Pippa Drummond

Author, composer, performer

Pippa Drummond studied music at Oxford university under Edmund Rubbra, obtaining an MA in music, followed by a postgraduate degree in composition and a doctorate in musicology. Appointed a research fellow at St. Hugh’s college Oxford she then became a lecturer in music at Sheffield university. After having a family she left academic life and became a professional flautist. A former principle flautist with the National Youth orchestra she now freelanced with the East of England orchestra, the English Philharmonic and the English Symphony orchestra. She performed in all the major concert halls of London and the provinces playing under numerous famous conductors and alongside well-known soloists. She has also given solo recitals in London, Sheffield, Bath, Bristol, Penzance and St.Ives. She has taken part as a soloist at various festivals (including the Fowey festival) and as an orchestral flautist at the Three Choirs. She is also a member of various small groups including the Trevilley trio and the Heinichen ensemble (in which she plays baroque flute). The author of two books on music history concerning the eighteenth century German concerto and nineteenth-century music festivals, she has also written a number of articles and is a contributor to Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Since moving to Cornwall ten years ago she has concentrated on composition. Among recent pieces are Reflections on the Great War, (a large scale work for soloists and orchestra performed in Penzance in 2014) and Soundscapes for string orchestra (performed several times in and around Truro in 2016). Her arrangements for voice and string quartet of five songs (originally for voice and piano) from A. Somerville's A Shropshire Lad were premiered at the St. Endellion Festival in 2017. First performances in 2019 are scheduled to include the string quintet Golyow Pennwydh (written for the Corineus quartet with extra ‘cello) and an Evening Hymn for SATB and organ for Helston chamber choir. Pippa has developed an interest in Cornish subject matter and has made several arrangements of traditional songs for Keur heb Hanow with which she also sings. List of compositions: Voices and orchestra: • Reflections on the Great War String orchestra: • Soundscapes for string orchestra also re- orchestrated for full orchestra Choral music: • Evening Hymn for SATB and organ • O Magnum Mysterium for SATB • The Lord is my Shepherd for SATB and organ (piano) Chamber music: • Four Lyric pieces for mezzo-soprano, flute, piano and string quartet: (My beloved spake; The Sea’s embrace; Musings on “I will consider my cat Jeoffrey; Starlight night) • To Music song cycle for soprano, flute and piano: (To Music, Chromatic Tunes, The Flute Player’s promise; Charm me asleep) • Golyow Pennwydh for string quintet • Elegy for string quartet • Celtic Blessing (Wedding anthem) for mezzo-soprano and piano Solo pieces: • Fantasia on In dulci jubilo for organ • Variations on An Lader for solo guitar • Echo and Narcissus for solo flute • Pras an eos (The nightingale meadow) for solo flute Arrangements: • An Lader (The robber) (SATB) • Ryb an Avon By the river (SATB) • Garlagan Kostentin yn Keryer (Constantine in Kerrier Funeral Hymn) (SATB) • Five songs from A. Somerville’s A Shropshire Lad arranged for tenor and string quartet