Paul Harvey (pianist)

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Paul Harvey
OBE
Born (1940-01-29) 29 January 1940 (age 84)
Stoke-on-Trent, England
Occupation(s)
Instrument(s)Piano

Paul Ragle Harvey OBE (born 29 January 1940) is a British composer and former concert pianist. After being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2019, he rose to prominence in September 2020 following a viral video of him playing the piano. The video led to Harvey performing with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and recording a number-one single.

Early life and education

Harvey was born on 29 January 1940[1] in Stoke-on-Trent.[2][3][4] He played piano from an early age, completing his first-grade exam at the age of four. At 15, he completed his Grade 8 exam, achieving one of the best results in the United Kingdom.[5] When he was 18, Harvey moved to London to study at the Guildhall School of Music.[5][3] It was during this time that he met Sue, who later gave birth to Nick, Harvey's eldest son.[6]

Career

After graduating from the Guildhall School of Music, Harvey began work as a composer and pianist. One of his compositions, Rumba Toccata, is used regularly on the Grade 6 piano syllabus.[4] He was featured in the BBC Home Service's Variety Playhouse in 1964 when he played a piece by Mozart.[2][3][6]

Harvey first improvised in his "four notes" style at a summer course organised by Cleo Laine (left) and John Dankworth (right)

Around the time of his son Nick's birth, Harvey became a teacher at Imberhorne School in East Grinstead.[5] He taught there for 20 years[2] and became head of music.[7] Other experiences teaching included working at a summer school organised by musicians Cleo Laine and John Dankworth. It was at that course that his son Nick recalled he first heard his father improvise in his signature four notes style.[8]

Later life

Harvey was moved into sheltered housing in 2015 and was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2019.[3][5] To help fight the onset of the disease he plays the piano, sometimes through the persuasion of his son Nick. One such occasion was on 17 September 2020,[9][6] when Nick asked his father to improvise a song using only four notes: F, A, D and B.[10] The two-minute long[11] performance was recorded and uploaded to Nick's Twitter account. The clip went viral and gained over 2 million views.[10][12] It was aired on BBC Radio 4[13] on 21 September for World Alzheimer's Day.[14]

Harvey was invited onto Good Morning Britain as a guest following the viral video. On the program, he was requested by Susanna Reid to create another four-note improvisation using the notes C, D, G and B.[15]

Paddy O'Connell arranged for Harvey to make a recording of "Four Notes - Paul's Tune" with the BBC Philharmonic

After radio listeners requested an orchestral version of the song, Paddy O'Connell arranged for Harvey to record the piece as a charity single with the BBC Philharmonic.[16] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this took place remotely, with all orchestra members recording and submitting their parts from home.[13][17] The piece was arranged for the orchestra by Daniel Whibley.[13][17] The finished version was entitled "Four Notes – Paul's Tune".[18][3] It was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on 3 October.[17] The single was released to purchase as a digital download on 22 October.[9]

Harvey's playing inspired the Scottish billionaire Sir Tom Hunter to donate £1 million to charity. Hunter and his wife found the performance while watching BBC Breakfast. The donation was split between Music for Dementia and the Alzheimer's Society.[19][16] Music for Dementia used the money to set up the Paul & Nick Harvey fund. The fund distributed money to charities that support people with dementia through music.[20][12] Over 170 charities applied for funding, with 27 achieving grants of £5,000–50,000.[21][12][22]

Stephen Sondheim, lyricist of West Side Story, contacted Harvey after seeing the video. In a video message to Harvey given through the BBC, he called the piece "very special"[3] and said that he "can't wait to steal" it.[13] Sondheim was Harvey's favourite composer.[13]

For his charity work, Harvey was honoured with an Outstanding Achievement Award at the virtually hosted Dementia Hero Awards in 2021. He was one of three finalists.[23] Harvey was surprised with the honour, stating that he "was really quite shocked to win".[5]

Music for Dementia later arranged for Harvey to perform with the BBC Philharmonic to mark the first anniversary of the original video.[2] The performance consisted of Harvey playing "Four Notes" on the piano as well as conducting arrangements of "Four Notes" and "Where's the Sunshine", a song he wrote for a musical at Imberhorne School.[17][4] His son Nick played the piano.[24] The performance was broadcast on BBC Breakfast.[25][2] Harvey was moved by the experience, calling it "magical" and "very, very special".[24]

In December 2021, Harvey and Nick collaborated with singer Aled Jones to create a Christmas charity single. The end result was titled "Christmas Isn't Just Another Day". The single was made for Music for Dementia's m4d radio station.[26][27]

Harvey was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2023 Birthday Honours for services to charity and people living with Alzheimer's and dementia.[28]

