About CRW (in depth)

Colin Richard Waller   (known professionally as Colin R. Waller) is a British composer, conductor, and educationalist from London, UK. Born in April 1954 in Forest Gate, East London, his musical journey began early and quite naturally, shaped by family life and the inspiring work of the Newham Academy of Music, where concert pianist Edward Parker first recognised and encouraged his talent. Originally captivated by the sound of the church organ, Colin went on to study French horn, piano, and percussion, and by the age of 13 had written his first composition.

He later studied at the UK Music Conservatoire Trinity College of Music, London (now Trinity Laban), training in horn, percussion, composition, and conducting. During these formative years he gained Licentiate diplomas in performance and also conducting, and was awarded a Fellowship (F.T.C.L.) in Composition, conferred with generous encouragement by the composer Arnold Cooke. Colin often reflects on his time at Trinity as among the most influential and rewarding years of his musical life.

Alongside a busy performing career, Colin devoted himself to music education and conducting, working with young musicians across London, Essex, and later the West Country. He held senior posts at the Newham Academy of Music, founded the Newham Academy Jazz Orchestra, and conducted youth orchestras, wind bands, and symphonic ensembles. Highlights included ambitious repertoire such as Holst’s The Planets and the founding of the Southend Youth Symphonic Wind Band, giving many young players their first experience of large-scale ensemble music.

After relocating to the West Country in 1999, Colin became Director of Music & Worship at Upton Vale Baptist Church, Torquay, where he founded the Ichthus Orchestra and produced large-scale community concerts. His reputation for imaginative and inclusive music-making led to his appointment as Music Development Coordinator for Torbay Council, during which time he established the Torbay Schools Festival of Performing Arts and the Westward Symphony Orchestra, created to give schoolchildren their first encounter with live professional symphonic music. He was also Musical Director for numerous stage productions, many of which received regional awards.

From 2014 to 2018, Colin served as Conductor of the Royal Navy Britannia Royal Naval College Volunteer Bands. This period remains especially dear to him, both musically and personally, and he was honoured on departure with the rare "Captain’s Award for Excellence" which he particularly treasures.

As a composer, Colin R. Waller has written widely across orchestral, band, choral, stage, and popular genres. His catalogue includes two symphonies, two concerti (for horn and cello), concert overtures, military band works, musicals, cantatas, and a substantial body of songs. His mature musical voice is best described as modernist neoclassical—grounded in traditional forms yet shaped by 20th-century modernism. While his roots lie in the English tradition of Vaughan Williams, Holst, and Cooke, his later works also reflect the influence of Walton, Mahler, and Shostakovich, always tempered by a strong sense of lyricism and personal expression.

His music has been performed nationally, broadcast on radio and television, and heard in major UK venues including the Royal Albert Hall, where his rock anthem Long Live the King received its premiere in 2017. His stage musical Something Beyond the Star premiered to critical acclaim in 2018.

Following the tragic illness and death of his wife Pauline in 2023, Colin returned gradually to composition with renewed focus and clarity. He views music as a deeply personal and spiritual act—written not to compete, but to share, communicate, and respond to the world around him.

One of his greatest joys remains the success of the many students he has taught and conducted, now working across professional music, theatre, broadcasting, education, and the armed services—a living legacy that continues well beyond the notes on the page.

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