Stephen Kenyon was born in Dorset, UK in 1962, where he was educated to degree level, graduating with a BA degree in 1984. Although a life-long guitarist, and a prolific composer for that instrument from an early age, Stephen initially preferred to study literature and drama. Serious full-time study of music started after a 6 month sojourn in various parts of India 1985-6, with work as a Post-Graduate at Trinity College of Music where he specialised in composition and guitar performance under Gilbert Biberian and Dr Glen Morgan. While at TCM he performed a concerto with the String Ensemble and was the first guitarist invited to play solo in the Principal's Concerts. In his second year as a PG the septet The Birds of Rhiannon was “Highly Commended” in the final of the Halford composition prize and the work was also included in the Principal's Concerts. Subsequent prizes included firsts in the St Cecilia Festival Composition Competition and the Middlesex University Guitar Trio Prize. Since 1993 Stephen has developed a wide ranging performance career, including original and traditional guitar repertoire and performances throughout Britain, France (where he played his own music on Radio France), Germany and the US.
His works are rapidly becoming more familiar to audiences through performances by the composer and others. In particular, the second concerto has been performed several times by its amateur dedicatees, the third concerto (with string orchestra) has been played several times in Germany, and the first concerto (full orchestra) is due to be scheduled by a British orchestra. In addition to a busy recital schedule Stephen has maintained a variety of other musical involvements, including working with the legendary sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar on a transcription of the latter's sitar concerto, and workshops and lecture recitals on a variety of subjects. He also loves chamber music and has played works by Gerhard, Paganini, Boccherini, Mozart and many others, and frequently contributes articles and music reviews to periodicals in the UK and USA.
Web: http://www.composer.co.uk/composers/kenyon.html