4BR has been informed of the death of the composer and arranger Ray Woodfield. He passed away on 30th May aged 94.
Born in Leicestershire in 1931, he became a member of a local brass band although he had a major love for the clarinet and the saxophone, playing local dance bands.
At 15 he joined the Royal Marines Band Service, where he also played the violin, later becoming the Bandmaster of the Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines on the HMS Ark Royal.
He went to study conducting at the Royal Academy of Music in London where he won the coveted Ricordi Prize.
Hugely skilled
In 1973 he became Principal of a music school in Yorkshire and began a fruitful and highly successful partnership with the James Shepherd Versatile Brass Ensemble.
A hugely skilled composer and arranger he worked on a freelance basis, including the US Merchant Marine Academy in New York and Obrasso Verlag in Switzerland.
His extensive catalogue of ensemble and solo works will have been performed by bands and players at all levels — from 'A Mexican Festival' to 'Zorba's Dance'.
