Programme Note

Suffolk-based musician Lawrence Killian draws on his extensive experience as an orchestral conductor and brass player to compose music that is immediately accessible to both audience and players alike. Hailing from Haworth in West Yorkshire, composer Arthur Butterworth introduced him to composing and orchestral brass playing. Lawrence has enjoyed conducting many orchestras and groups over the years.

Having moved to Suffolk in 2021, he now lives in Hacheston near Woodbridge and has already established an excellent reputation as a conductor and brass player with a number of groups. These include Suffolk Sinfonia, Churchgate Sinfonia, the Rehearsal Orchestra in London, Ipswich Hospital Band, RAF Honington Band, and the East of England Co-op and Castleton Brass Bands. He was delighted when asked to be the Suffolk Sinfonia’s guest conductor for their June concert at the Apex concert hall in Bury St Edmunds.

Resume

Born in 1959, Lawrence began playing the cornet at age nine. He became a member of the Haworth Band in Yorkshire, eventually progressing through the ranks to become principal cornet with them at the age of sixteen. After having lessons with Arthur Butterworth at secondary school, he took up orchestral trumpet playing. He played in concerts and shows with various amateur orchestras locally and was a National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain member in 1975/76. It was Arthur who initially introduced him to composition and conducting.

Lawrence graduated in 1980 with a BA (Bachelor of Arts), first-class honours for composition, having studied with George Odam in Bath. Whilst in Bath, he studied trumpet with David Mason for three years, then with John Wallace during a post-graduate year at the National Centre for Orchestral Studies (NCOS) in London. Lawrence is an Associate of the Royal College of Music (ARCM) for trumpet performance. He also has a post-graduate diploma in orchestral playing (Dip. NCOS) from Goldsmith's College, London.

The first decade of his working career saw him in sales roles for Harrods, Marks & Spencer, and the Wrigley Company. From 1989 Lawrence followed a career in education that included primary school headship and senior management at LEA (Local Education Authority) level.

In 2012 Lawrence set up and ran his own education consultancy where he worked with primary and secondary schools. The focus was on developing teaching and learning, improving governance, and directly working with school senior management to improve learning and teaching and set up effective systems for OfSTED accountability. During this time, he established and conducted a new youth orchestra for the West Yorkshire area - Young Philharmonia. He also conducted the North Yorkshire Schools Orchestra and the combined Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees Youth Orchestra.

Music Experience

Running in parallel to his working life, Lawrence has maintained a career as a conductor, composer, and trumpet player. He has conducted many regional orchestras in over eighty public concerts and performances over the years. Prior to moving to Suffolk in 2021, he took a series of rehearsals with the Airedale Symphony Orchestra when they resumed playing again after the pandemic. Most recently, Lawrence conducted the Ipswich Hospital Band in a series of rehearsals and performed with them in a very successful concert at the beginning of April this year. In June, he will appear at the Apex concert venue in Bury St Edmunds as the Guest conductor with the Suffolk Sinfonia. As an orchestral trumpet player with expertise in transposition, Lawrence has extensive experience in performing orchestral works across all genres and periods.

There are over sixty of Lawrence’s compositions and arrangements available online – see www.LKillian.com, and www.musicforbrass.com and Pennine Music Publishing (link). All his brass arrangements have been performed many times at concerts with his brass quintet and other groups. One of his most recent brass projects has seen the Raedwald Ensemble established as a brass quintet with a base in Coddenham. Their inaugural concert was held at St Mary’s Church, Coddenham, in October last year.

His most recent work, Sinfonietta “A Christmas Carol” for narrator and orchestra, was premiered by Banbury Symphony Orchestra in December last year. The Huddersfield Philharmonic Orchestra and Aberdeen Symphony Orchestra also gave successful performances. They were all extremely well received, and Lawrence has been asked to compose a new piece in the same style for them to perform in December this year.

He has had several commissions for new orchestral music, including:

• Celebration for Orchestra: Birthday Treat, Anniversary, Jubilee (Commissioned by Todmorden Orchestra for their Centenary in 2015)

• The Ted Hughes Suite: His Youth, His Loves, The Poet Laureate (Commissioned by the Elmet Trust Ltd, for the Ted Hughes Festival 2008)

• The Three Lands: Selection with themes from Wales, Scotland, and Ireland (Commissioned by the Todmorden Orchestra, 2007)

Conducting Experience

• Musical Director - Ipswich Hospital Band (2023-2024)

• Guest Conductor – Suffolk Sinfonia (2023)

• Guest Conductor – Ipswich Hospital Band (March / April 2023)

• Associate Conductor: Airedale Symphony Orchestra (1990-1992 and 2018-2021)

• Associate Conductor: Oldham Symphony Orchestra (2011-2021)

• Conductor/ Musical Director: Young Philharmonia, Square Chapel, Halifax (2014-2017)

• Guest Conductor: North Yorkshire Schools Orchestra (2015-2016)

• Musical Director: Orchestra of Square Chapel, Halifax (1997-2011)

• Guest Conductor: Huddersfield Philharmonic (2011)

• Guest Conductor: West Yorkshire Schools Orchestras (2008)

• Guest Conductor: Slaithwaite Philharmonic Orchestra (2008)

• Associate Conductor: Halifax Symphony Orchestra (1993-1997)

• Associate Conductor: Huddersfield Philharmonic (1993-1995)

• Guest Conductor: Sinfonia of Leeds, premier of First Symphony (1993)

• Conductor: Todmorden Orchestra (1987-1992)

Work Experience

Composer, conductor, brass player, and teacher - January 1982 to date

Education Consultant - West Yorkshire, Apr. 2012 to Apr. 2017

Principal School Link Officer (Primary) - Calderdale MBC, Sep. 2000 to Apr. 2012

Headteacher - Elland CE Primary School, Calderdale, Jan. 1997 to Aug. 2000

Deputy Headteacher - Elland CE School, Jan.1995 to Jan.1997

Class Teacher - Cliffe Hill Primary School, Calderdale, Sep.1989 to Jan.1995

Key Account Manager - The Wrigley Company, Mar.1985 to Jul.1987

Area Sales Representative - The Wrigley Company, Mar.1983 to Mar.1985

Commercial Management - Marks and Spencer, Jan.1982 to Mar.1983