Paul Harvey (pianist)

Last updated

Paul Harvey
OBE
Born (1940-01-29) 29 January 1940 (age 84)
Stoke-on-Trent, England
Occupation(s)
Instrument(s)Piano

Paul Ragle Harvey OBE (born 29 January 1940) is a British composer and former concert pianist. After being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2019, he rose to prominence in September 2020 following a viral video of him playing the piano. The video led to Harvey performing with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and recording a number-one single.

Contents

Early life and education

Harvey was born on 29 January 1940 [1] in Stoke-on-Trent. [2] [3] [4] He played piano from an early age, completing his first-grade exam at the age of four. At 15, he completed his Grade 8 exam, achieving one of the best results in the United Kingdom. [5] When he was 18, Harvey moved to London to study at the Guildhall School of Music. [5] [3] It was during this time that he met Sue, who later gave birth to Nick, Harvey's eldest son. [6]

Career

After graduating from the Guildhall School of Music, Harvey began work as a composer and pianist. One of his compositions, Rumba Toccata, is used regularly on the Grade 6 piano syllabus. [4] He was featured in the BBC Home Service's Variety Playhouse in 1964 when he played a piece by Mozart. [2] [3] [6]

Cleo Laine (1962).jpg
John-dankworth-buxton-opera-house.jpg
Harvey first improvised in his "four notes" style at a summer course organised by Cleo Laine (left) and John Dankworth (right)

Around the time of his son Nick's birth, Harvey became a teacher at Imberhorne School in East Grinstead. [5] He taught there for 20 years [2] and became head of music. [7] Other experiences teaching included working at a summer school organised by musicians Cleo Laine and John Dankworth. It was at that course that his son Nick recalled he first heard his father improvise in his signature four notes style. [8]

Later life

Harvey was moved into sheltered housing in 2015 and was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2019. [3] [5] To help fight the onset of the disease he plays the piano, sometimes through the persuasion of his son Nick. One such occasion was on 17 September 2020, [9] [6] when Nick asked his father to improvise a song using only four notes: F, A, D and B. [10] The two-minute long [11] performance was recorded and uploaded to Nick's Twitter account. The clip went viral and gained over 2 million views. [10] [12] It was aired on BBC Radio 4 [13] on 21 September for World Alzheimer's Day. [14]

Harvey was invited onto Good Morning Britain as a guest following the viral video. On the program, he was requested by Susanna Reid to create another four-note improvisation using the notes C, D, G and B. [15]

Paddy O'Connell arranged for Harvey to make a recording of "Four Notes - Paul's Tune" with the BBC Philharmonic Paddy O'Connell seated.jpg
Paddy O'Connell arranged for Harvey to make a recording of "Four Notes - Paul's Tune" with the BBC Philharmonic

After radio listeners requested an orchestral version of the song, Paddy O'Connell arranged for Harvey to record the piece as a charity single with the BBC Philharmonic. [16] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this took place remotely, with all orchestra members recording and submitting their parts from home. [13] [17] The piece was arranged for the orchestra by Daniel Whibley. [13] [17] The finished version was entitled "Four Notes – Paul's Tune". [18] [3] It was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on 3 October. [17] The single was released to purchase as a digital download on 22 October. [9]

Harvey's playing inspired the Scottish billionaire Sir Tom Hunter to donate £1 million to charity. Hunter and his wife found the performance while watching BBC Breakfast. The donation was split between Music for Dementia and the Alzheimer's Society. [19] [16] Music for Dementia used the money to set up the Paul & Nick Harvey fund. The fund distributed money to charities that support people with dementia through music. [20] [12] Over 170 charities applied for funding, with 27 achieving grants of £5,000–50,000. [21] [12] [22]

Stephen Sondheim, lyricist of West Side Story , contacted Harvey after seeing the video. In a video message to Harvey given through the BBC, he called the piece "very special" [3] and said that he "can't wait to steal" it. [13] Sondheim was Harvey's favourite composer. [13]

For his charity work, Harvey was honoured with an Outstanding Achievement Award at the virtually hosted Dementia Hero Awards in 2021. He was one of three finalists. [23] Harvey was surprised with the honour, stating that he "was really quite shocked to win". [5]

Music for Dementia later arranged for Harvey to perform with the BBC Philharmonic to mark the first anniversary of the original video. [2] The performance consisted of Harvey playing "Four Notes" on the piano as well as conducting arrangements of "Four Notes" and "Where's the Sunshine", a song he wrote for a musical at Imberhorne School. [17] [4] His son Nick played the piano. [24] The performance was broadcast on BBC Breakfast. [25] [2] Harvey was moved by the experience, calling it "magical" and "very, very special". [24]

