Gareth Valentine

Gareth Valentine (born 22 November 1956) is a Welsh composer, arranger, conductor and musical director. He has worked extensively in London's West End on musical productions and also conducted orchestras worldwide including the BBC Concert Orchestra, Welsh National Opera Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Pasdeloup orchestra, RPO Concert Orchestra, Queensland Symphony Orchestra, ENB Sinfonia, Orchestre de chambre de Paris and many others. After graduating from the Royal College of Music, London, he studied with Sir Peter Pears at Aldeburgh.
Early life
A native of Cefn Mawr, Valentine was educated at Ysgol Rhiwabon, Ruabon, Wrexham, Wales. He then graduated from the Royal College of Music, London, and later studied with Sir Peter Pears at the Advanced School of Singing and Strings Aldeburgh.
Professional career
Valentine was composer and music supervisor for Aladdin, the pantomime, at the Old Vic starring Ian McKellen and Roger Allam. His "Requiem" has been performed worldwide to international acclaim and was recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London. He was music supervisor for the Channel 4 television series "Musicality". He was commissioned to arrange George Gershwin's music for a ballet, Strictly Gershwin, for English National Ballet which was presented in 2008 at the Royal Albert Hall, London and which he also conducted. The Times called the musical contribution "outstanding". Strictly Gershwin was presented by Queensland Ballet (2016) and Tulsa Ballet (2018)
Credits
Valentine has worked extensively in London's West End on many musical productions including:
Cats
Miss Saigon
Cabaret - Aldwych
Kiss Me, Kate - Victoria Palace & RSC
Camelot - Covent Garden Festival
Chicago - Adelphi/Moscow/Gottenburg/Madrid/Tokyo/Seoul
Acorn Antiques! (Haymarket)
Nine - Donmar Warehouse
Damn Yankees - Adelphi
Children Will Listen - Colisseum
Sinatra at the London Palladium - London Palladium
My One and Only - Piccadilly
Maria Friedman's Rearranged - Trafalgar
Closer Than Ever - Vaudeville
Oh Kay! - Chichester
Sleep With Friends - UK Tour
42nd Street - Theatre Royal
Oliver! - UK & Canada
Merrily We Roll Along - Donmar Warehouse
Anything Goes - West End/National Theatre
Company - West End
Sondheim At 80 (Donmar at Queen's)
Kiss of the Spider Woman - West End
The Pajama Game (Chichester Festival Theatre)
Guys & Dolls (Chichester Festival Theatre)
National Theatre 50th Anniversary TV event
Home (National Theatre/The Shed)
Porgy and Bess - West End
Wicked - West End
The King and I - In the round, Royal Albert Hall with RPO
Into The Woods, Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park
End Of The Rainbow Trafalgar Studios
Crazy For You Novello Theatre, West End
Strictly Gershwin (ENB) Albert Hall/National Tour
Brynfest with Bryn Terfel and WNO Orchestra (RFH)
City Of Angels (Donmar)
Singin' In The Rain (Chatelet, Paris)
Follies (Royal Albert Hall, London)
42nd Street (Chatelet, Paris)
Strictly Gershwin (Tulsa Ballet USA)
Ruthless! (Arts Theatre, West End)
Me & My Girl (Chichester Festival Theatre)
Sweet Charity (Donmar)
Sound of Music (Chichester Festival Theatre)
Recordings
Album recordings include:
Love Never Dies
Musicality
Anything Goes
The Baker’s Wife
Company
Chicago
Kiss of the Spiderwoman
Tonight’s The Night
Requiem
References
Rainbow Network - Interview with Gareth Valentine, 30 November 2001
The Daily Telegraph - 10/11/2004 "Musicals are still calling the tune," says Sarah Crompton Quotes Valentine as saying: "Musical theatre is a great confectionery of ingredients. When it is done right, it is the most exciting thing."
The Daily Telegraph - Dominic Cavendish reviews Porgy and Bess at the Savoy Theatre "With the aid of composer Gareth Valentine, Nunn's production has cut down the original running time"
Porgy and Bess (UK production) - Gareth Valentine
British composers
Living people
1956 births
Alumni of the Royal College of Music
People educated at Ysgol Rhiwabon