Gerard Schurmann Centenary Video
A new video has been published to mark the centenary of the British composer's birth
British composer, conductor and pianist Gerard Schurmann was born on the island of Java in 1924. He passed away four years ago, but this year is the centenary of his birth. Although we have already marked this, particularly with a detailed tribute from Roderic Dunnett which was published here on what would have been Schurmann's one hundredth birthday, a new six minute video has just been compiled by American author, documentary film maker, journalist, public speaker and Hollywood expert Steven C Smith. The new video, using photos, clips of Schurmann's music and of Schurmann himself speaking, is narrated by the composer's wife Carolyn Schurmann, who tells the story of her late husband's extraordinary life and achievements and explains why Gerard Schurmann's music was so special.
Gerard and Carolyn Schurmann in 2013
The new video can be watched here on the Gerard Schurmann website.
Steven C Smith's video playing on the Gerard Schurmann website
Carolyn Schurmann is compiling a book about her late husband, which should be published this year. The BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Ben Gernon recorded selections of Gerard Schurmann's orchestral music in November 2023, including Schurmann's Piano Concerto with Xiayin Wang, and the album on Chandos Records should also be available this year.
You may also be interested to hear Carolyn Schurmann discussing her husband's music in one of our Classical Music Daily video newsletters, here. (The relevant section starts at about ten and a half minutes into the video.)
Posted 9 May 2024 by Keith Bramich