In December 2021, Harvey and Nick collaborated with singer Aled Jones to create a Christmas charity single. The end result was titled "Christmas Isn't Just Another Day". The single was made for Music for Dementia's m4d radio station. [26] [27]

Harvey was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2023 Birthday Honours for services to charity and people living with Alzheimer's and dementia. [28]

Musical works

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">André Previn</span> German-American conductor, pianist, and composer (1929–2019)

André George Previn was a German-American pianist, composer, and conductor. His career had three major genres: Hollywood films, jazz, and classical music. In each he achieved success, and the latter two were part of his life until the end. In movies, he arranged and composed music. In jazz, he was a celebrated trio pianist, a piano-accompanist to singers of standards, and pianist-interpreter of songs from the "Great American Songbook". In classical music, he also performed as a pianist but gained television fame as a conductor, and during his last thirty years created his legacy as a composer of art music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Walker (composer)</span> American classical composer

George Theophilus Walker was an American composer, pianist, and organist, and the first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music, which he received for his work Lilacs in 1996. Walker was married to pianist and scholar Helen Walker-Hill between 1960 and 1975. Walker was the father of two sons, violinist and composer Gregory T.S. Walker and playwright Ian Walker.

Peter Racine Fricker was an English composer, among the first to establish his career entirely after the Second World War. He lived in the US for the last thirty years of his life. Fricker wrote over 160 works in all the main genres excepting opera. He was a descendant of the French playwright Racine.

Andrew Downes was a British classical composer. He was head of the School of Composition and Creative Studies at Birmingham Conservatoire from 1992 until 2005. His compositions have been performed and broadcast internationally.

Sir Thomas Blane Hunter is a Scottish businessman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist.

Howard David Blake is an English composer, conductor, and pianist whose career has spanned more than 50 years and produced more than 650 works. Blake's most successful work is his soundtrack for Channel 4’s 1982 film The Snowman, which includes the song "Walking in the Air". He is increasingly recognised for his classical works including concertos, oratorios, ballets, operas and many instrumental pieces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Childs</span> American jazz pianist, arranger and conductor (born 1957)

William Edward Childs is an American composer, jazz pianist, arranger and conductor from Los Angeles, California, United States.

Phillip Ramey is an American composer, pianist, and writer on music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josu de Solaun Soto</span> Musical artist

Josu de Solaun is a Spanish-American classical music pianist, composer and conductor. He is also a solo piano free improviser, playing solo improvised piano recitals, as well as a published poet and a published composer. He holds citizenships from both Spain and the United States. In 2019 he was given the title of Officer of Cultural Merit, a state decoration, by Klaus Iohannis, president of Romania. In both 2021 and 2023 he was awarded an International Classical Music Awards (ICMA) Award, once for chamber music and once for solo playing.

Iain Farrington is a British pianist, organist, composer and arranger. He performs regularly with some of the country's leading singers, instrumentalists and choirs, as well as giving solo recitals.

This is a summary of 1985 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Imberhorne School</span> Community school in East Grinstead, West Sussex, England

Imberhorne School is a comprehensive school in East Grinstead, West Sussex, England, which admits children between the ages of 11 and 18. The school has a roll of 1,650, including 300 in the Sixth Form, and is on two sites, Windmill Lane and Imberhorne Lane.

Peter Dickinson was an English composer, musicologist, author, and pianist.

Margaret Ruth Fingerhut is a British classical pianist. She is known for her innovative recital programmes and recordings in which she explores lesser known piano repertoire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nobuyuki Tsujii</span> Japanese pianist and composer (born 1988)

Nobuyuki Tsujii is a Japanese pianist and composer. He was born blind due to microphthalmia. Tsujii performs extensively, with a large number of conductors and orchestras, and has received critical acclaim for his unique techniques for learning music and performing with an orchestra while being unable to see.

Martin Yates is a British conductor. After attending Kimbolton School, he studied at the Royal College of Music and Trinity College of Music, London, where his teachers included Bernard Keeffe (conducting), Richard Arnell (composition), Ian Lake, Jakob Kaletsky and Alan Rowlands (piano), and Douglas Moore and John Burden.

Michael Rosenzweig, born 1951 in Cape Town, South Africa, is a composer, conductor, choral trainer and director, multi-instrumentalist and jazz musician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlie Albright</span> American pianist and composer

Charlie Albright is an American pianist and composer. He is an official Steinway Artist, 2014 Avery Fisher Career Grant Recipient, 2010 Gilmore Young Artist (2010) and former Young Concert Artist. He graduated from Harvard College (AB) and the New England Conservatory (MM) as the first classical pianist in the schools' five-year AB/MM Joint Program, was named the Leverett House Artist in Residence for 2011–2012, and was one of the 15 Most Interesting Seniors of the Harvard College Class of 2011. He graduated from the Juilliard School of Music with his post-graduate Artist Diploma (AD) in 2014.

