Alan was born on the 17th of October 1927 in Dorking, Surrey, south of London in United Kingdom. He was the youngest child of three to Emilyn Griffiths (1891-1953) senior language master at Dorking County School and Elsie Winifred (1893-1990) chemistry master at Reigate school.
Alan played the piano and composed from an early age. His musical studies were as a private pupil of William Cole, Music Doc and professor in composition at Royal Academy of Music in London and secretary to the Joint Associated Board of the Royal School of Music (Royal Academy and Royal College). He studied piano 1938-44 but also harmony, counterpoint and finally composing starting in 1941. Alan went to Ewell College of Music during 1 year at B Simsa for the spirit of composing- “The Bartok School” Fitznells Ewell Surrey 1954.
Alan also studied music for the famous composer Ralph Vaughen Williams 1941 until the summer of 1952.
After Alans time at London University studying town and planning in 1946, beyond his music studies, he was called up in to the RAF in Germany. He remained there for 2 years and during this period he made his first composition a Symphony one of seven for orchestra.
In 1955 Alan met his future wife Anita born Charpentier in Oxford while working as an architect. Anita came from Sweden and soon after they married (1956) and had their first born child Carol in 1957 they moved to Sweden.
In Sweden Alan kept on working as an architect and together with Anita they had 4 children, Carol, William, Anna and Josephine. He composed music on his spare time and through a trip to Iceland in 1978 he was inspired to write the symphony “Icelandic Fantasy”.
His music work where performed several times in Stockholm, and also used by SVT in a documentary about the Baltics, during the nineties.
See most of his work here music
On the 16th of May 2014 his Chamber songs was performed at The French Reformed Church in Stockholm, and at the 15th of June in Åbybergskyrkan in Vallentuna, by Rolf Bromme.
John Alan Griffiths passed away quietly on the 5th of September, 2014.
Körsvit på litauiska folkvisor – 1950-1982
Pianokonsert var på Litauisk visa med inslag av kör
Polska och litauiska dansvisor – 1950
Communion Service E major (del 1) – 1966
The Seven Angels of st John
Triptyk I tre delar med kör, orkester och berättare – 1944-1974
Fantasy för klarinett och piano – 1943
Pianosonat – 1950
Stråkkvartett nr 1 (omsatt för Brass) – 1945 (1980-82)
Sonat för trumpet och orgel – 1978
Stråkvartett nr 2 – 1979
Svit för kammarorkester i 6 satser – 1943
Songs for guitar – gitarrsolo – 1954
Musik för filmen de utestängda efter manus av Erling Johansson – 1969
Carillon för ett nytt decennium för näverlur-konsert – 1985
Symfonier 1-7 – 1941-1974
High Summer – 1944
Ode on St Thoma´s day (enbart stråkar) – 1954
Icelandic Fantasy urspr för kammarorkester – 1978