Richard Emsley (born December 1951 in Goole, Yorkshire) is a British composer, sometimes associated with the New Complexity school.
Emsley initially studied with Arnold Whittall at University College, Cardiff, after which he moved to London, where he still lives. He attended Peter Maxwell Davies' composition classes at the Dartington Summer School of Music, and co-founded the Cardiff Composers' Ensemble while a student there. In the 1970s he co-founded, with James Clarke, the ensemble Suoraan, which specialised in performances of music by contemporary composers, including Iannis Xenakis, Michael Finnissy and James Dillon.
In 2002, Métier released a CD of Emsley's music, entitled Flowforms.
In addition to composing, Emsley works as a music engraver. He was the first ever user of the notation software Sibelius, having tested it extensively before it was released, and engraved the first score published using Sibelius: Antara by George Benjamin (published by Faber Music).
The lunar silences, the silent tide lapping... (1973) for flute, clarinet, percussion (4 players), piano and violinHologenesis (1978) for solo clarinetAt Once (1979) for flute (doubling alto flute), oboe (doubling oboe d'amore & cor anglais), vibraphone and pianoSnatches (1979) for flute (doubling piccolo & alto flute), oboe (doubling cor anglais), vibraphone, and pianoSkhistos (1980) for flute, oboe, vibraphone and pianoThe Juniper Tree (1981) for shadow puppet theatre (or animated film) and ensembleHelter-Skelter (1981) for flute, vibraphone and pianoCut/Dissolve (1984) for solo percussion...from swerve of shore to bend of bay... (1984–85) for alto flute (doubling piccolo), bass clarinet (doubling e-flat clarinet), percussion, piano, viola and celloFlow Form (1986–87) for solo pianoTidal Volume I (1989) for solo harpsichordfinnissys fifty (1996) for solo pianoLittle Sunderings (1996) for solo pianofor piano 1 (1997) for solo pianofor piano 2 (1997) for solo pianofor piano 3 (1997) for solo pianofor piano 4 (1997) for solo pianofor piano 5 (1998) for solo pianofor guitar 1 (1998) for solo guitarfor piano 6 (1999) for solo pianofor piano 7 (1999) for solo pianofor piano 8 (1999) for solo pianofor piano 9 (1999) for solo pianofor piano 10 (1999) for solo pianofor piano 11 (1999) for solo pianofor piano 12 (1999) for solo pianoinvention 1 on the name james dillon (2001) for two vibraphonesinvention 2 on the name james dillon (2001) for solo vibraphoneStill/s 1 (2002) for solo celloStill/s 22 (2002) for clarinet and pianoStill/s 14 (2003) for solo violinfor piano 13 (2000–03) for solo pianoStill/s 2 (2004) for clarinet and cellofor piano 14 (2004) for solo pianoStill/s 10 (2004) for flute and pianoStill/s 3 (2004) for violin and celloPiano with violin (2005) for violin and pianofor piano 15 (2005) for solo pianoEmsley: Flowforms Mikel Toms, Topologies Ensemble Metier CD MTI 92044
