Richie English

Evening Host and Entering Music

Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, Richie English has worked extensively as a pianist, teacher, and composer since childhood. He began studying piano at ten years old with Frieda Manes, and within a year was the youngest piano teacher registered with Denton, Cottier & Daniels in state history. The recipient of five music scholarships, he continued studying piano under Stephen Manes at SUNY Buffalo and graduated Magna cum Laude with his performance degree in 2007. He performed twice for the Dalai Lama in 2006 during his visit to the university that year. 

Richie received a master’s degree from SUNY Buffalo in music theory and went on to Western University in London, Ontario as a PhD candidate studying theory and composition in 2009. In 2012 he was hired by the Goo Goo Dolls to be composer-in-residence at GCR Audio, the studio owned and operated by the band’s bassist, Robby Takac. Since then, he has composed numerous orchestrations for world-renowned bands and artists including Goo Goo Dolls, Michael Franti, The Reign of Kindo, Cardiacs, and Jillette Johnson. His work with these artists has led to his being credited on numerous Billboard Top Ten songs and albums over the past six years. Moody Blues founder Denny Laine (who later joined Paul McCartney to form Wings) hired Richie to orchestrate his long-awaited stage work “Arctic Song”- a 16-song music theater piece that they debuted to great acclaim at Rosch Recital Hall in November, 2016.

in 2017, Richie was asked by Goo Goo Dolls to compose a new orchestration for the band’s record-breaking song “Iris,” and conduct the newly-scored song onstage with the band at Darien Lake to a crowd of 11,000. Richie is now a member of the WNED family, where he proudly co-created and co-hosts “Entering Music”. Richie is also the host for “From the Piano Bench” and Friday Late Night.