Biography.
List of Francis Wright compositions and arrangements published by Charnwood Music. |
- Hon FBCA
- Chairman, Board of Administration of British College of Accordionists (BCA) 1969 - 1997
- Chairperson, National Accordion Organisation of the UK (NAO) 1966 - 1969
- Vice-President, Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA) 1968 - 1970
Teacher, Author, Composer, Publisher
On March 18th 1918 in Leicester, Francis was born to Ellen and Fergus, the youngest of five children. As a child always played mouthorgan (by ear) and sang in the church choir.
Francis served in F Company, a training battalion of the Royal Corps of Signals, from 1933 to 1935 as a boy-soldier, and sang In the Catterick Garrison Church Choir under the eminently - strict baton of Bandmaster Randolph Robert Rlcketts (pen-name Leo Stanley), composer of many military marches. His brother wrote under the name of Kenneth Alford, and was the composer of Colonel Bogey . The two were known throughout Army music as the Ricketts Brothers .
In 1935 Francis left the army due to his father s ill heath and returned to Leicester to assist in the family shoemaking business. He took up the piano-accordion in 1937, as pupil of the late George Alexander Sutton, but then had to return to the Army for war-time service. He was re-mustered to the Royal Corps of Signals, serving as a Special Wireless Operator (Radio - Wissenschaft) through North Africa, Italy, and - after the war - Austria, covering front-line German regiments.
He continued to play his accordion throughout the war, also broadcasting weekly with the 8th. Army s own BBC station (known as B4 , and run by Lt. Clifford Oath - afterwards to become Daily Mirror TV Critic). Near the end of the war these pieces were broadcast from the stage of Cesena Opera House, Italy, with Francis playing an instrument made for him at the time by Danleie Cintioli of Castelfidardo.
On his demobilization in 1946, he returned to the family-business. On the death of his father, Francis opened a music shop. He became a professional-accordionist in 1956, broadcasting for the BBC Midland Region, and devoting his whole attention to the instrument and its interests. He founded the Lelcester School of Music in 1964 - a body which continues in accordion and guitar specializations up to the present time, with a fine reputation.
In 1965 he was asked by the late Dr Otto Meyer to take over the responsibility of the British College of Accordionists (BCA), a body specializing in accordion examinations. He continued working with the BCA up to his death in 1997.
Francis was the Accordion Day organizer for the National Accordion Organisation (NAO) from 1965 to 1970 and was Chairman from 1966 to 1969. He was the vice President of the Conf d ration Internationale des Accord onistes (CIA) from 1968 1970, during which he staged the 1968 Coupe Mondiale in Leicester.
In 1958 Francis found that there was a need for publication of accordion music by British composers and he established Charnwood Music. In 1971 the college instituted an Honorary Fellowship, and this was conferred upon Francis by the then Patron, Lord Taylor, in that year. Over the next 42 years Francis continued to teach and trained hundreds of students in the art of music. Francis played the accordion for over 60 years and he always regarded the pursuit and achievement of perfection as his top priority.
In 1986 he suffered a coronary, followed a year later by a heart by-pass operation. In 1997 he attended the NAO UK Championships and was awarded the National Organisations Merit Award for his Outstanding service to the Accordion but sadly at the age of 80 on 21st August 1997 Francis passed away. The end of era especially for the British College of Accordionists.
