Frederick Paul Naftel - British Composer

British Composers Project
	Frederick Paul Naftel

After receiving a teaching qualification from Manchester Polytechnic in 1988, Frederick joined the Music Department of Poynton County High School, Cheshire, where he stayed until December 1997. Since that time, he has worked as a freelance composer and supply teacher, undertaking various projects at a number of schools.
Pascal's Victim

Biographical Notes

Frederick Paul Naftel was born in Manchester in 1956. He graduated from Manchester University in 1978 and received a Fellowship in Composition from Trinity College of Music,London in October 1980.

After working for a music publishing/record retailing company,Frederick became a Music Instructor for Manchester Education Committee,working at Parrs Wood High School and teaching percussion at a number of Music Centres.

Frederick's interest in composing began when he was fourteen and developed at University,where he specialised in this area. Although largely self-taught,he considers himself to be an "eclectic" composer,able to write in many styles and formats,as befits the occasion.

In February 1983,The BBC Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Sir Edward Downes gave the premiere of "Concerto No.2 for Orchestra" and in September 1989,Frederick won first prize in the "Fanfare for the New North" Competition - "Northern Lights" for Percussion Ensemble was performed by members of The Halle Orchestra conducted by Stanislaw Skrowaczewski.

Oh,Pandora! was a multi-arts project involving music, dance, drama and poetry and was conceived for and performed by pupils of St.Thomas More School in Buxton,Derbyshire.

For this project,Frederick composed music on three levels - improvised, though structured music for large percussion ensemble, instrumental movements for a live ensemble and dances/songs using computerised sounds.
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The work was very successful, the pupils discovering their practical abilities through performing and listening to each other. They also composed ideas of their own which were integrated into the musical fabric.

While at Poynton, Frederick composed and arranged a wide variety of music for many solo performers and ensembles. He is very committed to providing music for educational purposes and combines this interest with writing music for professional groups as well. In 1998, he composed Anniversary Games for A Level pupils at Fallibroome High School, Macclesfield, who performed the work several times during 1999, including a concert performance at The Chester Festival.

In 1999,he was commissioned by Stockport Music Services to compose a Millennium Song-Cycle for primary school pupils and this resulted in Juvenilia:10 Songs for the Millennium.

Pascal's Victim was written for the North West based tuba quartet TUBALATE, who performed the music at the 1999 Vale of Glamorgan Festival, Standish Arts Festival and at The Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester in January 2000.

His latest work for TUBALATE, I Saw a Snake...., will be premiered at The Hebden Bridge Arts Festival on 30th June 2000. Frederick is planning several new works for this ensemble, including a Concerto for Tuba Quartet and Wind Orchestra.

Pascal's Victim has recently been recorded for imminent CD release on the ensemble's own label.
Selected Works

SELECTED WORKS

ORCHESTRAL

Concerto No.1 for Orchestra (1977)
Symphony No.1 for Tenor Solo and Orchestra (1978)
Fanfare Overture (1980)
Concerto No.2 for Orchestra (1978/82)
Dithyramb (1985)
Festive Prelude for Brass and Percussion (1988)
Symphony No.2 (1995)
In Memoriam II (1997)

CHAMBER/INSTRUMENTAL

Sonata for Double Bass and Harpsichord (1978)
Sonatina for Solo Clarinet (1978)
Quartet for Flutes and Strings (1983)
Phantasy-Duo for Oboe and Vibraphone (1986)
4 Studies for Wind Quintet (1986)
Capriccio,Variazioni e Toccata for Solo Piano (1979 rev.1991)
Northern Lights for Percussion Ensemble (1989)
Pascal's Victim:Suite for Tuba Quartet (1999)
"I Saw a Snake...." for Narrator and Tuba Quartet (2000)

WORKS FOR SCHOOL/COLLEGE ENSEMBLES

Psalm 150 for Soprano Solo,SATB Choir,2 Pianos and 4 Percussion
Triptych for Flute,Clarinet,Viola and Piano (1992)
Pastoral and Toccata for 5 Flutes and 2 Guitars (1995)
Elation for Wind,Percussion and Double Basses (1995)
In Memoriam l for Flute,Cello and Piano (1997)
Anniversary Games for 3 Flutes/2 Piccolos,2 Clarinets,Viola and Piano/Temple Blocks (1999)
Juvenilia:10 Songs for the Millennium

WORKS FOR STRING ORCHESTRAS

Aubade Pastorale (1985)
Song of Songs:Rhapsody for Strings and Harp (1985)
Suite Accademico (1988)

OTHER WORKS

"Oh,Pandora!" - a multi-arts project involving music,dance and drama (1998)
Hullabaloo! for Brass Band and Organ (1999)
Song of Songs:version for 2 Pianos (2000)

RECORDINGS

"Pascal's Victim" has been recorded by TUBALATE for release during 2000 on the ensemble's own label. CDs available through Frederick. Several works listed above are available on cassette but are not yet commercially recorded. Copies are available from Frederick.

(Musical extract from "Pascal's Victim" - start of 3rd movement)

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