrumental and vocal writing, earning her a role as a favourite among musicians and singers. 2019 saw the Albany Piano Trio premiere of Precious Art of Scars which was commissioned by the Stoller Hall for International Women's Day. Emma-Ruth is currently working on a new orchestral song cycle for Lucy Schaufer commissioned by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra for performance and BBC Radio 3 broadcast in January 2020. The 2018/9 season has seen American premieres with Camerata Pacifica (Nicholas Daniel, oboe) touring California, and two portrait concerts in Manchester’s Stoller Hall including a world premiere with the Zelkova Quartet. ‘Until a Reservoir No Longer Remains’. The year continues with the premiere of a new cello duet for Classical Brit Award winner Guy Johnston and the 2016 BBC Young Musician of the Year Sheku Kanneh-Mason, the premiere of Violated Blossoms (for cello and soprano) commissioned by Wild Plum Arts at the Cheltenham Festival, and the New York premiere of 'Dark Radiance' (solo cello) alongside the release of a new CD with Parma Recordings at Carnegie Hall. In 2019 Emma-Ruth was awarded the PRS Composer's Fund to complete her opera ‘Traffick’, written with librettist Nicola Chalmers; ‘Traffick’ has been commissioned and developed with the Nordland Teater, Norway, The Royal Opera House and Mahogany Opera. 2017 saw the premieres of a new commission from London Sinfonietta, a new chamber orchestra piece for Britten Sinfonia premiered at the Barbican Centre, and Two Worlds CD release of ‘You Cannot Fold a Flood’. Previously, Emma-Ruth has been commissioned by London Sinfonietta, Opera North Orchestra, London Philharmonia, Håkan Hardenberger, Colin Currie, Nicholas Daniel, Mark Van de Wiel, Paul Silverthorne, Dudok Kwartet, BBC NOW Chamber Players, and The Absolution Saxophone Quartet amongst others. She is a Royal Northern Gold Medal composer and has featured in festivals including Presteigne (2018), Mahogany Opera's Various Stages Festival (2017), York Spring Festival (2017), Mons Capital of Culture (2015), Southbank’s Changing Britain Festival (2015), Aldeburgh (2014), Sound Scotland (2013), Internationaal Kamermuziekfestival Den Haag (2012), St. Magnus Festival (2012), Sounds New Canterbury (2010), and Music of Today Southbank (2009). Emma-Ruth read music at Cardiff University and then completed her PhD at the Royal Northern College of Music. She has since worked with composers such as Alexander Goehr, Oliver Knussen, Judith Weir, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies and Colin Matthews.