MICHAEL HEAD
Michael Head was born in Eastbourne on January 28, 1900, and is the son of a London barrister. His mother was an amateur singer who came of a musical family. At the age of ten he became a pupil of Jean Adair for the pianoforte, and of Fritz Marston for singing at a private school of Music in London. In 1919 he entered the Royal Academy of Music, winning the Sir Michael Costa scholarship in composition. In 1925 he was invited to join the staff of Academy by Sir John McEwan as a pianoforte professor, a position he still holds.
On the advice of the late Sir George Henschel he gave his first London recital at Wigmore Hall in 1929 as a singer to his own accompaniment. Since this early appearance he has appeared many times in London, in the many music societies on the British Isles, and in all parts of the Empire. Mr. Head has given many broadcasts from London specializing in recitals of English songs including his own. In Canada in 1948-49 he gave two series of programs for the Canadian network.
His works include principally songs - His best known works are the cycles Over the Rim of the Moon (1918-19) and Songs of the Countryside poems set to poems of W.H. Davies and the setting of Seumas O'Sullivan's poem "The Piper". Though he has concentrated mainly on songs, his early works include a piano concerto, a tone poem, and scherzo for orchestra.
In addition to his activities as a composer he has undertaken many tours as an examiner for the Royal Schools of Music in London. At the outbreak of World War II Mr. Head returned to London continuing his teaching throughout the blitz and playing many hundreds of concerts in factories, Y.M.C.A. and in small towns for CEMA (Committee for Encouragement of Music and Art.).
His many songs and a few records are available exclusively
through Boosey and Hawkes, Canada Limited. London Management, Imperial
Concert Agency. In the United States - Artists Management, Cleveland 16,
Ohio.