David John Roche
@davidjohnroche.bsky.social
Composer - direct, determined, loud.
"One of the most energetic, driven, and successful of Wales's millennial generation of composers" - Tŷ Cerdd
www.davidjohnroche.com
I gratefully acknowledge support from PRS Foundation
"One of the most energetic, driven, and successful of Wales's millennial generation of composers" - Tŷ Cerdd
www.davidjohnroche.com
I gratefully acknowledge support from PRS Foundation
🏴 Lovely (surprise!) BBC Radio 3 broadcast of my composition The Only Marriage on Niall Breslin's Classical Wind Down. The awesome Gerard Cousins on the guitar, with the recording taken from his album Simple Truths.
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Classical Wind Down - Wind down from the day with the most soothing classical music - BBC Sounds
De-stress and wind down from your day with a mix of soothing and reflective music.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 16, 2025 at 8:53 PM
🏴 Lovely (surprise!) BBC Radio 3 broadcast of my composition The Only Marriage on Niall Breslin's Classical Wind Down. The awesome Gerard Cousins on the guitar, with the recording taken from his album Simple Truths.
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Guildhall's new conference about working-class musicians is £125 a ticket 😂 It's almost as if they're not speaking to people from those backgrounds!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGFk...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGFk...
Alfred Hitchcock Spoof | Big Train | BBC Studios
YouTube video by BBC Studios
www.youtube.com
November 14, 2025 at 12:46 PM
Guildhall's new conference about working-class musicians is £125 a ticket 😂 It's almost as if they're not speaking to people from those backgrounds!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGFk...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGFk...
🏴 Squirrelled away working on some new commissions!
💡 Go and check out this awesome recording by Gerard Cousins - over 300,000 streams and still going. Phew!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ave...
💡 Go and check out this awesome recording by Gerard Cousins - over 300,000 streams and still going. Phew!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ave...
The Only Marriage | Solo Guitar | David John Roche
YouTube video by David Roche
www.youtube.com
November 8, 2025 at 1:35 PM
🏴 Squirrelled away working on some new commissions!
💡 Go and check out this awesome recording by Gerard Cousins - over 300,000 streams and still going. Phew!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ave...
💡 Go and check out this awesome recording by Gerard Cousins - over 300,000 streams and still going. Phew!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ave...
Currently putting together a talk that includes a segment on finding your musical voice. Any composers want to offer their 2 cents?
October 9, 2025 at 6:58 PM
Currently putting together a talk that includes a segment on finding your musical voice. Any composers want to offer their 2 cents?
🏴 Really looking forward to the first lecture of my new composition module - Creative Musical Composition - with Aberystwyth University. All starting tomorrow! Hurray!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLiC...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLiC...
World Premiere / Premiere Byd: David John Roche 'Waves of Love'
YouTube video by Vale of Glamorgan Festival
www.youtube.com
October 2, 2025 at 6:40 PM
🏴 Really looking forward to the first lecture of my new composition module - Creative Musical Composition - with Aberystwyth University. All starting tomorrow! Hurray!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLiC...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLiC...
🏴 If you'd like to hear more about my new composition - Gentle Constancy - ahead of Sunday's concert at the Royal Welsh College, then check out this chat!
🧨 Topics include: frustrating editing and parts, TAB, writing music, how I tuned my guitar wrong.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbxn...
🧨 Topics include: frustrating editing and parts, TAB, writing music, how I tuned my guitar wrong.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbxn...
Composer and Performer Chat | Gentle Constancy | Solo Guitar
YouTube video by David Roche
www.youtube.com
September 26, 2025 at 5:30 PM
🏴 If you'd like to hear more about my new composition - Gentle Constancy - ahead of Sunday's concert at the Royal Welsh College, then check out this chat!
🧨 Topics include: frustrating editing and parts, TAB, writing music, how I tuned my guitar wrong.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbxn...
🧨 Topics include: frustrating editing and parts, TAB, writing music, how I tuned my guitar wrong.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbxn...
🏴 Ahead the premiere of Gentle Constancy this Sunday at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama - Coleg Brenhinol Cerdd a Drama Cymru (supported by the PRS Foundation), I wrote this article for Music Patron's My City, My Music series. Check it out!
musicpatron.com/my-city-my-m...
musicpatron.com/my-city-my-m...
