Dury Loveridge MA, BMus(Hons) - Short Biography
Originally from Suffolk, I studied Music at Hills Road College in Cambridge before gaining a BMus (Hons) Degree in Music from The University of Birmingham (Class II.i, awarded a 'first' in performing). During this time I studied cello at the Birmingham Conservatoire, where I then went on to complete a Master of Arts (MA) in Music Performance, specialising in the performance of contemporary and avante-garde music.
I pride myself on the eclectic tastes in music, and on the diverse range of styles I perform in. As well as playing nationally and internationally with professional orchestras on a freelance basis, I also perform publically with two chamber ensembles, The Ardeton String Quartet and The Ardeton Ensemble, around 100 times a year. I am also an experienced accompanist for students, and a double bassist. I have performed live with bands, appeared as a session cellist on albums, and several times on TV and Film soundtracks.
The 'official' biog
Originally from Haverhill in Suffolk, Dury began playing the cello at the age of 11 whilst at middle school because he was the tallest in his year and the school had a full-size instrument in need of a good home. Studying with Christopher Foreman he soon rose through the ranks of the Suffolk Music Service Ensembles before playing choosing to play the double bass in the youth orchestra because of the more 'bassy' sections of Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony.
Studying two A-levels in Music at Hills Road VI Form in Cambridge, he was encouraged to build upon earlier fourays into rock music by one of his teachers, the late Richard Bisiker. This meant a busy life playing in a busy jazz quartet, jazz band, blues group and rock group as well as the more traditional string and symphony orchestras. Possibly due to such high exposure to different styles, but more likely due to confusion as to which rehearsal he was expecting at any time, Dury began to experiment with cross-over styles, studio recording and electric cello.
Studying
music at Birmingham University, Dury continued to play the cello and bass
in orchestras, musicals and contemporary music ensembles, performing in
Birmingham's Symphony Hall and CBSO Centres. He also studied contemporary
composition, sound recording and studio composition (both reel-to-reel
'music concrete' form and Apple-Mac Pro-Tools), although teachers Vic
Hoyland and Jonty Harrison would often note with humour the jazz and pop
elements constantly trying to break through in his music. His composition
for orchestra, '...On the passing of time' was premiered in the
University's annual Summer Festival.
He was subsequently offered a place at the Birmingham Conservatoire, studying for a Master of Arts degree in performance, where he continued to perform in all contemporary music ensembles as well as leading the cello sections of the symphony and sinfonia orchestras
Since then he has freelanced with orchestras across the UK, including the
British Concert Orchestra, Jersey Symphony Orchestra and Britten-Pears
Orchestra. He also performs regularly with the Ardeton String
Quartet in Bristol and Bath, and
has played at festivals in the UK and abroad with the Ardeton
Ensemble,
including a tour to Norway. He also wrote and performed the multi-tracked
string arrangements as session cellist for Tanya Walker's EP The Changing Me,
performing at various clubs and venues in South Wales. He also enjoys
cars, bicycles and web-stuff, but there's no space for that here...