Craig Edwards

Description

I have an eclectic background, being a highly trained and experienced solo classical/easy listening/rock pianist and MD, working at the highest levels of the profession in solo piano performance, piano accompaniment, opera, dance and musical theatre. I have a substantial and varied repertoire and considerable international performing experience. I have been interested in overseas hotel and cruise work for several years – but domestic considerations have previously made it impractical. I am seeking, now life circumstances permit, work as cocktail/restaurant/solo pianist on a cruise ship and/o ... r hotel venue. I haven't yet included references on the site but previous and current private references can be obtained and forwarded on request.
I have perfect pitch of the type that allows me to identify any note I hear and to readily play and transpose any music I know into any key without reference to a score. I can play by ear, immediately harmonize and arrange diatonic music and juxtapose this with any other musical material. I can learn new material rapidly - just by listening to it. Read More

Set-List

MY REPERTOIRE IS EXTENSIVE. I PERFORM ARRANGEMENTS OF POP, EASY LISTENING, MUSICALS/FILMS/G & S, CHORAL/VOCAL, CLASSICAL ORCHESTRAL FAVOURITES, INTERNATIONAL MUSIC, CLASSICAL PIANO, GERSHWIN, BALLET AND OPERATIC REPERTOIRE.
OPERA/OPERETTA
Casta Diva, Che gelida manina, O soave fanciulla, Nessun dorma, Addio dolce svegliare, In Poverta, Vissi d’Arte, O Mimi tu piu non torni, Carmen Entr’acte to Act 3, Una terrible tosse, Offenbach Barcarolle, Quando m’en Vo, Una Furtiva Lacrimae, Addio del passato, Parigi o cara, Lakme Flower Duet, Turandot – Oh Dio beginning Act 2, Di Provenza, La ... donna e mobile, Grand March Aida – softer section, La ci darem, Libiamo ne liete calici, Pa-pa Papageno, Bella figlia dell amore, Voi che sapete, Habanera – Carmen, Bartered Bride F maj and A min sections, E lucevan le stelle, Speed your journey, Non piu andrai, Donde lieta, O mio babbino caro, Fledermaus waltz, Ainsi que, Mimi - speravo di trovarvi qui, Addio o dolce svegliare, Un bel di, Carmen Castanets, Pres des remparts, O reste aupres de moi, L’amour est un oiseau rebelle, Viene la sera + love duet, Laughing song, Celeste Aida, Signore ascolta, Un di felice, Dans l’air nous suivons, Lakme, I Vespri G major, Partite Crudele, Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana, Ah forse, Cosi – trio, Sono andati, Boris Godunov, beginning Act 3. Vilia, Merry Widow waltz - 3 sections, Orpheus in the Underworld - Can can, Laughing song.
BALLET
Gavotte from R and J, Summer from Cinderella, Manon – B and B pas de deux including Bright eyes, Pas de trois and Adage, Manon G major entrance and Sappho, Dance of the hours, A minor Spanish Raymonda Variation, Waltz of flowers, Swan lake waltz, Sleeping Beauty waltz, Panorama, Coppelia – Czardas, Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux, Paquita Coda, Swan Lake – Neapolitan and Czardas, Spartacus, Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, Swan Lake Neapolitan, Paquita waltz, Swan Lake Pas de trios and Big Swans waltz, Sugar Plum Fairy.
GERSHWIN AND SIMILAR
Embraceable you, But not for me, Summertime, Lady be good, I’ll build a stairway,
I got rhythm, Somebody loves me, The Man I love, Liza, Swanee, I got plenty o’ nuttin, Someone to watch over me, Let’s call the whole thing off, Fascinating rhythm, A foggy day.
CLASSICAL PIANO
Debussy arabesques, preludes and estampes, Rachmaninov preludes, Mozart, Beethoven and Ginastera sonatas, Chopin preludes and etudes, Brahms Intermezzi, Mozart - Alla Turca, Beethoven Fur Elise, Grieg - Wedding Day in Troldhaugen, Debussy - L’Isle Joyeuse, and much other of the classical solo piano repertoire.
FRENCH/GERMAN/RUSSIAN/WELSH/ENGLISH FOLK SONG
Les amants d’un jour, Les flons flons du ball, Ich bin die fesche lola, Swiss song, Mon Dieu, Heureuse, Un amor and Un ano mas - Mecano, Enfin le printemps, Waly Waly, Blow the wind southerly, Lake Isle of Innisfree, Sur ma vie, Il faudra leur dire, Gwahoddiad, Finlandia, Bugeilior Gweneth Gwyn, La Vie en Rose, Autumn Leaves, Hymn a l’Amour, O Sole Mio, Non je ne regrette rien, Padam, Tu me fais tourner la tete, Kalinka, Hava Nagilah, A quoi ca sert l’amour, Milord, La Goulante, Hooked on Scotland, Charlie is my darlin’, Ash Grove, All through the night, Danny Boy, Le droit d’aimer, La foule, De las Montanos, Myfanwy, Frence a frence and Natal, Funiculi Funicula and Hooked on Classics,
