Richard Barrett, born in Swansea in 1959, studied composition principally with Peter Wiegold. He taught electronic composition and performance in the Institute of Sonology in The Hague from 1996 to 2001; during 2001-02 he was a guest of the DAAD Berlin Artists’ Programme, remaining in Berlin until 2006 when he became a professor at Brunel University in London.
His work encompasses both composition and improvisation, ranging from chamber music to innovative uses of live electronics and collaborations with visual artists. He has worked regularly with ELISION since 1990, composing many new works for the ensemble including the evening-length compositions Opening of the Mouth, DARK MATTER and the currently in-progress CONSTRUCTION, as well as numerous smaller projects. improvisational collaborations and recordings. Recent projects also include new compositions for the London Sinfonietta and for the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra.
Richard Barrett also continues his twenty-two-year collaboration with Paul Obermayer in the electronic duo FURT and performs regularly with vocalist Ute Wassermann, saxophonist Evan Parker, cellist Arne Deforce and numerous ensembles from both compositional and improvisational areas, including the vocal/instrumental/electronic octet fORCH which he and Paul Obermayer formed in 2005. His work as composer and performer is documented on over 20 CDs, including four discs devoted to his compositions and seven by FURT.