John Longley, pianist
Photo by Marc Marnie, 2000. I've grown my hair much longer since then.
Photo by Marc Marnie, 2000. I've grown my hair much longer since then.
I am a semi-professional pianist based in Edinburgh who tries to maintain some kind of sporadic musical career alongside my other life as a (part-time) lecturer in Informatics at the University of Edinburgh. My core interests are in classical music (I am particularly devoted to the Beethoven piano sonatas and to the works of Charles-Valentin Alkan), but nowadays I also very much enjoy adding elements of jazz, folk, rock and pop to the mix, and have made a number of solo piano arrangements spanning a wide range of styles and genres. I have also made a few forays into original composition (mostly for solo piano).
Between the ages of 16 and 21 I studied privately with the pianist Clifford Benson, and occasionally with Ronald Smith. I also enjoy working with other musicians, and am very grateful for my long-term collaborations with Alison Cole (soprano), Louise Holden (jazz singer) and Norda Barber (choir director).
In 2007 I had the privilege of performing Mozart's Piano Concerto No.21 in Nicaragua with Camerata Bach, the country's only professional orchestra.
I would be happy to consider invitations to give performances, in the Edinburgh area or elsewhere, subject to my availability. In particular I am very happy to play for informal community or charity events, and do not normally charge a fee for such things. Please email me at jrl@staffmail.ed.ac.uk.