Richard Deering, FTCL, GTCL, LRAM, ARCM, PGCA (Piano)

Richard has been an adjudicator member of the British and International Federation of Festivals for over 40 years, adjudicating at an average of 10 festivals a year, including many overseas festivals, as a piano or brass specialist and generalist.

Although no longer active as a performing brass player, he has given piano performances – as soloist and accompanist – in over 90 countries and has held teaching positions in establishments such as London College of Music, Trinity College of Music, Middlesex University, Cambridge University, Auckland University and New York State University. Composers of the calibre of Malcolm Arnold, Malcolm Williamson, Edward Gregson, Edward McGuire, Thomas Wilson, Bernard Stevens, Brian Chapple and Charles Camilleri have written piano works especially for him, and for several years Richard had a close performing relationship with Elisabeth Lutyens.

In 2023 he recorded the entire piano works of Hubert Parry and William Wordsworth, as two separate projects, and these are now available on the Heritage label and standard streaming services, while his recording of Lutyens piano music, recorded on her 70th birthday, is due for re-issue.

During the summer of 2026 Richard will be recording the solo piano works of Alan Ridout, including a Sonata written days before the composer’s passing with Richard the sole owner of the manuscript, also for Heritage.

Richard was also an Adviser to the London Arts Board on contemporary music and jazz. He has also made several other commercial recordings in both UK and Japan and, for many years, he was a resident pianist on cruise liners offering programmes of lighter music and conversation.

A series of books of graded piano music by British Composers, edited by Richard, is published by Music Sales under the titles of “Composer Series” as well as two volumes of graded British piano music written during the 20th Century entitled, A Century of Piano Music.

His Federation work included serving on the Central Board of Trustees, Vice-Chair of the Adjudicator’s Council and with the administration of the PGCA qualification. He was also one of the presenters at both the Warwick and Leeds BIFF celebratory events in 1996 and 2000 respectively.

Currently he is the Chair of Trustees of Croydon Performing Arts Festival and was honoured by being elected as a BIFF Fellow in 2012.

Richard is also a high-ranking international cricket umpire, a Life Member of Essex County Cricket Club and a season ticket holder at Sutton United Football Club, where he is also the Stadium Announcer.