Marlborough students learn from maestro (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Marlborough students learn from maestro

10:27am Wednesday 23rd December 2009

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Composer and sitar player Craig Pruess visited St John’s School in Marlborough to introduce his music to groups of students.

They used the 500 seat Theatre on the Hill at the new school for the presentation by Mr Pruess, who lives in Burbage and is a gold and platinum record producer and composer who has been living in Britain since 1975.

His work has included the film scores for Bend it Like Beckham and Bride and Prejudice. During his career he has worked with Danny Elfman, the composer of the music for Planet of the Apes and the Spiderman Films, been a producer for Sir Cliff Richard, a performer with international acts including Katie Melua and the Manic Street Preachers and has written TV music for shows including Peak Practice.

An accomplished sitar player, he performed with Mike Oldfield at the premiere of Tubular Bells II in 1992.

During his day at St John’s Mr Pruess gave talks to groups of students about his work and performed various pieces, or ‘ragas’, on his sitar, which he explained had been made from a pumpkin shell.

He also gave an introduction to film music to GCSE music students and A-level media students.

St John’s director of music for the community, Clemency Whiting said Mr Pruess’s visit had been a valuable experience for the students.

She said: “This was a wonderful opportunity for students to meet someone so well established in the film music industry and to experience music beyond the realms of the Western tonal systems.”

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