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| Charnwood Music list of compositions/arrangements by Francis Wright: |
Alphabetical Order
Catalog list, composed by Francis Wright unless indicated otherwise
Catalog - Name & Information
M319 - 12 Bar Rock (Solo)
B035 - 12 Bar Rock (score - 2 of each part) (Ensemble/Orchestra)
M299 - 15 Traditional Tunes (Solo), Nikolas Rimsky-Korsakow, arr. F. Wright
M031 - 48 Technical Exercises for Accordion (Solo)
M130 - 5 Divertimenti for Accordion (Solo)
M309 - Accordion Concert (Solo)
B006 - Andromedia (score - 2 of each part) (Ensemble/Orchestra)
M338D - Anitras Dance (Duet), Edvard Grieg, arr. F. Wright
M287A - Ballons / Rocking Horses (Solo)
M051 - Blue Ribbon Waltz (Solo)
M172G - Blue Skies (Waltz) (Ensemble/Orchestra)
B012 - Brindisi from La Traviata (score - 2 of each part) (Ensemble/Orchestra), Verdi, arr. F. Wright
M266 - Busking as an Art Vol 1 (Solo) arr. F. Wright
M275 - Busking as an Art Vol 2 (Solo) arr. F. Wright
M282 - Busking as an Art Vol 3 (Solo) arr. F. Wright
M294 - Busking as an Art Vol 4 (Solo) arr. F. Wright
M305 - Busking as an Art Vol 5 Xmas Carol (Solo) arr. F. Wright
M189G - CakeWalk (Ensemble/Orchestra)
M293 - Chiquita (Solo)
B020 - Chiquita (score - 2 of each part) (Ensemble/Orchestra)
M195G - Con Brio (Ensemble/Orchestra)
M030 - Dansette / Peaceful Moment (Solo)
B021 - Donauwellen Waltzes, Danube Waves (score - 2 of each part) (Ensemble/Orchestra), Ivanovici, J (1845-1902) arr. F. Wright
M234A - Eight Studies for the Beginner Accordionist (Solo)
M041 - Elementary Course for Accordion (Solo)
M002 - Estravaganza (Solo)
M139G - Etude Barcarolle (Ensemble/Orchestra)
M003 - Festival March (Solo)
B002 - Festival March (score - 2 of each part)
(Ensemble/Orchestra)
M299A - Fifteen Traditional Tunes (Solo)
M130A - Five Divertimenti for Accordion (Solo)
M039 - Flying Dance (Gopak) (Solo)
M031A - Forty-Eight Technical Exercises for Accordion (Solo)
M218 - Francis Wright Waltz (Solo) by Sir Jimmy Shand
M218D - Francis Wright Waltz (Duet) by Sir Jimmy Shand
M048 - Gaiety Waltz (Solo)
B034 - Gems from the Gondoliers (score - 2 of each part) (Ensemble/Orchestra), Gilbert & Sullivan, arr. F. Wright
B033 - Gems from the Mikado (score - 2 of each part) (Ensemble/Orchestra) Gilbert & Sullivan, arr. F. Wright
B019 - Hallelujah Chorus, Messiah (score - 2 of each part) (Ensemble/Orchestra), G Handel, arr. F. Wright
M190G- Herald Of Spring (Ensemble/Orchestra)
M049 - Holiday Express (Solo)
B014 - IL Miserere, I'll Trovatore (score - 2 of each part) (Ensemble/Orchestra), Verdi, arr. F. Wright
M289 - Italian Journey (Solo)
B004 - Italian Journey (score - 2 of each part) (Ensemble/Orchestra)
M285 - Italian Suite (Solo), Traditional, arr. F. Wright
B011 - Italian Suite (score - 2 of each part) (Ensemble/Orchestra), Traditional, arr. F. Wright
M036 - Kindemarsch / Little Waltz (Solo)
B001 - Kindermarsch (score - 2 of each part) (Ensemble/Orchestra)
B013 - La Donna E Mobile, Rigoletto (score - 2 of each part), (Ensemble/Orchestra) Verdi, arr. F. Wright
B022 - La Paloma - Tango (score - 2 of each part) (Ensemble/Orchestra), S Yradier, arr. F. Wright
B003 Las Fallas (score - 2 of each part) (Ensemble/Orchestra) Gerald Crossman, arr. F. Wright
M036A - Little Waltz / Kindermasch (Solo)
M314D - Londonderry Air (Duet), Traditional, arr. F. Wright
M314 - Londonderry Air (Solo), Traditional, arr. F. Wright