Pamela Harrison was an English composer, pianist and music teacher.

"Four Notes – Paul's Tune" is a song performed by Paul Harvey and the BBC Philharmonic. The song was released as a digital download on 22 October 2020. Proceeds from the song were split between the Alzheimer's Society and Music for Dementia. The song peaked at number thirty-two on the UK Singles Chart, and number one on the UK Singles Download Chart.

References

  1. ↑ Harvey, Nick (29 January 2021). "At 80, my dad Paul improvised a masterpiece, raised £1m+ for charity and got to no.1". Twitter.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Incredible moment pianist with dementia fulfils dream of conducting symphony orchestra". The Argus. 4 October 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Tapper, James (1 November 2020). "'I didn't expect a fuss': How a composer with dementia got to No 1". The Observer. ISSN   0029-7712 . Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 Gibbons, Katie. "Pianist Paul Harvey defies dementia to conduct BBC orchestra". The Times . ISSN   0140-0460 . Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "'It's the power of music' musician living with dementia wins prestigious award". The Argus. 26 May 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Taylor, Interviews by Jeremy. "Dementia sufferer Paul Harvey on his surprise viral hit, Four Notes — Paul's Tune". The Times . ISSN   0140-0460 . Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  7. 1 2 "79-year-old with dementia remembers song he wrote decades ago, plays it on piano for son". CBS News . 26 June 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  8. ↑ Bullmore, Harry (24 September 2020). "Sussex pianist stuns Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan". The Argus. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  9. 1 2 Lawrence, Morgan (3 March 2021). "My father's dementia led to a hit record and a million pounds for charity". The Telegraph. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  10. 1 2 "WATCH: Former music teacher with dementia stuns with improvised composition using only four notes". HeraldScotland. 26 October 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  11. 1 2 "Dad with dementia's viral piano playing prompts million pound donation". Classic FM. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  12. 1 2 3 Dunham, James (13 May 2021). "How this viral performance from a pianist with dementia is helping others". ITV News.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 Culwell-Block, Logan (4 November 2020). "Stephen Sondheim Surprises 80-Year-Old Composer Living With Dementia After Improvised Piece Goes Viral". Playbill.
  14. ↑ "80-year-old former music teacher with dementia releases new single". Pianist. 10 November 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  15. ↑ Needham, Lucy (21 September 2020). "Piers Morgan speechless as pensioner with dementia writes piano tune live on GMB". mirror. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  16. 1 2 Gallagher, Paul (2 November 2020). "Story of former music teacher Paul Harvey with dementia inspires £1m donation from billionaire". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  17. 1 2 3 4 "One year after Paul Harvey's Four Notes captured the nation's hearts, he fulfils a lifelong ambition by conducting the BBC Philharmonic playing his composition" (PDF). Music for Dementia.
  18. ↑ "Paul Harvey: Single gives 'new lease of life' to composer with dementia". BBC News. 25 October 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  19. ↑ "Paul Harvey: Composer with dementia inspires £1m donation". BBC News. 2 November 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  20. ↑ ahsw.org.uk, Arts & Health South West. "Paul & Nick Harvey Fund Now Open for Applications". Arts & Health South West. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  21. ↑ Elliott, Shona (13 May 2021). "Paul Harvey: Viral pianist with dementia helps Edinburgh charity secure £37,799 cash boost". Edinburgh Evening News.
  22. ↑ Horton, Tom (13 May 2021). "Four Notes viral pianist boosts dementia projects". Evening Standard. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  23. ↑ Hewitt, Phil (29 May 2021). "Sussex musician wins prestigious Dementia Hero Award". Sussex World.
  24. 1 2 McDonnell, Seamus (7 October 2021). "Inspirational pianist, 81, who lives with dementia fulfils orchestra dream". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  25. 1 2 Baddoo, Terry. "Music helps composer with dementia find new lease on life". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  26. 1 2 "Aled Jones teams up with pianist with dementia on Christmas charity tune". The Independent. 20 December 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  27. 1 2 "Paul Harvey – who captured the nation's hearts with his Four Notes composition – collaborates with Aled Jones on new Christmas song" (PDF). Music for Dementia.
  28. ↑ "No. 64082". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 June 2023. p. B13.
  29. 1 2 "Paul Harvey's dementia charity single reaches the Top 40". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.