Darren Henley – författare

Hayley's first performance as 'Little Star' in a Christmas play was perfectly pitched, beautifully sung and enthusiastically received. She was six years old. Now, at the tender age of twenty, she is the fastest-selling debut classical artist ever. Her string of musical accolades is astonishing and her audiences range from royalty to premiers.This is her story, from her first performance, through later roles in major productions such as Annie, La Bohème and The Sound of Music, her decision at the age of eleven to busk for her lunch money, and the subsequent record deals, money, charity work and classical superstardom.

The Arts Dividend looks in depth at seven key benefits sustained and strategic public investment in creativity and culture across England bring to our lives every day: • encouraging our nation’s creativity • advancing our education and skills • increasing our happiness, health and wellbeing • supporting our innovation and technology • animating our villages, towns and cities • growing our economic prosperity • enhancing our reputation for creative and cultural excellence on the global stage This book encourages us to consider our country’s innate creativity and the invaluable rewards to be gained from the public investment that enables the arts, museums and libraries to be part of everyone’s lives, no matter who they are or where they live. The result of a decade-long journey across the length and breadth of England, Darren Henley reflects on our remarkable national cultural landscape from Cumbria to Kent and from Cornwall to Northumberland – and why he believes that public investment in creativity and culture can help us all to lead happier lives.

Trace the history of classical music from its birth through the Baroque, Classical and Romantic periods and right up to the present day. Packed full of essential information, this pocket-sized handbook explores the lives and works of the key composers from around the world. Classic FM's Handy Guides are a fun and informative set of introductions to standout subjects within classical music, each of which can be read and digested in one sitting: a perfect collectible series for all those new to the world of classical music, as well as aficionados with busy schedules.

The Ultimate Classic FM Hall of Fame celebrates classical music's unique ability to stir the emotions of a listener - whether it's the haunting melodies of Gorecki's Symphony of Sorrowful Songs or Purcell's Dido and Aeneas; the passionately charged opening bars of Beethoven's Symphony No. 5; dramatic operas such as Puccini's La boheme; the moving sounds of Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2 and Mozart's Clarinet Concerto; beautiful ballet scores from Prokofiev and Tchaikovsky; or blockbuster film soundtracks composed by John Williams and Howard Shore.; This new edition of the Sunday Times bestseller celebrates the twentieth anniversary of the Classic FM Hall of Fame. With a fully updated chart of the nation's 300 favourite works, based on votes cast by millions of listeners over the past twenty years, a revised introduction and beautiful new illustrations, this definitive collection encompasses a rich variety of classical greats, contemporary masters, lesser-known treasures and outstanding British composers to provide a fascinating insight into our relationship with the music we love.;Darren Henley, Sam Jackson and Tim Lihoreau guide us through the world of classical music and the people responsible for creating and performing it. Combining fascinating histories and biographies, recommended recordings and the ranking of the 300 pieces themselves, this book is as relevant to a new listener discovering the joys of classical music as it is to long-time lovers of the genre. The Ultimate Classic FM Hall of Fame is a beautifully illustrated testament to the enduring power of classical music to inspire, entertain, relax and invigorate us.

Creativity is a powerful force in shaping and defining all of our futures.Creativity enables us to fulfil our human potential and to make positive changes to the world around us.Creativity drives innovation across the arts, technology, science and engineering.Creativity boosts our economy, empowers our communities, enhances our education system and enriches our everyday lives.Creativity is the catalyst that will enable the next generation to invent tomorrow.Enriching lives and places, creativity builds a stronger society filled with happier, healthier people. For children born into a world of unprecedented technological, political and environmental change, those whose creativity has been nurtured will be best equipped to flourish.This book argues the importance of creativity for everyone. It is not the sole preserve of arts-based subjects, but at the heart of medical, scientific, engineering and entrepreneurial progress too. Identifying the education system as the best route to ensure cultural benefits are open to all, Darren Henley argues that creativity should be at its heart. It is only by equipping children with the creativity to make the best use of their talents, and providing them with expert teachers who can nurture those abilities, that the next generation will have the skills necessary to invent tomorrow.

The definitive, lavishly illustrated, history of one of the most iconic record labels of all time.Decca is one of the great global names in recorded music. From pioneering techniques that revolutionised classical recording, to the 1960s and 70s pop explosion, through to the classical revival in the 1990s and 2000s, the sheer diversity and range of Decca's story and its influence on 20th- and 21st-century music is unparalleled: from Vera Lynn to the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Luciano Pavarotti and the Three Tenors, to today's crossover superstars such as Andrea Bocelli and Sheku Kanneh-Mason.Featuring rare photography and never-seen-before archival material, this sumptuously produced history includes twelve chapters covering: Decca's Foundation (Andrew Stewart); American Decca (Lois Wilson); Decca and the Second World War (Dr Tony Wakeford); The Decca Sound (Michael Gray); Decca's Golden Years (Paul Moseley); The Pop Years 1956-68 (Jon Savage); Decca Beyond Pop and Classical (Louis Barfe); Stones, Smurfs, Splodgenessabounds (Daryl Easlea); The Three Tenors (Adam Sweeting); Russell Watson and the 21st Century (Sam Jackson); Decca Today and Tomorrow (Tom Lewis); Essential Recordings.Full of lively anecdotes and insights into the label's broader contribution to culture, Decca: The Supreme Record Company is a treat for collectors, aficionados, and anyone fascinated by the development of modern music.

England's artists, arts organisations, museums and libraries enrich our lives, increase our knowledge and open our minds to new possibilities. They make our villages, towns and cities better, more creative places to be. They build our reputation for innovation, boosting our economy and giving our nation increased prominence on the international stage.Sustained and strategic public investment in art and culture enables this to happen. It's investment that pays big dividends in everyone's lives.The Arts Dividend Revisited encourages us to consider our country's innate creativity and the invaluable rewards to be gained from the public investment that enables the arts, museums and libraries to be a part of everyone's lives, no matter who they are or where they live.The result of a non-stop five-year journey across the length and breadth of England, Darren Henley reflects on our remarkable national cultural landscape from Cumbria to Kent and from Cornwall to Northumberland - and why he believes that public investment in creativity and culture can help us all to lead happier lives.

Which famous composer could play the piano at the age of 2? - How long did it take Rossini to compose The Barber of Seville? - Why was Elgar depicted on the back of a GBP20 note? Find out all this and more in Classic Ephemera: A Classic FM Musical Miscellany, the irresistible new collection of facts, figures and amusing anecdotes from Darren Henley and Tim Lihoreau. Covering everything from composer biographies to explanations of the ten most famous operas, Classic Ephemera contains everything you need to know about classical music, and more besides. Amusing, light-hearted but always enlightening, Classic Ephemera is the perfect gift for anyone who loves classical music, history or trivia.

Where would classical music be without the orchestra? Whether they are of the symphony or chamber variety, every orchestra is made up of a group of musicians playing together as one body to bring the music of the great composers to life. This handy reference guide from Classic FM takes you on a whistle-stop tour of the greatest orchestras at home and abroad, stopping off to explore the world of orchestral instruments, as well as making plenty of musical recommendations along the way. The orchestra is one of the cornerstones of classical music, beloved of music lovers around the world. Packed full of essential information, this pocket-sized handbook explores the make-up and functions of the different sections, from strings to percussion, as well as some of the greatest orchestras around the world and the incredible music that they perform. Classic FM's Handy Guides are a fun and informative set of introductions to standout subjects within classical music, each of which can be read and digested in one sitting: a perfect collectible series whether you're new to the world of classical music or an aficionado.