Le temps, L’accordeoniste, Greensleeves, La Cucaracha, Non je ne regrette rien, Tico tico, Dis lui toi que je t’aime, Coupe coupe, Fais comme l’oiseau, C’est a Hambourg, Ne partez pas sans moi, Mae Hiraeth, El Ladron, Lili Marlene, Guantanamera, Le temps.
ORCHESTRAL FAVOURITES
Rach 2 Piano Conc – B flat major theme, and E flat major theme, Sheep may safely graze, Tea for two, Minuetto Allegretto, Dvorak 7 3rd mov, Espana, Pachelbel Canon, Shos A major waltz, Standchen, Capriccio Italien, Emperor Waltz,
Morning, Tschaikovsky piano conc, 1st and 2nd mov., 3rd Scottish dance, Humoreske Dvorak, Popular Song, Shos lyrical waltz, Tritsh tratsch, Rach Pag, Malcolm Arnold – A major and E flat major (bassoon), D major Bartok Hungarian, Moldau, Swan, Albeniz tango, Shos cadenza, Rach 2nd sym 3rd mov, Tshaik 5 2nd mov, Capriccio Espagnol, Beet 9, Capriccio Italien, Symphonic Dances - 1st movement, Shos 2nd mov, Mozart Cl conc 1st and 2nd mov themes, Dance of the dolls, Ice skating, La Valse, Brahms Hungarian dance, Sicilienne von Paradis, Die Forelle, Shost cadenza, Arrival of Queen of Sheba, New World Largo, Rach 2nd sym 3rd mov, La Valse, Bolero, Tshaik 5 2nd mov, Troika, Can can, Ravel Pavane, Faure Pavane, Minuetto Allegretto, Shostakovich 2nd piano conc 2nd mov, Sicilienne von Paradis.
CHORAL/VOCAL
Bogoroditse Dyevo, Zum Schlafen, O Waly, Waly, Die Forelle, In trutina, In Paradisum, Benedictus – The Armed Man, Shepherds farewell, Carmina end of no. 8, Rachmaninoff the lilacs, Panis Angelicus, All in the April evening, El Shaddai, Stetit puella, Pie Jesu, Tempus est iocundum, Ecce gratum, Cin geselle min, There is no rose.
MUSICALS/FILMS/G & S
Where is love, Nobody does it better, Bright eyes, Unexpected song, My Lord and Master, Out here on my own, Unchained Melody, Something Wonderful, We kiss in a shadow, Music of the Night, No more talk of darkness, Dance-a-ca-chuca, Time heals everything, I won’t send roses, Poor wandering one, Its gonna be a long night, Tonight, Something good, Somewhere that’s green, Suddenly Seymour, Out of my dreams, Never grow old, America, Lullaby of Broadway, Do re mi and subsequent section, 3 coins in a fountain, Somewhere over the rainbow, Supercal, Climb every mountain, Mame, Mr Cellophane, Razzle Dazzle, Stranger in Paradise, Never grow old, The glory of love, From Russia with love, New York New York, Do I hear a waltz, Happy Talk, I’m just a girl who can’t say no, I feel pretty, Love changes everything, C’est moi, Who will buy, Rocky Road, On a tree by a river a little Tom tit, Broadway Baby, I still believe in me, Try to remember, Hello young lovers, Bali Hai, How do you solve a problem like Maria, Sunrise Sunset, 16 going on 17, Sit down you’re rocking the boat, We’re in the money, Before I gaze at you again, Goodnight Vienna, Can’t help lovin’ dat man o mine, Lullaby of Broadway, One singular sensation, Don’t cry for me Argentina, I’m gonna wash that man, Love changes everything, The lusty month of may, I’d do anything, Memory, Pick a pocket or two, Love story, The sound of music, My favourite things, All that jazz, Direct from Vienna, I come from a town called Mira, Wouldn’t it be lovely, Lonely Goatherd, Some fun now, Its gonna be a long night, Officer Krupke, All time high, Born free, If I loved you, Something good, Any dream will do, Close ev’ry door to me, Edelweiss, Younger than springtime, Some enchanted evening, Some fun now, I’d do anything, On my own, Oliver Oliver, never before, This nearly was mine, Sunday clothes, Landler, At the ballet, Matchmaker matchmaker, Put on your Sunday Clothes, 2 gendarmes, We have all the time in the world, Ilia's theme, Loudly let the trumpet Bray, I could have danced all night, WSS – One hand one heart + I have a love, We have all the time in the world, Moonraker, From Russia with love, Titanic, What a beautiful morning, Exodus, Bali Hai, You only live twice, On a tree by a river a little tom-tit, I sing the body electric, Consider yourself, Hello Dolly, Who will buy, I’m in love with a wonderful guy, For your eyes only, Getting to know you, Bring him home, Practically perfect, Summer lovin’, Poor wand’ring one, Some enchanted evening, Chariots of Fire, Somewhere, I dreamed a dream, Somewhere over the rainbow, Try to remember, My dearest dear, We’ll gather lilacs, Drink with me, Prayer (les Mis), I have dreamed, If ever I would leave you, Before I gaze at you again, Black Hills of Dakota, When time goes by, Out here on my own, I still believe in me, You’re the one that I want, Summer nights, We go together.
EASY LISTENING
