Christopher Redgate is the Evelyn Barbirolli Research Fellow at the Royal Academy of Music, London. He has recently been active in redesigning the key-work of the oboe and, in collaboration with Howarth of London, has developed the Howarth-Redgate system oboe for contemporary music performance.
He studied at the Royal Academy of Music and has for 35 years specialised 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 Brian Ferneyhough, Michael Finnissy, Roger Redgate, Richard Barrett, Edwin Roxburgh, Christopher Fox, James Clarke, Sam Hayden, Paul Archbold, Michael Young, Fabrice Fitch and David Gorton and Joe Cutler) 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 and 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 and orchestras includingThe Arditti Quartet, Quatour Diotima, The London Symphony Orchestra, Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra 10:10 Ensemble, The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Ensemble Exposé, Cikada Ensemble, Coull Quartet, Suoraan, Trio Krosta, Kreutzer Quartet, Firebird Ensemble, Music Projects/London, Lontano, Ensemble Modern, the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, Ixion, Apartment House and Topologies.
He is active as a teacher both of oboe and in workshops for composers. From 1986 to 1992 he was the oboe teacher at the International New Music Course in Darmstadt. Recent teaching events have included oboe classes at the Royal Academy of Music (oboe class and research presentations), Royal Scottish Academy of Music, Royal Northern College of Music, Birmingham Conservatoire, The Royal Welsh College of Music, Kingston University and Trinity College of Music.
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. The most recent being New Music for a New Oboe (vol.1) with music by Michael Finnissy and Edwin Roxburgh. These works were written for the new Howarth-Redgate oboe and this CD is the first recording of the new instrument.
He has recently contributed three articles to an edition of Contemporary Music Review, many articles for The IDRS and BDRS journals and a number of chapters in multi-authored books. He is currently working on a book on the interpretation of contemporary oboe music.
His performances frequently include the use of electronics and especially of the lap top computer and for many years now he has been including improvisation as a significant part of his recitals.
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.
