David Gordon's
A L P H A O M E G A
About
“There is philosophy out there... It can only go so far. There's religion out there... It can only go so far. There is science out there... It can only go so far. So what are we left with? That our world is one giant ship which we are all sailing in, and it behoves us all to take care of it. If we don't: it will sink, we will die, our world will die. Little Greta is out there shouting this message - wake up! Alpha Omega, it is my hope, can herald the same message. - Wake up! Alpha Omega, if let loose, will engender hope, faith, and most importantly - action! So much suffering in the world, so many people leading desperate lives, so many people waiting for the promise of change; let the revolution begin. Let it start on a stage, somewhere, anywhere."
– David Gordon
David Gordon
Composer / Lyricist ( Executive Producer )
A poet, songwriter, self-taught religious philosopher, and one of the founders of Peace Child International, David was born of Greek and Swedish parents in London and lived through the Second World War in a densely bombed area of the city.
He entered the music business in 1966 by launching the career of his brother, Cat Stevens, who went on to become one of the most internationally acclaimed singer/ songwriters of the 1970s.
In 1969 he started his own song-writing career working with Terry Sylvester of the Hollies and, in 1980, went solo as a composer and lyricist creating and producing the oratorio Alpha Omega.
In October 1981, David Gordon worked with Brigadier Michael and Eirwen Harbottle of the World Disarmament Campaign, and David Woollcombe and Rosey Simonds to produce Peace Child, a musical adaptation of Bernard Benson’s The Peace Book.
In September 1985, David co- produced the United Nations Peace Day Festival to launch the United Nations International Year of Peace at the Royal Albert Hall in London. In 1988, David founded Peace Child Israel which brought together Arab and Israeli children in theatrical and musical workshops dealing with conflict resolution.
In 1990, David went to the USA and worked with Peace Child International and others to create various local programmes in and around Princeton and Trenton, NJ.
He continues to manage some of his brother’s business affairs and play an active role in various philanthropic causes.
Tom Powell
MA BA(Hons) ALCM MISM
Creative Producer
Tom is a Creative Producer based in vibrant, South-East London, working internationally on dynamic, interdisciplinary projects which combine theatre and live music. Clients range from individual artists to the United Nations. He also works freelance as an Events Manager, performs regularly as a professional musician, and programmes Live Music for venues.
His practice as a director and producer began professionally as the Artistic Director of Creative Vortex Productions - a diverse company aimed at making academic research accessible and engaging to/for the public through Theatre and Film.
Between 2016 and 2019 he created works involving elements of theatre, participation, food, drink, live music, and original film - all within a single narrative, underpinned by genuine academic research - creating an accessible gateway into research for the general public.
With Creative Vortex, he also produced the national tour of, Devils on Horseback: Secret Trials of WWI Conscientious Objectors (2018) to 8 different venues in the UK.
Having completed a Masters degree in Creative Producing at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, thus developing a practice as an independent producer, he is interested in exploring cross-overs between the live music and theatre industries - pushing the boundaries of each specialism and combining the two effectively, employing innovative producing techniques that are a product of both disciplines.
Richard Sharpey
Musical Director & Assisstant Producer
Richard worked with David Gordon on the musical coordination and basic arrangements of the original Alpha Omega double album. In 1980, he suggested that the work be presented as a classical oratorio with full symphony orchestra and chorus in Coventry Cathedral as part of the 40th Commemoration of the blitz of Coventry in 1940.
“David had been working on Alpha Omega for a couple of years and had become bogged down. I suppose I was the guardian angel he needed at the time; and so began my work on this wonderful piece.
The work began its life as an album of popular songs performed by top eighties artists including David Essex with plans to mount it as a West End musical.
However, in the early rehearsals David became uneasy with how his work was developing and believing it to be moving away from its spiritual centre, to everyone’s amazement, he closed the musical production.
I suggested that Alpha Omega might be developed into an oratorio, David agreed and after an initial introduction to the composer Richard Tony Arnell, Alpha Omega the oratorio was orchestrated and began its new life. A narration was added and drawn from many sources, including not only the Bible and Koran, but also David’s prolific library of philosophical poetry and prose.
There followed a performance at Coventry Cathedral, with Edward Woodward narrating, two Glyndebourne Opera soloists: soprano and tenor, the St Michael Singers from Coventry and the Young Persons Symphony Orchestra, as part of the Fortieth Commemorations of the Blitz of Coventry. Fourteen hundred people attended and I was proud to have been able to assist in the production of such a stunning work.”
Peace Child International
David Woollcombe, CEO of Peace Child International:
“It was David Gordon’s energetic insistence on following up the first, successful performance of the oratorio rendition of Alpha Omega in Coventry Cathedral […] the quality of his music and the vision of Alpha Omega […] the power of its majestic music and soaring vision [that] the mission of Peace Child 'Empowering Young People' was born.”
Around the world, in 10,000+ performances, the musical, Peace Child, has transformed the lives of the children, youth and audiences it has touched. It also changed the countries: it went to the USA and Russia: the Cold War ended. It went to Central America: Peace broke out. It went into ex-Yugoslavia, Ireland, the Middle East, Cyprus and the inner cities of the USA and elsewhere, and its energy started sowing seeds of peace in the hearts and minds of peoples caught up in conflict.
PCI is now a renowned charitable organisation based in the UK. They have ECOSOC status at the United Nations, and for more than 30 years have worked to empower young people through youth-led development.
Using songs from Alpha Omega, Peace Child International will be celebrating the UN’s 75 years of achievements on human rights, peace-keeping, gender equality, de-colonisation, and sustainable development, in a series of regional concerts, engaging over 1000 young people, ending with a climactic concert in London, drawing together singers from across the country, along with celebrities and political leaders.