Matthew Richards (pianist)
Matthew Richards | |
|---|---|
 Richards performing at The Grand Theatre Wolverhampton, c. 2017 | |
| Born | 22 March 1988 Wolverhampton |
| Occupations | Pianist, piano tuner, ukulele player, composer |
| Website | www |
Matthew James Richards is an English pianist based in Wolverhampton, England.[1]
Early life and education
Richards has perfect pitch, which he discovered at age 5.[2][3] Born partially sighted, [4]. He attended the Royal National College for the Blind in which he studied Piano tuning.[5]
Musical career
Richards also plays the ukulele, and has performed the music of George Formby, nostalgia entertainment and singalong songs.[6][7]
He is the musical director of the George Formby Society,[8][9] and was made an honorary member by the mayor of Blackpool in 2021.[10]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Richards hosted virtual Zoom meetings to allow members to perform together during the lockdown of 2020.[11] He put together videos of all the members performing George Formby songs on YouTube that gained news coverage.[12][9]
Richards was featured on Channel 4's series The Piano.[2][13] He released an album featuring his original composition "Tide of Dreams", which he performed on the show.[14]
He regularly performs a "musical memories" concert featuring piano and ukulele.[3] For the 80th anniversary of VE Day, he performed a series of memorial concerts.[15][16]
In 2025, Richards arranged and composed the theme tune for the Black Country talking news drama Leeford Village.[17]
His compositions have been featured on BBC Radio 3 Unwind's The Sleeping Forecast.[18][19]
References
- ↑ Smith, Adam (9 April 2023). "Blind Wolverhampton pianist releases album after starring on TV show The Piano".
- 1 2 "The blind pianist with perfect pitch". BBC News. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- 1 2 "'Musical Memories' concert to raise funds for charity and historic pipe organ". www.shropshirestar.com. 13 June 2024. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
- ↑ "Matthew Richards with his new closed-circuit at the Beacon Centre". Wolverhampton Express and Star. 22 September 1993. p. 4.
- ↑ Gibb, Bill (14 October 2023), The People's Friend, p. 21
- ↑ "Blackcountry Man Music Night Cruise – Remembering George Formby – Friday 28th July 2017 | The Bonded Warehouse". 14 May 2017. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
- ↑ www.carehome.co.uk https://www.carehome.co.uk/news/article.cfm/id/1686114/george-formby-music-lives-on-at-broadway-halls. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ "Matthew Richards feature on The Piano". www.georgeformby.co.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- 1 2 Rodger, James (4 May 2020). "Wolverhampton musician goes viral with cover of When I'm Cleaning Windows". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
- ↑ "George Formby Society celebrates diamond anniversary of keeping Wigan entertainer's memory alive". Wigan Today. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
- ↑ "Zooming Windows | A S H Smyth". The Critic Magazine. 20 March 2021. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
- ↑ "Coronavirus in England: Latest updates". BBC News. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
- ↑ Williams, Richard (27 June 2023). "TV's piano tuner Matthew to hold concert for historic organ at church". www.shropshirestar.com. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
- ↑ "BBC Radio WM - Rakeem Omar, 'It feels amazing to have done this' Wolverhampton pianist who is blind releases album". BBC. 10 May 2023. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
- ↑ "VE Day 80th Anniversary Celebration Event 'Musical Memories'". NationalWorld. 9 May 2025. Retrieved 10 May 2025.
- ↑ "Hednesford Celebrates VE Day 80th Anniversary – Hednesford Town Council". 9 May 2025. Retrieved 10 May 2025.
- ↑ "Black Country Talking News 29th January 2025". Audioboom. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
- ↑ "The Sleeping Forecast - Soothing music to ease you into sleep - BBC Sounds". BBC. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
- ↑ "The Sleeping Forecast - Restful waves on the sea of tranquility - BBC Sounds". BBC. Retrieved 7 February 2026.