about me

Born in Gloucestershire in 1983, Gavin grew up in the the Forest of Dean. Surrounded by a family of 'banders', it was not long before he joined the local brass band. In 1999, Gavin was awarded a place to study at the prestigious Chethams School of Music in Manchester and in 2001 was given a scholarship to study composition and french horn at the Royal Northern College of Music with Gary Carpenter. In 2007 Gavin became a Royal College of Music scholar supported by the AHRC and Douglas and Hilda Simmonds Awards, studying composition with Ken Hesketh. During his time at the RCM Gavin also became a Sound and Music (SPNM) shortlisted composer.

Gavin has had music performed by numerous ensembles and soloists throughout the UK and is regularly commissioned to write new works. His Alarms for solo trumpet and Road Works for percussion have proven popular with BBC Young Musician Finalists, both are regularly performed in the competition. Another popular work, Rage Dances was written for and performed by members of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and more recently by the Liverpool Philharmonic's contemporary music group, Ensemble 10:10.

Other commissions include Urban Fairy Tales, performed as part of the Rising Star Series at the Cadogan Hall, Mechanical Cabaret as part of the Exhibition Road Music Day Festival and Fanfares and Love Songs written for the National Children's Band of Great Britain.

A Forest Symphony, written as par of the Voices in the Forest Festival and played by the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain was selected for the wind and brass section of the British Composer Awards in 2008 and Three Broken Love Songs, written for BBC Young Musician of the Year winner Mark Simpson is regularly performed throughout the U.K.

His virtuoso work for trombone, 'Freaks!' has been recorded by Brett Baker and the Polysteel (flowers) band on the polyphonic label and the eccentric Tango has recently been recorded by the world famous Black Dyke Mills Band on the album 'Rathamataz'.

His latest and most substantial work, Dancing At The Edge Of Hell, is soon to be premiered and broadcast on BBC Radio 3 by the BBC Symphony Orchestra. This apocalyptic 'mock' ballet explores the ideas of dance music whilst drawing on the visual stimulations of abandoned theatres and the Gates of Hell, a large fiery crater in the middle of the Turkmenistan desert.

Gavin is also the first Music Fellow to the Rambert Dance Company.