I’ve just got back from the ‘New Music New Media’ course, part of the Britten Pears programme in Aldeburgh. The course was run by Rolf Wallin, Tansy Davies, Alexander Refsum Jensenius and Zoe Martlew. We were working with lots of electronic gadgets including Phidgets, WII controllers and Kinect Cameras. It was an interesting week, and although I often felt outside my comfort zone I ended up producing a decent new piece, Smashed and Grabbed for performer, WII controller and Motion-Capture.
I was recently selected as a LSO Soundhub Associate Composer for 2012-2013. Based at LSO St Luke’s, Soundhub provides a space where composers can explore, collaborate and experiment. It’s amazing to see how many people involved I’ve already met or worked with along the contemporary music road (!), and I’m looking forward to getting involved with some projects this year.
I had a fantastic week at the Aldeburgh Festival taking part in the Britten Pears Programme. I had good masterclasses with Helmut Lachenmann, Pierre Laurent Aimard and Yukiko Sagawarra. I am looking forward to attending the ‘New Media’ course in September too!
Here is a recording of my new piano piece, Three Materials, played live at the Aldeburgh Festival by the amazing young German pianist Fabian Mueller.
Many thanks to Fabian for learning the piece amongst his hectic schedule!
The London Sinfonietta (!), conducted by Diego Masson will perform Momentum at Sounds New on Friday 4th May at 7.30pm. The concert is the opening gig of the Sounds New Festival 2012 and includes my ICP winning piece alongside works by George Benjamin, Oliver Knussen, Peter Maxwell Davies and Edmund Finnis.
Needless to say, I’m very excited!
The Workers Union Ensemble will perform at the legendary Turner Sims Concert Hall at 1pm, 30th April 2012. The programme includes my own Ripped Up, pieces by by Adam Fergler, Michael Finnissy, Matthew Kaner and a brand new work by Ryan Latimer.
I am off to Ann Arbour, Michigan USA, in May for the 12th International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME). I’ll be presenting a demo of the ‘Interactive Music Awareness Programme’ (IMAP) for Cochlear Implant Users I’ve developed with the ‘Compositions for Cochlear Implantees’ team at the University of Southampton. Should be some fantastic concerts and stuff to see while I’m there.
I’ve been selected to take part in the Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme in June. I’ll be working with a pianist on a new work exploring extended piano techniques, mentored by Pierre Laurent Aimard and Yukiki Sugawara. Hopefully there will also be a workshop with Lachenmann too! There will be a concert on 23rd June at 6pm. Better get writing…
At the weekend I was selected by an international jury as one of three prize winners in the International Composer Pyramid 2011. I am very honoured to therefore move through to the final phase of the competition, organised by Sounds New and Coups de Vent, to be held in 2012.
Here is a recording of my piece played by the ICP Ensemble, conducted by the masterful French conductor Philippe Nahon. He did an absolutely fantastic job with the ensemble, which is formed of British musicians from the Ossian Ensemble (director Darren Bloom) and players from Coups de Vent.
I should have more news soon about performances that will arise from being selected as a prize winner.
A new work for large ensemble, Momentum, will be performed in a few weeks by the ICP Ensemble conducted by Philippe Nahon. The concerts are in Lille on Saturday 10th December and in Canterbury on Sunday 11th December, both at 3pm.
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Markus Kinch from Film41 has made an excellent video of the recent Workers Union performance at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
You can hear the other pieces by Matt Kaner, Adam Fergler and Oliver Sellwood at the Workers Union soundcloud.