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.

Momentum by ben_oliver_music

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.

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.

Philip Edwards (clarinet), Ellie Blackshaw (violin), David Elwin (piano) The group will be playing three classics of the genre: Mozart’s Kegelstatt trio, Milhaud’s Suite,and Stravinsky’s suite from The Soldier’s Tale. In addition there will be the first performance of a brand new trio by local composer, Barry Mills, and a performance of Ben Oliver’s Schism, for bass clarinet, violin and piano. http://www.stlukesconcerts.webeden.co.uk/.

“All the pieces were suggestive and quick on their feet, as were the two new British pieces by Hugo Ribiera and Benjamin Oliver (which seemed distinctly English in this company, perhaps because Birtwistle’s savage musical machines were their common ancestor).”    
Iwan Hewett in The Telegraph, 25 May 2011

The Århus Sinfonietta are performing my ICP winning work Smash and Grab at the ‘Sounds New’ festival in Canterbury. The concert is being recorded for BBC Radio 3. The concert is taking place at Augustine House in Canterbury at 7.30, you can download the poster here. This is an exciting performance for me - I can’t wait to hear what this amazing ensemble do with the work!

You can read a review of the first set of a series of workshops for cochlear implant users run by a team of us at the University of Southampton, where I am working as a research assistant composer. The workshops were good fun and really positively received.

Here’s a recording from the performance of my new work for ensemble and electronics ‘Ripped Up’ from the premiere by the Worker’s Union a few weeks ago.

The Workers Union Ensemble are performing my new work Ripped Up for ensemble and live electronics as part of the University of Leeds lunchtime concert series at 1.05pm in Clotherworker’s Hall this Friday. I’m conducting my piece and Matt Kaner’s Gauguin Sketches. Should be a good gig!