Richard Pantcheff (b.1959) is a British composer and conductor, who writes specialist original, innovative, works mostly in the genres of choral, organ, and instrumental music, to wide critical acclaim. His musical idiom is contemporary classical/modernist. He has recently been described as "one of the UK's foremost composers". He also specialises in choral conducting, and has made a number of critical editions of works by Gustav Holst, and Henry Walford Davies.
He starting composing music at an early age, and was first taught composition at Ripon Cathedral, England, by Ronald Perrin. During his time at senior school he corresponded regularly with Benjamin Britten, who gave him tutoring and guidance on the development of his compositional voice. Thereafter, at Christ Church, University of Oxford, England, he was tutored in composition by Simon Preston and Francis Grier.
His substantial output of compositions has been commissioned, performed, recorded, and broadcast all over the world. It is estimated that his works have been performed in at least twelve of the colleges of Oxford and Cambridge universities in the UK, as well as in many other British cathedrals (e.g. St. Paul's in London; Salisbury; Winchester, Christ Church Oxford), colleges, and churches. There have also been frequent performances in the USA, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, the Caribbean, and South Africa. His music appears on fourteen commercially-released CDs and EPs (with more in preparation). His works have been commissioned and performed by leading musicians, such as Jane Parker-Smith (organ), Stephen Layton (choir), Zanta Hofmeyr (violin), and many others.
Richard Pantcheff's works have been performed at many of the world's leading music festivals, including the London Festival of Contemporary Church Music (of which he is also a patron), the Tanglewood Festival (USA), the English Music Festival, The National Arts Festival (South Africa), the Southern Cathedrals' Festival (UK), the Texas Bach Festival (USA), the Wakkerstroom Music Festival (South Africa), the St. Magnus Festival (Scotland), and 'Britten 100' (worldwide).
His works have been broadcast regularly on radio and TV, including by the PBS (North America), Norwegian TV, Classic FM (South Africa), BBC Radio 3 (UK), and German radio.
Richard Pantcheff lives in Oxford in the UK. He is Composer in Residence at St. George's Anglican Church, Johannesburg, South Africa, into which a new Rieger organ was installed in 2012.
His website is at www.richardpantcheff.com, where contact details and all information about his compositions may be found.