Biography

Paul Lovatt-Cooper is an accomplished musician and one of the most sought after young composing talents of his generation. As well as his role as Composer in Association with the world famous Black Dyke Band he is also the Director of Music at Wardle High School Performing Arts College. He is the Percussion Tutor with the National Children’s Brass Band of Great Britain and Percussion and Composition Tutor at the Brass Band Summer School.

Paul is an accomplished percussionist, as well as performing with the Black Dyke Band winning the British Open, National and European Brass Band Championships he has also performed as a soloist with Black Dyke and as international guest soloist in both Holland and in Japan.

Paul is also a celebrated conductor winning the coveted Roy Newsome Conductors Award at Salford University and also the Welsh Regional Championships with the Royal Buckley Band in 2009. He has conducted various other bands including the Black Dyke Band and the Brighouse and Rastrick Band and he has also conducted the Salford University Brass Ensemble at a private concert for HRH Price Charles. In the summer of 2010 Paul will be the guest conductor of the National Youth Brass Band of Scotland.

Paul has enjoyed performances of his works including world premiers in the UK and in countries world wide including Ireland, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, New Zealand, Japan, Australia, and The United States. His pieces have been performed in some of the world's finest concert halls including Birmingham's Symphony Hall, Cardiff's St David's Hall, Holland's De Lawei Concert Hall, London's Royal Albert Hall and Sydney Opera House.

His composing skills have earned him commissions from various bands including the Black Dyke Band, the Cory Band, Brighouse and Rastrick Band and the National Children's Band of Great Britain. As well as ensembles Paul has had commissions from international soloists such as Brett Baker, Richard Marshall, Perry Hoogendijk, David Childs and Owen Farr. His music has been featured on television and many radio stations worldwide including BBC Radio 2 and Radio 3.

Paul was born and raised in the Salvation Army with his parents who were Officers. He was quickly introduced into music by all of his family members who were all keen musicians. He started his musical career by playing the drums at school at the age of twelve. He joined the school band shortly after, which led to an invitation to play for former British Open Champions Kennedy's Swinton Band. The invitation came from his music teacher and conductor of the band Kevin Bolton.

After school Paul continued to study music at the University of Salford. Paul studied percussion under freelance percussionist Andrew Whettam and he majored in conducting under David King and composing with Peter Graham. In his final year Paul added to his degree success by winning the coveted ‘Roy Newsome Conductors Award'.

On graduating from university Paul earned his Post Graduate Certificate in Education at Manchester Metropolitan University and became a teacher of Music. He then joined Wardle High School Performing Arts College as Director of Music and the Black Dyke Band as percussionist and Composer in Association.
At Black Dyke Paul's potential as a composer soon had the band performing his works, starting with the world premier of his Trombone Concerto "Earth's Fury" at Birmingham's Symphony Hall which was recorded and broadcast on BBC Radio 2.

Since then Paul has been enjoying both playing and composing successes with Black Dyke and with other ensembles worldwide. In 2005 Paul won the Brighouse and Rastrick Band's 125th Anniversary Composers Competition with his piece "West Rydings", beating off many entries from all around the world.
Paul's talents as a composer have attracted attention from various musical circles including the world famous composer Karl Jenkins. Karl's EMI Classics album entitled "This Land of Ours" featuring music by Karl included one other track that Karl enjoyed immensely which was Paul Lovatt-Coopers "Where Eagles Sing".

"Where Eagles Sing" was also performed on BBC Radio 2's famous "Friday Night is Music Night" programme by the Coldstream Guards and is the title track for the latest album by the band of The Army Air Corps.

Paul's music was featured in the gala concert of the National Championships of Switzerland 2007 by International Soloist David Childs where Paul was the invited guest. Paul's piece "The Dark Side of the Moon" was selected as a test piece for the National Brass Band Championships 2008 and received performances all over the world. It was also selected as the test piece for the Dutch National Championships 2008.

Paul has enjoyed writing various works for youth bands; his first "Solar Eclipse" was commissioned by Colin Duxbury and the Stockport Schools Band who performed it as part of their winning programme at the National Youth Championships of Great Britain in 2000. "The Big Top" was composed for the Wardle High School Band as part of their award winning performance at the National Festival of Music for Youth Final at Birmingham's Symphony Hall in 2006.

"Dream Catchers" was commissioned by the National Children's Band of Great Britain in 2007 and has since been performed at York Minster in the summer of 2008 by the Yorkshire Youth Band. Paul was commissioned by the British Federation of Brass Bands to compose the test piece entitled "Skylines" for the National Youth Championships of Great Britain 2009. His two major works "Within Blue Empires" and "Sleepless Cities" were used as the set works for the English National Championships 2009 and the Butlins Mineworkers Entertainment Championships 2010. His latest work “Wall of Sound” has been commissioned by the National Children’s Band of Great Britain for summer 2010.

Paul has enjoyed giving master classes on both percussion and composition and conducting rehearsals with various ensembles and youth organisations around the world. He is in high demand as a soloist, conductor and composer with a number of commissioned works in the pipeline for 2011, 2012 and 2013.
Paul is continuing to enjoy performing with the Black Dyke Band all round the world and retains his position as Composer in Association with this illustrious band.