Video now online of the premiere of my Changing Up + for solo percussionist and large ensemble from the recent SHIFTS project at Turner Sims. Joley Cragg totally nailed the percussion as did the HARTLEY Loop Orchestra, which features students and staff from the University of Southampton Music Department.
‘Pythagoras’ Toolkit’
I’m really delighted that Pythagoras’ Toolkit, led by Ensemble Paramirabo (Montreal) and involving me as co-creator, composer and conductor, has been awarded funding from the Canadian Council for the Arts.
In Pythagoras’ Toolkit Rachel Warr (co-creator/director, Dotted Line Theatre) and I will bring to life, through puppetry and live music, a modern-day Pythagoras who will explore sound, space (conceptual/sound/realworld), rhythm, harmony and dissonance (order and chaos), instrument making/design, dance, musical textures and ways of constructing music.
The production, currently planning for a tour in 2021, will feature musicians from Ensemble Paramirabo (Canada), Workers Union Ensemble (UK) and two musically literate puppeteers working with a specially created Pythagoras puppet.
Rachel and I are concocting ideas already… more soon!
‘Drip Feed’ for solo harpischord
I’m putting the finishing touches on a new piece for solo harpsichord for Jane Chapman. Premiere date to be confirmed but likely in late 2019 or early 2020. Watch this space!
Elizabeth Kenny CD and tour
Superstar theorbo player Liz Kenny has recorded my Extending from the inside (2014) for her new solo CD coming out on Linn Records this summer. She is doing a prestige tour to promote the disc taking in Cleveland Institute of Music, Aldeburgh Festival, Oxford Festival of the Arts and the Wigmore Hall.
Waving Mendelssohn V
I’m conducting Mendelssohn V in a few weeks time (11 May 2019) with SU Sinfonietta. Really looking forward to doing some old music…!
‘The Virus Within: Hearing HIV’ at Turner Sims
It was great to perform The Virus Within: Hearing HIV with Workers Union Ensemble and Chad Swanson at Turner Sims as part of the University of Southampton Science and Engineering Day 2019.
Some lovely feedback from the audience including:
” A fascinating window in composition”
” Amazing innovation. Meaningful. Science in musical language”
“Intellectual synethesia ending with hope”
My colleague Jeanice Brooks got some fantastic photos too…
Luke Wright & Riot Ensemble
Back in 2015 I wrote a piece with the amazing poet Luke Wright for the London Sinfonietta, which we performed at Queen Elizabeth Hall. It was a great experience and I’m delighted that our collaboration will continue as we develop a new piece for, and with, Riot Ensemble over the coming year or so. The first stage of development is 2 days together in mid-September to try out some ideas and get things moving. This will happen at my stomping ground at the University of Southampton and is possible thanks to Riot Ensemble’s Arts Council funding and some support from the University. Big thanks to Aaron Holloway-Nahum for believing in the project and being so supportive.
Exciting to see what happens!
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.
Lois Vierk’s Red Shift 
Joley in my Changing Up +
Sinfonietta Postcard
In 2017 I made a postcard for the London Sinfonietta for their 50th Anniversary celebrations. In the exhibition my card appeared between George Benjamin and Steve Reich… not too shabby.
You can listen to an electronic version below..
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!