My city, my music: Cardiff
Where music is heard at its best A musical tour through Cardiff by Music Patron composer David John Roche. Dora
musicpatron.com
September 26, 2025 at 2:14 PM
🏴 Ahead the premiere of Gentle Constancy this Sunday at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama - Coleg Brenhinol Cerdd a Drama Cymru (supported by the PRS Foundation), I wrote this article for Music Patron's My City, My Music series. Check it out!
musicpatron.com/my-city-my-m...
musicpatron.com/my-city-my-m...
🏴 I absolutely loved studying at Cardiff University School of Music / Cardiff University - so it's lovely to be named one of the winners of the University’s prestigious 2025 30(ish) Awards, which celebrate alumni making a positive impact in their communities – all before they hit 30. Well, 30(ish).
September 25, 2025 at 9:43 AM
🏴 I absolutely loved studying at Cardiff University School of Music / Cardiff University - so it's lovely to be named one of the winners of the University’s prestigious 2025 30(ish) Awards, which celebrate alumni making a positive impact in their communities – all before they hit 30. Well, 30(ish).
🏴 A fab article by The Dementia Trust, about my recent commission for Nantwen Ensemble. Make sure you check it out, and make sure you watch the video (it really is lovely!).
dementiatrust.org/news-and-vie...
dementiatrust.org/news-and-vie...
How music can make us think differently about dementia
The sold-out premiere of “The Lyric Path” will take place on Saturday, 9 August 2025 at Nantwen, Pembrokeshire, as part of their much-anticipated annual summer concert. Following an award from the ...
dementiatrust.org
September 21, 2025 at 7:20 PM
🏴 A fab article by The Dementia Trust, about my recent commission for Nantwen Ensemble. Make sure you check it out, and make sure you watch the video (it really is lovely!).
dementiatrust.org/news-and-vie...
dementiatrust.org/news-and-vie...
🏴 My THOUSANDTH HYMNAL, for seven double basses, received First Prize at the International Double Bass Festival Belgium. Wahoo!
🪄 This was a commission from the Tanglewood Music Center - an amazing set of performers!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Obn-...
🪄 This was a commission from the Tanglewood Music Center - an amazing set of performers!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Obn-...
ROCHE Thousandth Hymnal (World Premiere) - TMC
YouTube video by Tanglewood Music Center
www.youtube.com
August 25, 2025 at 1:15 PM
🏴 My THOUSANDTH HYMNAL, for seven double basses, received First Prize at the International Double Bass Festival Belgium. Wahoo!
🪄 This was a commission from the Tanglewood Music Center - an amazing set of performers!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Obn-...
🪄 This was a commission from the Tanglewood Music Center - an amazing set of performers!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Obn-...
🏴Check out this fab recording by Gerard Cousins - it's my tremolo piece, For Alex.
🪄 I wrote this maybe 10 years ago now (I was 23 or 24, which seems insanely long ago now). The very high chords are probably the give away that I'm actually an electric player!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLz_...
🪄 I wrote this maybe 10 years ago now (I was 23 or 24, which seems insanely long ago now). The very high chords are probably the give away that I'm actually an electric player!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLz_...
For Alex | Solo Guitar | David John Roche
YouTube video by David Roche
www.youtube.com
August 17, 2025 at 5:22 PM
🏴Check out this fab recording by Gerard Cousins - it's my tremolo piece, For Alex.
🪄 I wrote this maybe 10 years ago now (I was 23 or 24, which seems insanely long ago now). The very high chords are probably the give away that I'm actually an electric player!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLz_...
🪄 I wrote this maybe 10 years ago now (I was 23 or 24, which seems insanely long ago now). The very high chords are probably the give away that I'm actually an electric player!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLz_...
🏴 In tandem with the release of The Only Marriage, I've uploaded a score video from Gerard Cousins' previous album - the piece is called For Alex.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLz_...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLz_...
For Alex | Solo Guitar | David John Roche
YouTube video by David Roche
www.youtube.com
August 17, 2025 at 12:28 PM
🏴 In tandem with the release of The Only Marriage, I've uploaded a score video from Gerard Cousins' previous album - the piece is called For Alex.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLz_...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLz_...
🏴 New piece online - check it out! Fab playing by Gerard Cousins, out as a single today!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ave...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ave...
The Only Marriage | Solo Guitar | David John Roche
YouTube video by David Roche
www.youtube.com
August 15, 2025 at 5:10 PM
🏴 New piece online - check it out! Fab playing by Gerard Cousins, out as a single today!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ave...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ave...