Musical works

  • "Four Notes – Paul's Tune" – originally an improvisation using only four notes: a charity single released in 2020. The song is a collaboration between Harvey, Daniel Whibley and the BBC Philharmonic. It reached number 32 on the UK singles chart and number 1 on the UK singles download chart.[29] The single raised over £1 million;[25] all proceeds were donated to Music for Dementia and the Alzheimer's Society.[5][29] It was featured on the Now That's What I Call Music! album.[6]
  • "Where's the Sunshine" – Harvey wrote this song in 1981 for a school show at Imberhorne School.[11] The lyrics to the song were written by Pete Talman, head of drama at the school.[7]
  • Christmas Isn't Just Another Day – a charity Christmas single created with Nick Harvey and Aled Jones. Lyrics to the song were provided by Pete Talman. The single was broadcast through Music for Dementia's m4d radio station.[26][27]

References

  1. ^ Harvey, Nick (29 January 2021). "At 80, my dad Paul improvised a masterpiece, raised £1m+ for charity and got to no.1". Twitter.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Incredible moment pianist with dementia fulfils dream of conducting symphony orchestra". The Argus. 4 October 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Tapper, James (1 November 2020). "'I didn't expect a fuss': How a composer with dementia got to No 1". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  4. ^ a b c Gibbons, Katie. "Pianist Paul Harvey defies dementia to conduct BBC orchestra". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "'It's the power of music' musician living with dementia wins prestigious award". The Argus. 26 May 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d Taylor, Interviews by Jeremy. "Dementia sufferer Paul Harvey on his surprise viral hit, Four Notes — Paul's Tune". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  7. ^ a b "79-year-old with dementia remembers song he wrote decades ago, plays it on piano for son". CBS News. 26 June 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  8. ^ Bullmore, Harry (24 September 2020). "Sussex pianist stuns Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan". The Argus. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  9. ^ a b Lawrence, Morgan (3 March 2021). "My father's dementia led to a hit record and a million pounds for charity". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  10. ^ a b "WATCH: Former music teacher with dementia stuns with improvised composition using only four notes". HeraldScotland. 26 October 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  11. ^ a b "Dad with dementia's viral piano playing prompts million pound donation". Classic FM. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  12. ^ a b c Dunham, James (13 May 2021). "How this viral performance from a pianist with dementia is helping others". ITV News.
  13. ^ a b c d e Culwell-Block, Logan (4 November 2020). "Stephen Sondheim Surprises 80-Year-Old Composer Living With Dementia After Improvised Piece Goes Viral". Playbill.
  14. ^ "80-year-old former music teacher with dementia releases new single". Pianist. 10 November 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  15. ^ Needham, Lucy (21 September 2020). "Piers Morgan speechless as pensioner with dementia writes piano tune live on GMB". mirror. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  16. ^ a b Gallagher, Paul (2 November 2020). "Story of former music teacher Paul Harvey with dementia inspires £1m donation from billionaire". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  17. ^ a b c d "One year after Paul Harvey's Four Notes captured the nation's hearts, he fulfils a lifelong ambition by conducting the BBC Philharmonic playing his composition" (PDF). Music for Dementia.
  18. ^ "Paul Harvey: Single gives 'new lease of life' to composer with dementia". BBC News. 25 October 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  19. ^ "Paul Harvey: Composer with dementia inspires £1m donation". BBC News. 2 November 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  20. ^ ahsw.org.uk, Arts & Health South West. "Paul & Nick Harvey Fund Now Open for Applications". Arts & Health South West. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  21. ^ Elliott, Shona (13 May 2021). "Paul Harvey: Viral pianist with dementia helps Edinburgh charity secure £37,799 cash boost". Edinburgh Evening News.
  22. ^ Horton, Tom (13 May 2021). "Four Notes viral pianist boosts dementia projects". Evening Standard. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  23. ^ Hewitt, Phil (29 May 2021). "Sussex musician wins prestigious Dementia Hero Award". Sussex World.
  24. ^ a b McDonnell, Seamus (7 October 2021). "Inspirational pianist, 81, who lives with dementia fulfils orchestra dream". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  25. ^ a b Baddoo, Terry. "Music helps composer with dementia find new lease on life". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  26. ^ a b "Aled Jones teams up with pianist with dementia on Christmas charity tune". The Independent. 20 December 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  27. ^ a b "Paul Harvey – who captured the nation's hearts with his Four Notes composition – collaborates with Aled Jones on new Christmas song" (PDF). Music for Dementia.
  28. ^ "No. 64082". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 June 2023. p. B13.
  29. ^ a b "Paul Harvey's dementia charity single reaches the Top 40". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
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