Category Archives: Composition

ICP

I’m pleased to say I was chosen as one of two winners of the ‘International Composers Pyramid’ on Saturday for my piece Smash and Grab.  The jury panel were Paul Patterson and Rolf Hind for the UK and Philippe Boivin and Philippe Hurel for France.  I’m very excited to have been chosen and look forward to the various opportunities it will lead to – watch this space for what they are!!

Hertfordshire Youth Choir – St. Albans, 10th November 2010

Hertfordshire Youth Choir will be singing ‘Interplay II’ for choir, piano and electronics in St. Saviours Church in St. Albans on Wednesday.  We had a rehearsal last night and it sounded great.  It promises to be a great concert with an interesting and varied programme and it kicks off at 7.30.

New Postdoctoral position at the University of Southampton

I recently started work as the AHRC Postdoctoral Research Assistant in Composition for Cochlear Implant Users at the University of Southampton.  This exciting job involves helping devise and run workshops, developing a music training program and writing new pieces for CI users.  I’m working in the Music Department, the Institute for Sound and Vibration Research (ISVR) and the South of England Cochlear Implant Centre (SOECIC) at the University of Southampton.  I’ve been finding my feet for the past few weeks and am really enjoying the work.  You can read some info about the project at the Southampton website.  I’ll keep updating about any new pieces and activities as they come up!

ICP

I’m currently working on a new piece for the ICP ensemble as part of the ‘International Composer Pyramid’ run by Sounds New and Coups de Vents.  I had a good weekend in Canterbury a few weeks ago where we had some interesting panel discussions, instrument sessions and sessions with our composition mentors, mine being Edwin Roxburgh.  I’m working hard on the piece and looking forward to our next weekend meeting in France in September!

ON AIR: Musarc workshop and performance + recording

I had a brilliant day yesterday working with the Musarc choir at St. Stephen Walbrook Church.  The choir commissioned three composers, Neil Luck, Tom Chant and myself to work with the choir on new pieces.  I wrote a new piece ‘Interplay II’ for choir, piano and live electronics.  The choir were a joy to work with and their director Cathy Heller Jones did an amazing job conducting my piece.  A recording is already available thanks to Joseph Kohlmaier and while I think the electronics could perhaps be louder and further developed I think the piece as a whole is rather effective!

ON AIR: Workshop and Performance at St. Stephen Walbrook, 4pm, 1st July 2010

I am working on a new piece for choir, piano and live electronics which the Musarc choir will workshop and perform at St. Stephen Walbrook on 1st July.  I’m really excited to be working with Musarc and in such a fantastic space!  Please come either to be involved in the workshop or to the concert at 8.30pm.

‘Phil’s Tune’ performance by Young Jazz Hackney, 29th June 2010

Young Jazz Hackney will be performing both mine and Chris Ash’s second commissions from the HMDT as part of the PRS Foundation Young Composers’ Scheme at 6.15 on 29th June at the Mermaid Theatre.  The Young Jazz Hackney performance is the warm-up for ‘Shadowball’, a new jazz opera by Julian Joseph.