The number of managers who add people to their mailing lists without consent is absurd. It's not just rude - it is illegal (in the UK, at least). Don't be that person, it looks awful.
August 12, 2025 at 10:16 AM
The number of managers who add people to their mailing lists without consent is absurd. It's not just rude - it is illegal (in the UK, at least). Don't be that person, it looks awful.
🏴 It's Friday, it's sunny (ish), and I've had a lovely coffee. It's going to be good.
🪄 Check out this performance (by me!) of my tremolo study. It contains some of the most LH ridiculous stretches you could ask for... but I love it.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6E-...
🪄 Check out this performance (by me!) of my tremolo study. It contains some of the most LH ridiculous stretches you could ask for... but I love it.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6E-...
David John Roche | Tremolo Study 4 | Solo Guitar
YouTube video by David Roche
www.youtube.com
August 8, 2025 at 7:27 AM
🏴 It's Friday, it's sunny (ish), and I've had a lovely coffee. It's going to be good.
🪄 Check out this performance (by me!) of my tremolo study. It contains some of the most LH ridiculous stretches you could ask for... but I love it.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6E-...
🪄 Check out this performance (by me!) of my tremolo study. It contains some of the most LH ridiculous stretches you could ask for... but I love it.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6E-...
🏴 From October, I'm going to be working as an Academic Tutor with Aberystwyth University's Centre for Lifelong Learning. Hurray!
🪄 Learn more below and sign up! It's going to be a lot of fun - don't be afraid to reach out to me!
www.aber.ac.uk/en/lifelong-...
🪄 Learn more below and sign up! It's going to be a lot of fun - don't be afraid to reach out to me!
www.aber.ac.uk/en/lifelong-...
Dr David John Roche : Lifelong Learning , Aberystwyth University
www.aber.ac.uk
August 4, 2025 at 3:08 PM
🏴 From October, I'm going to be working as an Academic Tutor with Aberystwyth University's Centre for Lifelong Learning. Hurray!
🪄 Learn more below and sign up! It's going to be a lot of fun - don't be afraid to reach out to me!
www.aber.ac.uk/en/lifelong-...
🪄 Learn more below and sign up! It's going to be a lot of fun - don't be afraid to reach out to me!
www.aber.ac.uk/en/lifelong-...
It's Friday night and I obviously need a hobby, but how out of tune is this Trinity Grade 8 backing track? It's the official one too!
The B is so sharp you could cut your finger on it - students are supposed to use this in exams! Eek!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN_g...
The B is so sharp you could cut your finger on it - students are supposed to use this in exams! Eek!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN_g...
Always With Me, Always With You Trinity Grade 8 Guitar
YouTube video by Atom Music School
www.youtube.com
July 18, 2025 at 5:31 PM
It's Friday night and I obviously need a hobby, but how out of tune is this Trinity Grade 8 backing track? It's the official one too!
The B is so sharp you could cut your finger on it - students are supposed to use this in exams! Eek!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN_g...
The B is so sharp you could cut your finger on it - students are supposed to use this in exams! Eek!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN_g...
HIVEMIND: Are there any resources out there that detail how much Welsh music gets programmed in Wales, the UK, and internationally?
July 17, 2025 at 8:35 AM
HIVEMIND: Are there any resources out there that detail how much Welsh music gets programmed in Wales, the UK, and internationally?
Reposted by David John Roche
A while back, someone asked why Beautiful Pea Green Boat's 1990 12" EP, Every Night With You I Die A Little was not available online, so I raided the Slaughterback archives and here it is. #bpgb #synthsky #synthpop #electropop #1990s #thirdmind
beautifulpeagreenboat.bandcamp.com/album/every-...
beautifulpeagreenboat.bandcamp.com/album/every-...
Every Night With You I Die A Little EP, by Beautiful Pea Green Boat
4 track album
beautifulpeagreenboat.bandcamp.com
July 2, 2025 at 11:57 AM
A while back, someone asked why Beautiful Pea Green Boat's 1990 12" EP, Every Night With You I Die A Little was not available online, so I raided the Slaughterback archives and here it is. #bpgb #synthsky #synthpop #electropop #1990s #thirdmind
beautifulpeagreenboat.bandcamp.com/album/every-...
beautifulpeagreenboat.bandcamp.com/album/every-...
If a role is publicly funded, pays £30000 a year or under, and the appointing organisation won't take CVs, then it should be illegal to request a prospective applicant to fill out a form that is over 2000 words. Organisations should also be compelled to accept generic information as a PDF document.
