Emily Burridge - Biography

Emily started playing the 'cello at the age of five and was encouraged to perform publicly. As well as learning the classical repertoire she "made up tunes" which aided her in expressing her own emotions and feelings through the cello, the foundation of her ability to improvise.

Age eleven she was awarded a scholarship to Wells Cathedral school where she received specialist tuition from great ‘cellists Raphael Wallfisch and Amarylis Fleming and received tuition in both chamber and orchestral playing. Live performances on London stages included ; The Wigmore Hall, The Purcell Rooms, Southbank, The Albert Hall and St John’s Smith Square.

At eighteen she received a scholarship to study at the Royal College of Music in London where she was also awarded the Helen Just Concerto Prize. She then received further private tuition with William Pleeth.

Career

On becoming a professional ‘cellist Emily promoted her ability to improvise and was then recorded on many album releases. She also gave recitals and worked within various chamber music groups and London orchestras. Ref: Sessions/CV

Until 1990 she was working solely as a 'cellist. Certain events around this time initiated her setting up a studio and she started composing and producing. Her first commission was to write music to accompany readings of the book “Sacred Elephant” by Heathcote Williams.

Emily as a composer and producer

In the early nineties Emily was invited to join members of Earth Love Fund and the Gaia Foundation in a visit to the Amazon region of Brazil. A turning point in her life, The initial result being the production of her first CD "Earth Songs".

Her association with Brazil developed with an invitation to perform some of "Earth Songs" at the Earth Summit in Rio 1992.

At this event she also came into contact with tribal people for the first time staying at the "Tribal Gathering" where she witnessed and recorded tribal singing and ritual.

This is when her appreciation of Tribal music and culture commenced. Recordings from this event are integrated into songs on "Earth Songs".

“Earth Songs” was published by a German independent and was released in Europe USA and Australia. Extracts from the production were used as soundtracks for videos produced by Artists United for Nature and the Body Shop.

1994 She was awarded a cultural grant to return to Brazil. Based on the North East Coast she spent a year researching and recording local folk music.

She started producing her second CD "Footsteps in the Sand" employing Manasés an eminent 12 string guitarist from the North East of Brazil and Milton Fiori a dynamic percussionist.

She also worked as a 'cellist utilising her improvisational skills recording and performing with Braziliian musicians.

Whilst living in Brazil she started working with Gandalf the Austrian producer and guitarist who was on tour in Brazil. On returning to Europe she spent some time in Vienna co-writing songs for his next two CD productions "Gates to Secret Realities" and "Barakaya" on which Emily is featured singing and playing the 'cello.
She also toured extensively with his band performing both as singer and ‘cellist. “Barakaya” and “Gates to Secret Realities” have been re-released by the German label BSC

The Xavante Indians of Brazil

Parallel to her musical research in Brazil, an empathy towards indigenous cultures developed. In particular a tribe called the"Xavante".

This association developed as a result of a chance encounter at her performance of “Earth Songs” at the Earth Summit in 1992. In 1994 when she was living in Rio de Janeiro she visited them on invitation and stayed in a hut with the Chief and his family. The result of this visit was that on returning to the UK she founded a registered charity “Indigenous People’s Cultural Support Trust” registered charity no: 1050461 www.ipcst.org

Over the next four years she annually made visits and in collaboration with the Chief formulated a project to benefit the community: the Xavante small clinic / medicine garden.

The project gained support from the governmental organisation ODA (present day DYFID) and other organisations and individuals. Between the years 1994 and 1998 Emily regularly lived and worked amongst the Xavante. The health centre (left) was inaugurated amidst festive songs and dancing in January 1998.

At the core of Xavante culture is the tradition of singing. Emily was invited to record both groups and individuals (below).

Over the years she compiled a library of their traditional singing and these recordings have been integrated into her orchestral production "Bridge between Worlds", and the live solo production"Bach,Burridge & into the Amazon" included within the double CD release (2010) "Out of the Blue & Into the Amazon".

In 1998 she returned to England to live and since that time various productions and CD releases have been created.
She has her own studio from which she works. Here she has completed the writing of her orchestral work "Bridge between Worlds", developed the performance "Bach, Burridge and into the Amazon" and has produced various compositions with fellow musicians, including developing a duo with the highly acclaimed Pedal Steel Guitarist BJ Cole.

BJ Cole & Emily Burridge:

"Music is not meant to be static, real music takes flight; it is an expression both within and outside time. Few musicians appreciate this as much as BJ Cole and Emily Burridge. When they perform established pieces of music they don't just recite them; their interpretations have the all important extras: poigniancy, conviction and weight. Their delicate but powerful duets carry emotions that haunt you. They play with poise enough to take your breath, stop time and speak to you directly."

They have a CD release "Into the Blue" available through their perspective web sites and their repertoire includes arrangements of pieces by Henry Purcell and Aaron Copeland and Eric Satie as well as their own compositions.

In 2010 they have completed their arrangements of the Eric satie piano Gnossienes and a new release is available as a download “The Gnossienne Suite”.

Extracts from Emily’s CD productions are used as soundtracks for film and documentary and she has various pieces published for film music through library companies KPM, Fireworks and West.

For bookings/enquiries please e mail: admin@emilyburridge.com