Ambrose Edison Hall was born in Norwich on May 25th 1970. By the age of
ten, he had already started writing songs and composing small pieces for orchestra. This
helped him to gain a music scholarship to Woodbridge school. Shortly after this, he played
the piano with Rostrapovich in a composers concert at Snape Maltings, the home of the
Britten-Pears Foundation. At fourteen he took up the double bass and percussion, in
addition to his piano and violin studies. While on a summer music course he had his first
conducting lessons, and rehearsed and conducted his own composition, Fantasia For
Orchestra.
Having played under Jane Glover at Snape Maltings in his last year of
secondary education, he conducted his second symphony The Woodbridge with the
Woodbridge School Symphony Orchestra, and won the Britten-Pears Music Prize for his
outstanding contribution to music.
In 1986 he was awarded a place at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Junior department and was later given a scholarship. He achieved the highest mark for
General Musicianship in 1988. By this time, Ambrose was already playing professionally,
and in 1989 was invited to conduct Jesus Christ Superstar at Guy's Hospital. He
also joined the staff of Woodbridge School to teach the double bass. He continued at
Guildhall, studying double bass with Kevin Rundell, jazz piano with Lionel Grigson, and
conducting with Alan Hazeldine and Steven Barlow.
His professional career has involved many interesting ventures, such as:
Organising, managing and conducting the Ambrose Chamber Orchestra for a
special concert given at St. Andrews by the Wardrobe (1991).
Co-arranging and co-producing the string arrangements with Strings
Unlimited on track Roads in Portishead's award winning album Dummy.
(1993)
Releasing a white label record with the Gatecrashers entitled Let It
Go.
Holding a residency as jazz pianist at Cornucopia, Garrick street,
London. (1994-95)
Performing on the Pebble Mill show as bassist with ZHL string trio.
(1995)
Playing as part of the Soho Jazz Festival both solo piano and with his
band, the Ambrose Jazz Trio, at Burlington Bertie's. (1995) The band enjoyed a
residency there until 1996.
Writing the string arrangements for tracks Body Bright and Angels
on the album Love The Sea Is blue by The Mighty House, which was released through
HMV. (1995)
Forming Strings and Things, a funky string quartet (with double
bass rather than 'cello), selling nearly a thousand cassettes at performances all over the
UK. (1996)
Performing with his band Ministry of Groove at the Waldorf Hotel
for the Information Management Awards 1996, which was co-organised by Deloitte &
Touche Consulting Group and sponsored by Unisys. Ministry of Groove included Darren
Mooney on drums, (who has performed with Brian Adams, ZZ Top, and Babylon Zoo) and Paul
Weimar on saxaphone, who has toured with the Brand New Heavies. (1996)
Contributing to the album Piper by Jonny L (XL Recordings, EMI
Publishing) (1997)
He has recently formed the Ambrose Jazz Quartet, a jazz-funk band, and
continues to write songs and perform jazz piano. |