June 26, 2025 at 1:20 PM
If a role is publicly funded, pays £30000 a year or under, and the appointing organisation won't take CVs, then it should be illegal to request a prospective applicant to fill out a form that is over 2000 words. Organisations should also be compelled to accept generic information as a PDF document.
🏴 Lovely to be back at Abingdon School earlier this year - really fantastic music being made by really talented students. A fab day!
www.abingdon.org.uk/composition-...
www.abingdon.org.uk/composition-...
Composition Workshop and Masterclass - Abingdon Senior School
Composer David John Roche returned to Abingdon School in May to lead a workshop and masterclass with our Fourth Year and Lower Sixth composers. Drawing
www.abingdon.org.uk
June 23, 2025 at 9:57 PM
🏴 Lovely to be back at Abingdon School earlier this year - really fantastic music being made by really talented students. A fab day!
www.abingdon.org.uk/composition-...
www.abingdon.org.uk/composition-...
It is sad that the music shop PMT is closing. However, when they first arrived they eviscerated all of the local and independently-owned music shops. Now they're packing up and leaving people with almost nothing. Poorly-managed, a poor choice to let them set up shop initially.
June 12, 2025 at 8:07 AM
It is sad that the music shop PMT is closing. However, when they first arrived they eviscerated all of the local and independently-owned music shops. Now they're packing up and leaving people with almost nothing. Poorly-managed, a poor choice to let them set up shop initially.
🏴 A lovely, fresh, and updated website, with some of the fantastic photos from recent concerts and events - awesome.
📣 Check it out, listen to some music, commission a few symphonies, it'll be fantastic. Do it!
www.davidjohnroche.com
📣 Check it out, listen to some music, commission a few symphonies, it'll be fantastic. Do it!
www.davidjohnroche.com
David John Roche | Classical Music Composer | Wales
Described as “one of the most energetic, driven, and successful of Wales’s millennial generation of composers” (Tŷ Cerdd) and hailed as “a glorious confusion of rock and film music […] irresistible” (...
www.davidjohnroche.com
June 9, 2025 at 6:12 PM
🏴 A lovely, fresh, and updated website, with some of the fantastic photos from recent concerts and events - awesome.
📣 Check it out, listen to some music, commission a few symphonies, it'll be fantastic. Do it!
www.davidjohnroche.com
📣 Check it out, listen to some music, commission a few symphonies, it'll be fantastic. Do it!
www.davidjohnroche.com
🔥 Really excited to be working on a fantastic new commission for Nantwen and the Dementia Trust. It's a honour to work on such a meaningful and sensitive project - I can't wait to hear the performances!
www.facebook.com/reel/1475949...
www.facebook.com/reel/1475949...
Following the award from the @thedementiatrust we are delighted that @yourbestfrienddave David John Roche has agreed to compose the work for our Nantwen Ensemble… come and listen to this new work in o...
Following the award from the @thedementiatrust we are delighted that @yourbestfrienddave David John Roche has agreed to compose the work for our Nantwen Ensemble… come and listen to this new work in.....
www.facebook.com
June 8, 2025 at 3:34 PM
🔥 Really excited to be working on a fantastic new commission for Nantwen and the Dementia Trust. It's a honour to work on such a meaningful and sensitive project - I can't wait to hear the performances!
www.facebook.com/reel/1475949...
www.facebook.com/reel/1475949...
🏴 Submission day for a new commission, wahoo!
🎹 It's premiering in Italy later this year, but it's all very secret right now... so why not check out this amazing performance of my recent commission for the amazing National Youth Guitar Ensemble!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-PY...
🎹 It's premiering in Italy later this year, but it's all very secret right now... so why not check out this amazing performance of my recent commission for the amazing National Youth Guitar Ensemble!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-PY...
NYGE Fellowship Ensemble - Hammer of Acceptance by David John Roche
YouTube video by Guitar Circus - NYGE - WYGF
www.youtube.com
June 6, 2025 at 7:06 PM
🏴 Submission day for a new commission, wahoo!
🎹 It's premiering in Italy later this year, but it's all very secret right now... so why not check out this amazing performance of my recent commission for the amazing National Youth Guitar Ensemble!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-PY...
🎹 It's premiering in Italy later this year, but it's all very secret right now... so why not check out this amazing performance of my recent commission for the amazing National Youth Guitar Ensemble!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-PY...