Rich Batsford

Richard William Batsford (born 25 October 1969) is an English pianist, composer and singer-songwriter. He is a recording artist and a frequent performer, initially in and around his birthplace in Birmingham, England, and more recently in Adelaide, Australia, presenting concerts featuring original solo piano music with a classical influence.[1][2]

Batsford is also a co-creator of creative network Project X Presents and Musituality, a platform for musicians of various faiths to perform together.[3][4]

Born in Birmingham, Batsford lived from early childhood in and around the suburban Moseley area, known as a focal point for the city’s musical and creative communities.[5] Beginning his musical and vocal training as a choirboy in St Marys Church, he went on to sing in the National Youth Choir and the CBSO Chorus.[3]

In the 1990s, Batsford performed as singer and main songwriter in indie guitar-based bands including Maroon.[6] Two of his dark, short stories were published in fiction magazines in the UK and America.[7][8] For ten years, he booked and promoted comedy show The GAG Club, worked as a booking agent and artist agent as well as performing as a stand up comic, and he was one of the original partners in setting up the Birmingham Comedy Festival.[9] He wrote numerous preview articles about stand up comedy and classical music for the Metro Newspaper and appeared as an actor in ‘Perfect Scenario’, a featurette produced as an extra for the BBC DVD release of Doctor Who serial ‘Frontier in Space’.