Adrian Connell started writing music when he was eleven by arranging music for the school swing band and concert band. As well as writing numerous arrangements, he also started writing his own original jazz compositions. By the time he moved onto further education in 1984 he had already written a “Jazz Rhapsody” for Piano and Orchestra, two Mahlerian Symphonies and the award winning “Kids ‘N’ Cops March” for the Hammersmith and Fulham annual Kids and Cops show for concert band.
Since graduating in 1987 Adrian has led a varied and active musical life. As well as working in the music publishing business he has also been busy as a conductor, bass guitarist, composer, orchestrator and editor.
As a composer Adrian’s music has been widely performed throughout the South East area of the United Kingdom. Most compositions have been commissioned, with performances by the Bromley Œcumenical Singers, Surrey Philharmonic Orchestra, Hayes Symphony Orchestra, Harrow Symphony Orchestra, Southampton Concert Orchestra, Bromley Symphony Orchestra and many church choirs. His orchestral music includes 6 Symphonies, 2 Concertos, numerous works for orchestra including overtures, variations, symphonic poems, a series of works called “ToeTappers” (which are short, melodic works written for amateur orchestras), works for string orchestra and a couple of works for symphonic concert band. His choral music includes “Song of Praise” and “Sing a New Song” for choir and large orchestra, a mass “Missa Cum Gaudio”, a Requiem “Remembered with Love”, “Symphony of Joy” for choir and organ or orchestra and numerous motets. Adrian has also produced orchestrations for choral repertoire including works by Parry, Stanford, Maunder and Fauré and new editions of works by Schubert and Elgar. His recent choral transcription of the “Adagietto” from Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 as an “Ave Maria” for double choir and harp has just been released by Decca on a CD called “Illumina”, featuring The Choir of New College, Oxford, conducted by Edward Higginbottom. Adrian’s music is currently published by Doblinger Musikverlag, Dohr Musikverlag and Ut Orpheus Edizioni.