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!

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!

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.

A few weeks ago I was delighted to work on the R&D work of ‘Flight of Hope’ with the Strike a Chord Theatre Company.  I was in charge of the recorded and live electronics for this show which explores some of the issues asylum seekers face in the UK and was directed by Rachel Warr.  Fingers crossed the company can get further funding and stage a full production soon.

I’ve composed some recorded music and will be improvising live for ‘Hidden lives and Unvisited Tombs‘ at St Pancras Church crypt next Saturday 5th December.  Our performance, which is directed by Rachel Warr, is part of an exhibition and performances put on by Scary Little Girls and will kick off at 3.30.

I’m conducting a new piece, Rebuilding the Rubble, by Oliver Sellwood at Kingston University on 12th September at 7pm.

Anna Durance is also performing my work Interplay I for cor anglais and electronics at the concert.

Maybe see you there!

Cor anglais - Anna Durance
Live electronics - Ben Oliver

Recorded at the University of Sussex - June 2009

Enjoy!

On Friday 27th February I am performing a new soundscape piece for computer, Nintendo WII controller and six loudspeakers for the third stage of a collaborative project between the BBC World Service and the Slade School of Fine Art.  You can read more information about it on the website for this project, The View from Here.

I’m performing a new piece for prepared piano and electronics at the University of Sussex as part of the Beckett and Music Symposium. The piece, which I’m currently composing, is based on Beckett’s Stirrings Still and I will perform it evening of 26th February in the recital room at the University of Sussex campus in Falmer.

I will be performing a new piece for improvising keys, electric guitar and electronics with Arthur Carabott and an improvisation with Sam Hayden (laptop) in a gig featuring Sussex University music postgraduate work.  Should be fun and some interesting sounds..