David Fanshawe

The symphonic works of British composer David Fanshawe were infused by a global range of ethnic and traditional influences. Fanshawe’s ethnomusicological visits to Africa, Arabia, Alaska, and the Pacific Islands provided a foundation for his compositions. Fanshawe’s most successful piece, “African Sanctus,” was the subject of an award-winning BBC documentary. A 13-movement composition, it blends elements of the Latin Mass and Anglican liturgy with traditional African music based on recordings that Fanshawe collected while traveling down the Nile River in the early 1970s. A native of Dover, England, Fanshawe studied at St. George’s Choir School and, with a full scholarship, the Royal Conservatory of Music. Fanshawe’s travels yielded more than 2,000 tapes, 1,000 boxes of slides, and 40 volumes of his handwritten journals. His compositions include “Fantasy on Dover Castle,” “Requiem for the Children of Aberfan,” “The Awakening,” and “Romanza Burlesque.” ~ Craig Harris