Moon River, Enya, Ilia's Theme, Forgotten dreams, Scarlet ribbons, Shango, Standchen, Strangers in the Night, Green leaves of summer, Charmaine, From a distance, All through the night, Danny Boy, The Carnival is Over, Goodnight Vienna, Cockels and Mussels (Molly Malone), Annie’s song, Are you lonesome tonight, Now is the hour, Rocking alone in an old rocking chair, Morningtown ride, Annie's song, I can see clearly now, London Pride, Greensleeves, Melodie d’Amour, Sunshine on my shoulders, Love me Tender, A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square, Up where we belong, Viva Espana, Mr Ting a Ling, Let me call you sweetheart, Apres moi, Harry Lime, Georgy Girl, The wonder of you, 3 coins, Don’t dilly dally, Lake Isle of Innisfree, Green grass of home, The entertainer, That’ll be the day, Be bop a lula, Black hills of Dakota, Just an old fashioned girl, Blue Hawaii, Island of dreams, When I grow too old to dream, It’s a small world after all, Top of the World, Country Roads, Somewhere my love, Little house – closing music, Yellow Rose of Texas, Marching through Georgia, Wheels, Someday, one day, Hey there look in the mirror, Acrobat, California here I come, When I’m 64, Country Gardens, Maple Leaf rag I’d like to teach the world to sing, Schwanda the Bagpiper (Swedish Rhapsody), Tie a yellow ribbon, Happiness, Well I’m on my way to heaven, Open up them pearly gates, Hi Lili-Hi-Lo, Carnival of Venice, Home on the range, Falling in love again, I remember it well, Scarlet ribbons, Cavatina, 12th of never, B minor Chinese song, Bells across the meadows, Cara mia, Fernandos hideaway, Pearly shells, Scarborough Fair, Walk with me, Georgy girl, Marianina, Wheels, Candle in the wind (Goodbye English Rose), I love you because, Love is my reason for living, Top of the world, Ice skating, You ask how much I love you (tomorrow never comes), He’ll have to go, Adios Amigo, Sailing, Blowing in the wind, I can’t stop loving you, 12th of never, Burn on V=you light the light), Gazing at my window (there is born a child), Circles, To dream the impossible dream, Wunderbar, Evergreen, Turn turn turn, Floral Dance, Standchen, Happy Wanderer, Are you lonesome tonight, My bonny lies over the ocean, Mistletoe and Wine, Viva Espana, If I love you then I need you, Una paloma Blanca, Open up them pearly gates, Jamaica farewell, Jackie’s Rhumba, This song is not a minuet or trio but a rhumba, Yellow bird, Bimbo, Don’t sit under the apple tree, Lambeth walk, Congratulations, World of our own, Heaven I’m in heaven (dancing cheek to cheek), On the other side, Those were the days, Send in the clowns, Begin the beguine, Evergreen, Sailing by, Thank you for the music, My heart belongs to Daddy, Lets do it, lets fall in love.
POP
The sound of silence, Hotel California, Eternal Flame, Hello, This land is your land, I have a dream, Piano man, One Man One Woman, Everything I do I do it for you, Hey Jude, Ribbons of blue, Stuck on you (let me tell you now), Careless Whisper, Happy new year, I wonder, I’m on fire (Springsteen), Slipping through my fingers, My love, my life, I know him so well, That’s what love is for (Sometimes we make it harder than it is), Your song, Penny Lover, I wonder (This house and this garden), Why did it have to be me, Penny Lane, Big yellow taxi, Save your kisses for me, Viva forever, Move on, Mull of Kintyre, Supertrouper, Didn’t we almost have it all, Where do broken hearts go, You’re still my man, I know him so well, Move on, Saviour's Day, Honesty, Rivers of Babylon, My life, Yesterday, Fernando, One of us, I will remember you, Bridge over troubled water, Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen, Radio Gaga, Bohemian Rhapsody, You win again, Hammer to Fall, Take on me, Beat It, You to me are everything, Baby baby, Karma Chameleon, Self control, Freedom, Wake me up before you go-go, Come on Eileen, I wanna dance with somebody, The way you make me feel, Darlington County, Uptown Girl, The best, Typical male, We don’t need another hero, What’s love got to do with it, Heaven is a place on earth, Come on Eileen, Dancing in the dark, China in your hand, Girls just wanna have fun, Holding out for a hero, Little deuce coupe, Sloop John B, Tainted love, Stayin' alive, Doing alright, Call me maybe, We are the champions, Under pressure, Despacito, The locomotion, Material girl, La Isla Bonita, You can’t hurry love, Prince Charming, Love of the common people, 99 red balloons, Crazy little thing called love, Killer queen, Doing alright, Shut up and dance with me.
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Biography

