Category Archives: Conducting

SHIFTS

Had a fantastic time last week doing SHIFTS with students and colleagues from University of Southampton Music Department and brilliant percussionist Joley Cragg. Videos to come soon but here are a few pics, thanks to Amy Williamson.

Performing Drew Crawford‘s Waves Of…

SHIFTS

Super excited about a project I’m directing next month, SHIFTS, which will feature students from the University of Southampton Music Department performing as part of the Hartley Loop Orchestra at Turner Sims. We’ll be performing music by Steve Reich and Lois V. Vierk as well as new pieces by my super cool colleagues Drew Crawford and Brona Martin. I’ve written a new version of a solo percussion piece I wrote for the London Sinfonietta a few years ago – this time featuring large ensemble and called Changing Up + (rather than Changing Up!). Fellow Workers Union family member Joley Cragg is coming to play the solo part. More details on the poster below!

‘The Virus Within: Hearing HIV’ at Turner Sims

Really delighted to be performing The Virus Within: Hearing HIV again in March next year thanks to funding from the University of Southampton Public Engagement with Research Team. Workers Union Ensemble will perform the work twice at Turner Sims as part of the University of Southampton Science and Engineering Day 2019. Here’s a promo vid for the piece:

Cohan Collective Residency

I had a great time at the Cohan Collective Residency in Bournemouth last month. I was one of four composers and four choreographers on the course, which was directed by Robert Cohan and Eleanor Alberga with Kim Brandstrup and Ken Hesketh mentoring. It was super intense. I think we pretty much wrote half an hour of music in 2 weeks! Felt like being an undegrad again – good for my teaching and, in the end, for my work. Met some great people who I hope to work with again. Few pics…

‘The Virus Within: Hearing HIV’ Premiere

Loved working with my friends Workers Union Ensemble and Dr Chad Swanson (King’s College London) on my newest piece The Virus Within: Hearing HIV. We premiered the piece on Thursday to a great crowd at Guy’s Chapel, King’s College London. Unfortunately the Southampton performance on 10 March has had to be cancelled but we will play at the University of Southampton Science and Engineering Day 2019 instead!

We asked the audience in London for five word reviews. Here are some of my favourites (!):

  • “Novel, exciting and inventive, complex piece”
  • “Head on crash with virus”
  • “Interesting but slightly anxiety inducing!”
  • “Brilliant translation: science to music. Thank you! One of the best pieces of scientific performance art I’ve ever seen/heard. Incredibly intellectually rewarding. Wonderful!”
  • “Top science/music mash-up”
  • “A structurally chaotic masterpiece!”

Recordings and video to come soon and, hopefully, more performances!

‘The Virus Within: Hearing HIV’ Premiere – 15 Feb 2018

I’m just putting the finishing touches on the first two movements (of three) of my 30-minute new piece for Workers Union Ensemble, The Virus Within: Hearing HIV. Workers (with two new lovely babies!) are coming for a November weekend in Southampton to rehearse the piece and do some recording for the electronics that will be involved in the piece. Then I have a few months to sort out the electronics stuff and write the short final movement for the premiere on 15 February at the Chapel of Thomas Guy, King’s College London (KCL).

I’m excited about this piece. It’s been great to collaborate closely with KCL virologist Chad Swanson in developing the music and I can’t wait to see it all come together.