I created a new version of Conlon Nancarrow’s Study for Player Piano #5 for the Percussion Ensemble of The University of California, Davis run by the incredible Chris Froh. This version turns the piece into a pallindrome - starting with all 13 lines playing then gradually dropping out, before the original structure begins with a few lines starting and the others gradually appearing. It features marimba virtuoso Mayumi Hama.
Click the image below to watch the first performance.
American composer and all-round supporter of experimental music Charles Amirkhanian has turned 80. I wasn’t able to attend the celbrations in San Francisco but did discover that they have unearthed the recording that I conducted and produced of his piece Ratchet Attach It. This is a joyfully eccentric combination of player piano with up to 13 percussionsists. I’m currently remixing it in time for an autumn 25 release but you can hear snippets in the video on this page. It starts around 1’05”.
Just discovered this 2007 recording of Joby Burgess playing a piece I wrote for my PhD in about 2003. It works by projecting score fragments onto a screen that both player and audience can see. A computer operater sets density parameters and the software (written in Max) chooses which fragments the player has to perform, which get recorded, what processing is used for the playback and the stereo image.
The Harmonic Canon is now on an extended tour of the US. It’s first outing was a performance by arx duo at Other Minds 26 in October 2022 in San Francisco. If you would like to host a performance, workshop or exhibition of the bell and the piece please contact arxduo@gmail.com
Garrett Arney and Christopher Whyte performing The Harmonic Canon.
I was lucky enough to direct the UK and the US premier’s of Charles Amirkhanian’s abstract percussion and player piano cycle Ratchet Attach It. This is the US concert at the wonderful Other Minds Festival in San Francisco, October 2022. More info here.
A recent presentation for Trinity Laban staff
Just discovered this 2019 recording of MT Modulation which I wrote for CoMA in 2012. Aimed at amatuer musicians this is the best version of it yet, conducted by the inimitable Gregory Rose.
After 6 months TLC at bell maker Marcus Vergette’s Devon farm, the Harmonic Canon returns once again to King Charles Court, Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, home of Trinity Laban’s Music Faculty.
I have a new piece for Theremin, choir and recorded voices being performed at the National Maritime Museum in response to their current Moon exhibition. Not only is it 50 years since Apollo 11 took men to the moon, it is also 100 years since the invention of the Theremin. This performance features the wonderful Lydia Kavina, who was taught by Theremin himself, plus 12 singers from the Old Royal Naval College Choir.
Saturday 19th October, 7pm and 8pm
Tickets are free and can be booked here
Lydia and Buzz
We have six great shows with the Harmonic Canon coming up in Milton Keynes, York, Manchester, Wiltshire, Devon and ending with the nonclassical record launch party in the gallery of the Royal Albert Hall on the 8th May. Full details.
I’m delighted to be presenting a special event at the British Library with culinary icon Heston Blumenthal on the 22nd May 2019. Entitled The Ultimate Taste Test, the evening will explore connections between our taste in music and taste in food. Follow this link for more information and booking.
Dates coming soon.
This tour is kindly supported by the PRS Foundation Open Fund and by the Hinrichsen Foundation
“I’d like to thank the Academy…”
I’m delighted to announce that the Harmonic Canon has won the British Composer Award category for Solo or Duo.
The Harmonic Canon has been nominated for a British Composer Award in the Solo or Duo category along with pieces by Laura Bowler and William Marsey.
The Harmonic Canon will be released on nonclassical at Easter 2019. We are preparing a tour to support the release. Here is a new promotional film about the project.
Mary Hansen was a singer and guitarist in Stereolab until her untimely death in 2002. We became friends in the years before and I've discovered this lovely EP of hers that I played vibes on.
This is almost 20 years old now! A gradual, evolving piece for vibraphone and MaxMSP. In this live recording the vibes are sampled in real time by the computer and played back in a number of synchronised ways. The clicking of the sticks at 7' is recorded and sped up to become a theramin-like instrument which was played by moving the hands near a distance sensor.
Dear Sister, a new piece commissioned by the London Cello Society for 8-80 cellos plus narrator was performed at the Maritime Museum on Sunday 15th April. The ensemble was made up of young players attending the Go Cello festival and narrated by Rebecca Hare.
Question Time with the Trinity Laban Composition Dept. 'Dream Team'. From L to R: Stephen Montague, Deirdre Gribbin, Sam Hayden, Laura Jurd, Dominic Murcott, John Lely, Soosan Lolavar, John Ashton Thomas. Not present were Errollyn Wallen, Paul Newland, Nye Parry.