Craig trained initially at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester, where he won the highest level of scholarship, the highest grade of performance diploma and all the main prizes for piano accompaniment. He was the first student in the history of the college to graduate one year early with diplomas in both academic and performance study. On leaving the RNCM, he became the first British pianist to be awarded an English Speaking Union scholarship for chamber music study at Yale University, USA and subsequently received a further award from The Guildhall School of Music and Drama in Lond ... on for further study.
Craig has since fulfilled contracts with Paris Opera, Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Opéra National de Lyon, Welsh National Opera, English National Ballet, Kirov Ballet, Royal Ballet, Dutch National Ballet, Cameron Mackintosh, Really Useful Group, Matthew Bourne and as a regular musical theatre player and conductor with many other production companies.
Craig has performed innumerable times on radio and television in Britain and abroad and worked in France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Turkey, Thailand, South Korea, Mexico, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Russia and the USA. Currently based in Paris, he speaks fluent French and some Russian.
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Experience

All my work experience as professional pianist has involved public performance in any variety of environments - whether as cocktail pianist in hotels, restaurants, afternoon tea venues, whether on stage as soloist in theatres, concert venues, whether as a duo partner and accompanist for singers and instrumentalists, whether in television studios or as musical director, orchestra member or solo accompanist for dance. I have travelled extensively. I have enjoyed my cocktail pianist work immensely - there is nothing more fulfilling than playing a range of repertoire on a fine instrument in a publ ... ic venue. Read More

Previous Clients

Paris Opera, Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Opéra National de Lyon, Welsh National Opera, English National Ballet, Kirov Ballet, Royal Opera House, Cameron Mackintosh, Really Useful Group, Matthew Bourne and many other production companies.

Suitable for

Cocktail Party / Drinks Reception Cruise Ships Hotel Event Private Party Product Launch / Promotion Theaters / Stage Trade Show / Exhibitions