Had a nice time at the Ivors Classical Awards last week. Didn’t win with VENT, co-created with Rachel Warr for/with MUSARC, but had a good time and got some posh snaps. Great to catch up with various composer mates too.
And with Rachel Warr:
Super happy to have been nominated in the Ivors Classical Awards 2025 for VENT, a piece for choir and electronics I wrote in collaboration with Rachel Warr for MUSARC. Ceremony is at the BFI on 14 November 2025!
September has been a time for consolidating and working on new things. I’m particularly really enjoying working on a reimagining of George Antheil’s Piano Sonata No.2 ‘The Airplane’ for Plus Minus Ensemble. Super cool piece and great ways to find ways to bring the material to life for 7 unbelievably brilliant musicians. Gig is 14 January 2026 at Cafe Oto.
Had a great time at Latitude at end of July. Fantastic experience to perform new piano version ofThe Driver with the immense Luke Wright to a near full house in the theatre arena. Hope we can find ways to perform it again!
Excited to be going to Latitude next week to play a new piano arrangement of The Driver alongside Luke Wright. Our slot is Sunday 27 July at 1.15pm in the Theatre Arena…
https://www.latitudefestival.com/artists/luke-wright-benjamin-oliver-the-driver
Had a lovely time waving bonkers Martinu and my own piece Captured last week.
Fantastic group of musicians: Cat Lawlor (violin), Nici Heinrich (‘cello), Sam Carrasco (piano), Neil Doherty (trumpet), Kim Murphy (bassoon) and Alison Hughes (clarinet/bass clarinet). Plus narration from Lucy Mellors. Hope we get to do it again sometime.
Rehearsal pictures taken by Simon Whitbread
Looking forward to conducting a great band in pieces by Martinu’s crazy ballet La Revue de Cuisine and a new arrangement of my Captured next week at Turner Sims…
Just putting the finishing touches together on a new piece for soprano saxophone, accordion and electronics, Push / Pull, for the amazing MZ Duo. Had a great workshop session with David and Iñigo, and looking forward to recording the piece in July.
Excited to be performing a reworked version of The Driver with Luke Wright at Latitude in July. I’m working on piano reduction of the score that I’ll play. Will add to gig list etc when I have more details…
In the meantime here is the the latest list – we are in the theatre listings!
Had such a blast conducting the UK premiere of ‘Pythagoras’ Toolkit’ last week. Very grateful to Turner Sims, especially Jessica Santer, for all their support. Great to work with regular musical collaborators (Nici Heinrich, Anna Durance, Amy Green, Ali Hughes) but also happy to wave at Rowland Sutherland, Cat Lawlor, Aaron Townsend and Bob Allan. Amazing puppetry work from Edie Edmundson and Bori Mezo. Awesome lights from David Duffy. Rachel Warr was brilliant as always directing. Thanks to Tom Crame for the photos. Hope we can do it again soon.
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