Roxburgh, Edwin

Biography

Edwin Roxburgh (born 6 November 1937) is an English composer, conductor and oboist.

Roxburgh was born in Liverpool. After playing oboe in the National Youth Orchestra, he won a double scholarship to study composition with Herbert Howells and oboe with Terence MacDonagh at the Royal College of Music. He also studied composition with Nadia Boulanger in Paris and Luigi Dallapiccola in Florence. Boulanger once described him as "the new Stravinsky".

After his studies he became principal oboist of the Sadler's Wells Opera, and as a virtuoso soloist he gave the UK premieres of Luciano Berio’s Sequenza VII and Heinz Holliger’s Cardiophonie. Together with Léon Goossens he wrote the Menuhin Music Guide for the oboe in 1977. He also played with the Menuhin Festival Orchestra.

Roxburgh taught composition and conducting at the Royal College of Music, where he founded the RCM's Twentieth Century Ensemble. In 2004 he became the acting Head of Composition at the Birmingham Conservatoire and from 2005 has acted as visiting tutor in composition and conducting, as well as workshop leader. Among his students are Luke Bedford, Dai Fujikura, Daniel Giorgetti, Helen Grime, Kenneth Hesketh, Rolf Hind, Jonathan Lloyd, Roger Redgate and David Warburton.

In 2007 his 70th birthday was celebrated in a series of concert performances showcasing a selection of his works. He is Associate Composer of the London Festival Orchestra.

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