John W Duarte
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John W(illiam) Duarte (1919-2004*) was a British composer mainly for the classical guitar.
Born 2 October 1919 in Sheffield, England. Duarte considered himself 100% British, hence, his father was Scottish and his mother was English, a fact that echoed throughout his music Duarte's "English Suite" Op.31, a three movement work for the classical guitar, reflects the renaissance of court lutenists such as John Dowland and John Johnson.
Education
Educated at Manchester Central High School (1931-35) and Manchester University Faculty of Technology (1936-40). Worked as a professional chemist until 1969, then abandoned chemistry in favour of full-time music. Only formal musical eduction was lessons with Terence Usher (1934-36) in jazz-guitar playing; the rest was by self-instruction. Has worked professionally also as a player of the trumpet and double-bass in music of many kinds, and regularly as a jazz musician until 1953. His many friendships with great artists included one of 39 years with Andrès Segovia and an enforcedly shorter one with Ida Presti, who died at the age of 42.
Works
Composer of over 130 works for the guitar and lute (many commissioned with funds provided by the Arts Council of Great Britain and other sources, official and private, both domestic and overseas. Most have been published and 57 have been commercially recorded by 58 artists and/or ensembles in 24 countries, some several times. Author of very many arrangements (several also recorded) and didactic works.
Articles published
Duarte was a regular contributor to Soundboard, interviewer and reviewer of books, music, concerts and recordings of many kinds (specializing in Baroque music) with Gramophone, Music Teacher and classical guitar, and author of numerous concert-program notes and about 250 liner notes for records of various kinds, including those for the complete reissue of Julian Bream's recordings for RCA (28 compact discs). Received a Grammy Award for his annotation to the reissue of Segovia's recordings of 1927-39. In the past, has contributed regularly to Music in Education, Guitar Review, Guitar International, Music & Musicians, Records and Recording, and Performance. Contributor to the revised edition of The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians.
note* John W. Duarte died on the 23 of December 2004, after a long battle with cancer.