The People of Walking Oliver Articles / About Us Posted by PKelly on Jan 13, 2005 - 05:43 PM Although there are numerous people behind the scenes here at Walking Oliver there are several who are the creative forces behind the music, the poetry and the artwork. Here is a short rundown on each-- Paul Austin Kelly is the founder and creative force behind Walking Oliver. But we have been fortunate to collaborate with some of the best musicians, writers and artists in the industry! PAUL AUSTIN KELLY is a world-renowned opera singer. But dont panic! Even Paul knows that most childrens ears arent yet ready for the intensity of the operatic style! Nevertheless,as a highly trained musician, he knows what quality music for kids should be,so he brings his formidable musical talents in both composition and voice to the Walking Oliver musical repertoire. Agile on trumpet, guitar and keyboard, with a voice that maneuvers skillfully and playfully through a wide variety of musical styles, Paul brings the joy of music and the talent of musicianship to every Walking Oliver recording , making the music come alive for children who cant help but sing along! KORKY PAUL is an award-winning childrens illustrator. A well-known figure in the childrens book world, his crazy, colorful illustrations capture the imagination of young readers stimulated by the rich detail of his drawings. His commissions include the ever popular Winnie the Witch, by Valerie Thomas, winner of The Childrens Book Award, and its four sequels. Hes also responsible for the delightful characters who fill the pages of Dinosaur Poems, Dragon Poems, Monster Poems and Magic Poems,, all edited by John Foster; and The Dog That Dug, by Jonathan Long, winner of The Sheffield Book Award in 1991. Korky Paul has created the Walking Oliver mascot and the stunning illustrations that appear on this website. Better yet, Walking Oliver CD buyers will delight to find that each Walking Oliver CD comes with a full-color mini-book of fully illustrated lyrics, a visual feast of Korky Paul's uniquely witty and charming style, giving young listeners access to a dynamic fusion of music and art. RICHARD DURRANT is a big kid. The most important things in his life are guitars, banjos and messing about singing songs. His four young children Rooney, Daisy, Django and Felix are his sternest critics-often locking him in his soundproof studio. Over the years Richard has written and sung lots of songs for BBC Education. Three separate series of the classic BBC TV series Numbertime, and two other BBC mainstays, Watch and Music Makers, have made him a familiar voice to thousands of young children. Instrumental credits include Focus (BBC TV Ed) and Picturebox (CH 4 Ed). Richard has also appeared as a presenter for Music Makers. Apart from his work for children Richard has composed the music for countless TV programmes, and has been the featured soloist on lots of TV advertising campaigns. Richard studied guitar, cello and composition at the Royal College of Music. When he has time to practice he gives concerto performances and solo guitar recitals throughout Europe. Most recently Richard has scored and recorded the soundtrack for CBeebie's popular animated series Metalheads, and for Walking Oliver he has collaborated with Paul Austin Kelly on a series of CDs, including Unleashed on British Isles, Through Tenderwood and DREAMS--The Poetry in Song Competition 2004. He can also a regular musical partner of the infamous Herbie Flowers with whom he tours as a guitar and bass duo, performing a very eclectic range of bizarre material, musical and otherwise. MICHAEL ROSEN is a best-selling children's poet and a household name in the UK. The author of such well-loved favourites as Uncle Billy Being Silly, Lunch Boxes Don't Fly, Don't Put Mustard In The Custard and Centrally Heated Knickers, his young and devoted following is well-earned and secure. He is a well-known voice among the radio listening public too. His show Treasure Islands ran for ten years on BBC Radio 4 between 1988 and 1998, Best Words for three years on BBC Radio 3, and he presented Poems by Post for the BBC World Service from 1989 to 2000, as well as several others. His television credits include the presenting of Just Write and the scripting and presenting of Eureka: The Secret History of Schools, both for Channel 4 Schools. His theatre credits include Pinocchio for the Unicorn Theatre in Regents Park Open Air Theatre in 2000 and You're Thinking About Doughnuts for the Nottingham Playhouse in 1996. His numerous plays for theatre, radio and television include BACKBONE for the Royal Court, STEWED FIGS for the Edinburgh Festival, 50 episodes of THE PUPPET SHOW for the Children's Channel, 30 episodes of EVERYBODY HERE and 12 episodes of BLACK & WHITE & READ ALL OVER, both for Channel 4. If that weren't enough he's also been the recipient of the Eleanor Farjeon Award for contribution to Children's Literature, the 'Talkies' award for the best poetry tape of the year and lastly, the Parent Magazine Award for best picture book of the year. On the Walking Oliver album, Hello, Michael Rosen! 13 of his most beloved poems are set to original compositions by Paul Austin Kelly. This article is from Walking Oliver   http://www.walkingoliver.com/ The URL for this story is:   http://www.walkingoliver.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=15