Goff Richards is the consummate musician having pursued his love of music for all his life as a professional musician and as a composer and arranger. He learnt to play piano and trombone as a young boy and subsequently taught himself to play the saxophone. As a schoolboy he played in bands of all types. At the age of 18, Goff gained a scholarship to study trombone at the Royal College of Music in London and after graduating completed a teaching diploma at Reading University.
His working life began as Head of Music at Fowey Grammar school where he stayed for 4 years, playing most evenings in various bands and groups. In 1966, he resigned his post, formed the Goff Richards Band and went off to play in Kenya and on cruise ships. After 6 years touring, Goff returned to teaching in Cornwall, filling his spare time playing gigs, composing and arranging music. In that time, he wrote and published a march entitled “Quest”, which was to become very popular with brass bands everywhere. In 1975 he left teaching again, to move to London, the centre of the UK music industry. He gained a variety of appointments as a musician and conductor whilst at the same time developing his love for brass band music.
Teaching was however clearly still in his blood as he gained a position in Salford College of Technology to lecture in “Brass Band Studies”, and arranging popular music. He also formed the College Jazz Orchestra and established a relationship with the BBC Northern Radio Orchestra, which was to provide the bulk of his arrangement commissions. After a few years, he decided to concentrate full-time on composing and arranging.
During the next 20 years, he formed no less than 15 bands and orchestras, appearing on television and radio frequently. His reputation as a composer and arranger spread all over the world. His works have been performed by the King’s Singers, the Swingle Singers, various BBC Orchestras, Huddersfield Choral Society, London Brass, Evelyn Glennie, Benjamin Luxon and leading Brass and Military Bands. Commissions received have included the BBC, the Royal Albert Hall , ‘Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games’, the Huddersfield Choral Society and many other prestigious music organisations.
Goff has also become well known as an adjudicator in music competitions of all types from brass band music to male voice music, which has taken him throughout Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Netherlands, Norway, the National Male Voice Choir Championships of Great Britain and the Cornwall Male Voice Choir competitions as well as numerous Band Contests for BBC Radio and Television.
Goff maintains strong links with the West Country. He was created a Bard in 1976 by the Cornish Gorsedd; is President of the South West Brass Band Association; President of Holman-Climax Male Voice Choir and Music Advisor to the Cornwall Youth Brass Band.
Goff's association with Haydock MVC began in 1983 when he was commissioned to compose a piece of music to commemorate the choir's 60th anniversary. His setting of “Psalm 150” is a taxing piece with changing rhythms and demanding piano accompaniment which is, by any standard, an impressive choral work and which is still featured regularly in the choir's repertoire. It can be heard in our recording “It's Most Unusual”. This latter album recorded in a collaboration between HMVC and the Leyland Brass Band is entirely comprised of Goff's compositions and arrangements. Goff was invited to become President of the choir in 1994 and is now the longest serving holder of the office. He has given the choir his support and advice and has generously provided music. One of his most recent arrangements – a medley of George Formby songs – is included in “Let There be Music!” which we recorded in 2007. We are proud to have Goff Richards as our President.
For details of all Goff's Compositions and arrangements please visit his website Max Music
A more detailed version of this biography, written by Philip Hunt, can be accessed HERE