Frederick Paul Naftel
Compositions to date include 2 Concerti for Orchestra, 2 Symphonies, a ballet suite “The Legend of Pandora”, chamber and vocal music. “Three Sacred Songs” was composed for and premiered by La Nova Singers directed by Michelle Nova in May 2017.
In September 2018, his “Double Concerto for Bass Tuba and Contrabass Tuba” was premiered by Andy Wyatt, Mike Johnson and Bolton Symphony Orchestra and the Bass Clarinet Concerto was premiered in March 2019 by its dedicatee, Gerry Green
“Aubade Pastorale” was performed by The Amaretti Chamber Orchestra in May 2019.
In May 2020, Frederick received an award from the prestigious Paul Hamlyn Foundation, having been nominated for a prize by Sir James MacMillan. In October of the same year, Freddy was runner-up in the King Lear Arts Competition, his entry being the best in the Chairman’s Prize music field of the competition.
2022 saw the premiere of “Legacy” for solo Eb clarinet(composed for Nelly Rodriguez) and in June this year, his “Sanctus” for female voices, strings and piano was premiered in Bournemouth by the afore-mentioned La Nova Singers.
The Renaissance Dance Suite was premiered in December 2022 by The St Edward’s Orchestra, Roath, Cardiff. His String Quartet No.2 will receive the first public performance in Manchester early in 2023.
Frederick is now concentrating on his 3rd Symphony, to be dedicated to Sir James MacMillan, a work inspired by and commemorating The Holocaust.
Works are published by Composers Edition.
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.
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.
His inspirations are wide-ranging, from landscapes to nature, historical and contemporary events. He has an instinctive grasp of how to establish mood and atmosphere from the very start of a work. In his orchestral music, much use is made of the full orchestral resources when required, especially via the use of brass and percussion. Chamber music is often intimate and striking and very personal, as exhibited by the two string quartets.
My interpretation of Naftel’s ‘Aphoristic Impressions’ will be released by Divine Art in February, 2024
