Francis Pott joined the Vivace Chorus in 2008 with a reputation as both a very fine pianist and a composer of international renown. He not only has a PhD but holds the title of Professor. In 1982 he took 1st prize in the Lloyds Bank National Composing Competition and took 1st prize at the Prokoviev International Composing Competition in 1997. He was a finalist in the prestigious National Composers Award in 2006 and came 2nd (out of 362) in the Barlow Foundation International Composition Award (2004). His commissions have been heard as far afield as Russia, USA, Poland, France, Greece and the Czech Republic.
His works have included sonatas for violin and cello, choral works, a piano quintet and a number of works for the oboe. His most ambitious work to date is his oratorio ‘A Song on the End of the World' (1999) commissioned by the 3 Choirs' Festival. Another oratorio, ‘The Cloud of Unknowing' had its world premiere at the London Festival of Contemporary Church Music in 2006. The work was critically acclaimed and it received a 'Supersonic' award from the CD journal ‘Pizzicato' following its recording.
He was a chorister in the 1960s at New College, Oxford, served in the Choirs of Temple Church, London (1987-1991) and Winchester Cathedral (1991-2001). From 1992 to 2001 he was Lecturer in Music at St Hilda's College, Oxford and is now Head of Music at Thames Valley University, holding the Chair in Composition.
His performances on the piano have embraced jazz, medieval consort music, theatre-based keyboard work and harpsichord continuo, specialising in the baroque. He has performed as part of a piano duo with both Roger Owens and Jeremy Filsell. He has three commercial CD releases as pianist and accompanist.
Please visit www.francispott.com for further information.
