Clifford Crawley

Biography

Sample Works

Clifford Crawley was born and educated in England. He holds degrees from the University of Durham and diplomas from the Royal College of Music and Trinity College, London. He also studied briefly with composers Lennox Berkeley and Humphrey Searle. Before coming to Canada he taught in both elementary and secondary schools and was involved in teacher training as Head of Music in a College of Education.

Affiliated with the Canadian League of Composers and the Canadian Music Centre, he has over eighty published compositions, including a number in festival and conservatory lists. His musical style has been described as "warmly human," "contemporary [but] accessible and eclectic" (Encyclopedia of Music in Canada 1992: 328). Eclecticism is consistent with his belief that "originality is not necessarily something new but often [the result of] looking at the familiar in a different way."

He is Professor Emeritus at Queen's University, having taught composition and music education there from 1973 to 1993. He has worked as a music consultant in Central America and Asia, and participated in many Composer / Artist in the Classroom programs. After ten years in Toronto, he now lives and enjoys an active musical life in St. John's, Newfoundland.

Back to Top