M295 - Lucky Jim / Pretty Polly (Solo)
M046 - Marina (Waltz) (Solo)
B009 - Maritime Suite (score - 2 of each part) (Ensemble/Orchestra)
M191G - Minuet (Ensemble/Orchestra)
M053 - Minuet from "Berenice" (Solo), G. Handel, arr. F. Wright
M156G - Morris Dance (Ensemble/Orchestra)
M026 - Musette Facile (Solo)
M168G - Nella Tango (Ensemble/Orchestra)
M315 - O Du Liber Augustin (Variations) (Solo)
M062D - O Suzanna (Duet), Traditional, arr. F. Wright
M062 - O Suzanna (Solo), Traditional, arr. F. Wright
M155G - On the March (Ensemble/Orchestra)
B023 - Over The Waves (score - 2 of each part) (Ensemble/Orchestra)Over The Waves (score - 2 of each part) (Ensemble/Orchestra), Juventino di Rosas, arr. F. Wright
B017 - Overture, Messiah (score - 2 of each part) (Ensemble/Orchestra), F Handel, arr. F. Wright
M138G - Party Time (Ensemble/Orchestra)
B018 - Pastoral Symphony, Messiah (score - 2 of each part) (Ensemble/Orchestra), G. Handel, arr. F. Wright
M047 - Pauline (Solo)
M030A - Peaceful Moments / Dansette (Solo)
B037 - Peer Gynt Suite - 4 movements (score - 2 of each part) (Ensemble/Orchestra), G Evard, arr. F. Wright
M135G - Pic A Polka (Ensemble/Orchestra)
M011 - Preparatory Course for Accordion (Solo)
M295A - Pretty Polly / Lucky Jim (Solo)
M054 - Primary Course for Accordion (Solo)
M280 - Ring O' Bells (Solo)
M287 - Rocking Horses / Balloons (Solo)
M045 - Rosemary Waltz (Solo)
M277 - Schrammel Melodies Vol 1 (Solo), Various, arr. F. Wright
M278 - Schrammel Melodies Vol 2 (Solo), Various, arr. F. Wright
M292 -- Scottish March Selection (Solo), Various, arr. F. Wright
B027 - Scottish March Selection (score - 2 of each part) (Ensemble/Orchestra), Various, arr. F. Wright
M301A - Six Gems of Italian Opera (Solo)
B023A - Sobra Las Olas (score - 2 of each part) (Ensemble/Orchestra), Juventino di Rosas, arr. F. Wright
M052 - Swinging Along (Solo)
M317 - The Gondoliers - 5 selected pieces (Solo), Gilbert & Sullivan, arr. F. Wright
M316 - The Mikado (Solo), Gilbert & Sullivan, arr. F. Wright
M319A - Twelve Bar Rock (Solo)
B035A - Twelve Bar Rock (score - 2 of each part) (Ensemble/Orchestra)
M318 - Two Bavarians Dances (Solo)
B025 - Two English Folk Tunes (score - 2 of each part) (Ensemble/Orchestra)
Two French Folk Tunes (score - 2 of each part) (Ensemble/Orchestra), Traditional, arr. F. Wright
B030 - Two French Folk Tunes (score - 2 of each part) (Ensemble/Orchestra), Traditional, arr. F. Wright
B031 - Two German Folk Dances (score - 2 of each part) (Ensemble/Orchestra), Traditional, arr. F. Wright
B029 - Two Irish Folk Tunes (score - 2 of each part), Traditional, arr. F. Wright
B032 - Two Italian Folk Tunes (score - 2 of each part) (Ensemble/Orchestra), Traditional, arr. F. Wright
B026 - Two Scottish Folk Tunes (score - 2 of each part) (Ensemble/Orchestra), Traditional, arr. F. Wright
B028 - Two Welsh Folk Tunes (score - 2 of each part) (Ensemble/Orchestra), Traditional, arr. F. Wright
B016 - Tyrolienne, William Tell (score - 2 of each part) (Ensemble/Orchestra), G Rossini, arr. F. Wright
M136G- Valse Des Gitarres (Ensemble/Orchestra)
M247 - Valse Nouvelle (Solo)
B015 - Vesti La Giubba (score - 2 of each part) (Ensemble/Orchestra), Leoncavallo, arr. F. Wright
M269 - White Heather (Solo)
M020 - Wien Bleit Wien (Vienna Forever) (Solo), Schrammel, arr. F. Wright
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