I’ve made a YouTube video that tries to elaborate on my own approach to composing music. This entails what I think about what we call “Avant garde” music or “contemporary classical music” today. By all means, check out the video … Continue reading Practice-Led Research into an ‘Avant Garde’ Style
I’ve made an online lecture that discusses the compositional technique of Olivier Messiaen with reference to his quartet: Quatuor pour la Fin du Temps (Quartet for the End of Time) for clarinet, piano, violin and ’cello. In this lecture, I … Continue reading Olivier Messiaen: Quatuor pour la Fin du Temps
My piece ‘We Lived in the Gaps Between the Stories.’ written for amplified accordion is now available to buy on accordionist Ryszard Lubieniecki’s latest CD “SEEDS”! Below is some information about the CD which can also be read here. “The … Continue reading New CD out now!
I am pleased to announce that Ian Pace will be performing my Progress always comes late (2017) for solo piano. This piece was composed as a birthday present for Ian Pace on his fiftieth birthday. More information about this can … Continue reading Ian Pace in Huddersfield
The latest instalment in my ENERGY CANNOT BE CREATED collection will be premiered by LSTwo Ensemble on Saturday. ENERGY CANNOT BE CREATED IV: …generously taken explores the notion that all acts of composing involve (re)arranging what already exists. It generously takes, … Continue reading Upcoming Performance: ENERGY CANNOT BE CREATED IV
I’m pleased to announce that my latest article about one of my compositions ‘We Lived in the Gaps between the Stories.’ (2017) has been published in the latest ‘Women and Music’ journal (vol 22, 2018). More information about this journal’s … Continue reading Recent Publication: Women & Music Journal
I’ve recently started writing music for film. I composed the soundtrack to an upcoming short film LITTLEY CAR directed by Chris Boylan. You can watch the trailer here (below) The short film premieres on Friday 30th November in Yorkshire. More … Continue reading Latest Soundtrack: LITTLEY CAR (short film)
My latest composition, Resonance/Light/Decay for 28 pianos, composed in collaboration with Dr Mic Spencer (University of Leeds) was premiered on Tuesday 12 December, 2017 in the School of Music, University of Leeds. The composition and its performance was done to celebrate the School of Music becoming a Steinway School. More about this can be read here and here. The performance of Resonance/Light/Decay was live-streamed online and also featured on BBC Radio Leeds. Continue reading New Piece for 28 Pianos Performed in Yorkshire
Interstice is out and available to download via iTunes! More information can be found here. Interstice is an artwork and iPhone app that enables users to record, and listen to, an audible representation of their heartbeat. It also allows users to select a musical fragment to accompany their heartbeat. As such, users from all over the world are able to collaborate in the formation of a composition comprising an intricate cacophony of audible heartbeats and musical fragments. Users can listen to the resultant conglomeration of audible heartbeats and musical fragments by navigating a three-dimensional representation of Earth. Each user can add up … Continue reading *Interstice* now available on iTunes
I recently attended the Gaudeamus Muziekweek Academy in Utrecht. My composition Parallax Error (2014) for any 4-string bowed instrument was workshopped by cellist Katharina Gross and double bassist Dario Calderone. I also had the opportunity to meet other selected composers from across the globe. The experience was enlightening and it introduced me to a whole world of music happening right now. In the first cello workshop, we were introduced to a variety of contemporary music and Katharina Gross’ cellomundo project. Our own works were also performed and discussed. The academy also offered workshops about composing for harp and composing with live electronics. We were introduced to a range of harp music … Continue reading Gaudeamus Muziekweek Academy
I have recently performed in the Centre Stage concert series. You can find details about this series here. I presented four world premieres, two of which were written especially for the concert. This post serves as a review of the concert, and … Continue reading Performing in the Centre Stage concert series
The Interlocutor is my most recent composition and it was performed by Discord earlier this week. It is for French horn, electric guitar, electric bass guitar, piano (doubling keyboard), and electric five-string violin. As a (very) basic description of the composition’s structure, it is based on the dynamics of conversing. Although a seemingly simple compositional procedure, I intend the form to be more complexly dynamic, and I think that Discord brought this out. Composing for Discord was very useful, not only did it force me to consider writing for these instruments in the context of this particular ensemble, but working with the performers introduced me … Continue reading Performance of *The Interlocutor*: ensemble Discord
The following is an area of my research which I presented on at a postgraduate conference in December, and something I hope to talk more about in the future as it develops. In this presentation, I discuss my current composition Interstice, the ‘form’ of which relies on the participation of an interactive audience via the internet and an iPhone app. Due to a specific type of interactivity, Interstice’s timeline is complex, and its participatory element results in the roles of ‘performer’ and ‘audience’ being indistinguishable. Interstice treats the audience as additional compositional ‘objects’ amongst which perceived ‘meaning’ and ‘function’ interact within a ‘frame’ that is multidimensional and … Continue reading Compositional Form: A Multidimensional Interstice?
Notes Inégales realised my graphic score CROSSWOR[K] in the ‘Tableaux Vivants‘ concert earlier this week. The concert also featured traditional klezmer music as well as compositions by Peter Wiegold, The Notes, Marcello Messina, Antti Sakari Saario and Martin Iddon, and visuals by Adam York Gregory (listed here in order of appearance in the concert programme). The score for CROSSWOR[K] is as pictured below. This piece resulted from a request to write a graphic score on a postcard specifically for Notes Inégales. CROSSWOR[K] is structured like a crossword practically as well as visually. Deciphering a performance from this score resembles the process one goes … Continue reading Graphic Score: Notes Inégales, Tableaux Vivants, and CROSSWOR[K]
Dry Veins was first performed in the LeedsLieder+ Song Festival in October 2012. For a concert review of this performance, click here. The narrative of Dry Veins is a product of collaboration with the poet John Darley whose spatial poetry can be glimpsed from the image of the song’s front cover (pictured below). The narrative is not gender-specific; it tells the story of a stonecutter who falls in love with ‘their’ own statue. The stone cutter’s longing desire to be at one with their creation is fulfilled when they gradually turn to stone and eventually disintegrate into dust. Dry Veins explores idealism versus reality within … Continue reading ‘Dry Veins’ & the ‘Leeds Lieder + Song Festival’ 2012
