Christopher Redgate (b 1956) – Biographical Details

Christopher Redgate is currently an AHRC Fellow in the Creative and Performing Arts at the Royal Academy of Music. As part of this fellowship he is developing new repertoire for the oboe, redesigning some of the keywork for the instrument in order to meet the challenges of the most demanding music written today and further developing a number of the extended techniques.

Since the late 1970s Christopher Redgate has specialized in the performance of contemporary oboe music. He has been described as having ‘extraordinary exploratory technical brilliance’ (Music Web) and of being a 'tireless champion' of extended techniques (Double Reed Magazine). This specialisation has inspired many composers to write for him (examples include Michael Finnissy, Roger Redgate, Christopher Fox, James Clarke, Paul Archbold, Michael Young, Fabrice Fitch, Joe Cutler and David Gorton) and as a result he has given premiere performances of a great number of works. 

His performing career has taken him all over the world as a soloist, or in ensembles; he has performed in most European countries, Scandinavia, Australia, America, Canada, Mexico and China. He has worked with many ensembles including Ensemble Exposé, Suoraan, Trio Krosta, Kreutzer Quartet, Arditti Quartet, Firebird Ensemble, Music Projects/London, Lontano, Ensemble Modern, the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, Ixion, Apartment House, Topologies, London Sinfonietta and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. 

He has been active as a teacher both of oboe and in workshops for composers. From 1986 to 1992 he was Professor of oboe at the International New Music Course in Darmstadt. Recent teaching events have included oboe classes at the Royal Academy of Music, the Royal Scottish Academy of Music, Royal Northern College of Music, Birmingham Conservatoire, The Royal Welsh College of Music and Kingston University.

Composition workshops (writing for oboe) have been presented at Kings College London, Huddersfield University, Goldsmith’s College, Kingston University, and Birmingham Conservatoire and in workshops run by the SPNM and the BMIC.

He broadcasts regularly for BBC Radio Three and has several solo CDs. His most recent release, Greatest Hits of All Time with Ensemble Exposé and the Kreutzer Quartet (Metier) has received critical acclaim. Other Recordings include Ferneyhough Chamber Music with Ensemble Expose (Metier) and Roxburgh Oboe Music (Metier), Oboe+ :Berio and beyond (Oboe Classics), Lost Lands (The music of Michael Finnissy) (Metier), and Pasculli: the Paganini of the Oboe (Oboe Classics).  With the composer Paul Archbold he has recently recorded and written research and teaching material: Multiphonics and the Oboe which is now available on the PRIMO website (funded by Kingston University).  

He has contributed three articles to an edition of Contemporary Music Review and is working on a book on the interpretation of contemporary oboe music and contributing a chapter in a new book on the music of Michael Finnissy.

Chris studied at Chethams' School of Music and the Royal Academy of Music where Richard Morgan and Evelyn Barbirolli taught him. During his time at the Royal Academy he won a several prizes and represented the Academy in a number of concerto performances. A number of prizes in international competitions marked the beginning of his professional performing career. www.christopherredgate.co.uk

With the composer Paul Archbold he has recently recorded and written research and teaching material: Multiphonics and the Oboe which is now available on the PRIMO website (funded by Kingston University) and a DVD of Archbold's Fluxions.