Biography
DIP.R.C.M.PERF. CERT ED (FENTO) Composer, Arranger and Classical Pianist.
D.O.B.1959
Grant was accepted and trained at the Royal College of Music (RCM) in London UK in 1978, graduating in 1982. He studied piano performance with Angus Morrison OBE, piano accompaniment with Ruth Gerald, flute with Edward Walker, conducting with Sir Norman Del Mar and composition with Alan Ridout and Stephen Dodgson. He gained the teaching qualification Cert Ed (Fento) from Greenwich University, London in 2002.
He has had an active career playing all types of music from classical to contemporary. Whilst he was a student at the RCM, he occasionally rehearsed with the Royal Ballet School and later with the London Festival Ballet. He went on to work for the Cameron Macintosh group as a pianist which led him working as a session musician as well as performing piano concertos, playing in jazz trios and quartets, playing in rock/function bands, accompanying singers and instrumentalists, and working in various theatres in the role of musical director.
In 1994 he became Head of Music in the Performing Arts department at Great Yarmouth College in Norfolk, where he specialised in preparing young people for stage performance in classical, rock, jazz and musical theatre.
In 1999 he started examining for Edexcel (now Pearson) education and in 2003 became Senior Examiner for A level music and Music Technology, leading a team of examiners in marking AS and A level exam papers in composition, writing question papers and collaborating in recommending grade boundaries.
He has been commissioned to write music for several private projects, most recently (2023) having his flute pieces published by Allegro Publishing. His music has also appeared in television programmes in the UK.
He is influenced by the romantic style and used a lot of film music harmonies in his writing. He composes mainly for Solo piano and small ensembles- flute duets clarinet, oboe, violin, as well as quartets for saxophone, wind quintets as well as flute and clarinet choir pieces. Most of his work is late elementary to medium advanced. More recently he has taken the established classical piano repertoire and made simplified versions, an area which he hopes to expand.
He is married to Kate; they have three grown up sons and live in South Norfolk. UK.
Collection
Sycamore Gap.
Grant Horsley
A nostalgic miniature in memory of a national treasure.
Just This Once
Grant Horsley
A Bossa- Nova style piece for Jazz Quartet- Alto Sax, Piano, Bass and Drums.
Arabesque No 1
Claude Debussy
Grant Horsley
This classic piece arranged for flute and piano.
Tango
Grant Horsley
Traditional Tango for Flute Choir- 4 C Flutes, Alto and Bass Flute
Clair De Lune
Claude Debussy
Grant Horsley
Simplified arrangement of this beautiful piece
Peace
Grant Horsley
A thoughtful calming miniature for flute and piano
Rhapsody on theme of Paganini -18th var
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Grant Horsley
The famous 18th variation from the rhapsody on a theme by Paganini- Simplified for Solo Piano
Themes from Piano Concerto No 2
Sergei S. Rachmaninoff Rachmaninoff
Grant Horsley
Themes from the 2nd concerto. Simplified version for solo piano.
Fur Elise- A Jazz and Rock Duet
Ludwig von Beethoven
Grant Horsley
A new treatment of this great piece.
Salento
Grant Horsley
Tarantella. For Flute, Clarinet, Bassoon and Piano
Cocktails
Grant Horsley
Cocktails is a lazy, bluesy, jazzy relaxing style piece for Flute Choir- 4 C flutes, Alto and Bass flute.
Weekend in Paris
Grant Horsley
A bright lilting jazz waltz.
Aria.
Grant Horsley
A very hymn-like meditative piece for Flute Choir -4 C Flutes, Alto and Bass Flute
Spanish Polonaise.
Grant Horsley
A vibrant energetic polonaise for Flute Choir-4 C Flutes, Alto and Bass Flute
Shakespeare's Garden.
Grant Horsley
A Stately piece reminiscent of the English countryside. For Flute Choir- 4 C Flutes, Alto and Bass Flute
Demelza's Dance.
Grant Horsley
A lively lyrical tuneful piece in 2 sections for wind quintet. For Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Horn and Bassoon
Valse Sentimentale.
Grant Horsley
A gentle lyrical waltz for Flute Choir- 4 C Flutes, Alto and Bass Flute
Waltz of the Harlequins.
Grant Horsley
A fun piece with a comedic element to it. For 4 C Flutes, Alto and Bass Flute.
The Court Jester.
Grant Horsley
A fun piece with a comedic element to it. For Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Horn and Bassoon
Midnight Carousel.
Grant Horsley
Midnight Carousel- A Misterious Waltz for Flute Choir- 4 C Flutes, Alto and Bass Flute.
The Mischievous Elves.
Grant Horsley
A themed piece to reflect Mischievous elves at work- for Flute Choir. 4 C Flutes, Alto and Bass Flute.
Espionage.
Grant Horsley
A descriptive exciting piece for Flute Choir -Picc, 4 C's, Alto, Bass and Contra.
The Nightingale.
Grant Horsley
The Nightingale. A lyrical Barcarolle with Medieval Tones for Flute Duet and Piano
Violette
Grant Horsley
A Love Theme for Solo Piano- A fusion of romantic and film harmonies.
Night Time in New York
Grant Horsley
A Lyrical Lazy Romantic Blue Waltz
Solitude
Grant Horsley
A Romantic Nocturne in a Chopinesque style.
Olivia's Waltz
Grant Horsley
A gentle romantic waltz with long lyrical lines.