Photo by Corey Hayes
I write music for chamber ensembles, soloists, choirs and orchestras. My music can be alternately playful and lyrical, aspiring to a directness of expression and an idiomatic quality of writing for its performers, informed in part by my experience as a singer and classical guitarist in various British ensembles. I am especially, but not exclusively, interested in patterns and process, polyrhythmic / polymetric layering and new forms of consonance.
Born in 1983, I studied at New College, Oxford and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. I was a Composition Fellow at Tanglewood Music Center in 2012, and returned the following year for the premiere of my commission for brass ensemble, Blaze. A commission for the London Symphony Orchestra, Spiral, was premiered in 2014 at the Barbican Hall, and released on the ‘Panufnik Legacies II’ CD in 2016 (link to Spotify).
In 2019, my commission to celebrate Finchley Children’s Music Group’s 60th anniversary, Under the Giant Fern of Night, was premiered at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, and subsequently performed live on French television by the Maîtrise de Radio France in Chartres Cathedral (link to video), one of several performances in various French cities. The same year, my 2011 wind quintet Halazuni was performed by members of the Knussen Chamber Orchestra at Cadogan Hall as part of the BBC Proms.
Other commissions include works for the Choir of New College, Oxford, the Brinkburn Festival, EXAUDI, the London Contemporary Orchestra, the guitarist Sam Cave and the viola da gambist Liam Byrne. A number of recordings are available to listen to on Soundcloud, and a comprehensive work list is below.
List of Works and First Performances
O Magnum Misterium (2000) for SATB choir [4’]
Performed by the Choir of St Margaret’s, Westminster conducted by Aidan Oliver at Westminster Abbey on December 29th, 2013.
Toccata (2006) for organ [5’]
Performed by Nicholas Wearne in the chapel of Queen's College, Oxford on April 5th, 2006.
A Matter of Darkness (2008) for mezzo-soprano, string quartet and tape [8’]
Performed by Bethany Remfry (mezzo-soprano), Maria Milstein (violin I), Katie Stone (violin II), Ga-Young Lee (viola) and Joanne Keithley (cello) at Wigmore Hall on May 7th, 2009.
Pascha Nostrum (2009) for SATB choir [3’]
Performed by the Choir of New College Oxford conducted by Edward Higginbottom on April 27th, 2012.
dream-song (2009) for sinfonietta ensemble of 15 players [8’]
Performed by musicians from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama conducted by Aaron Holloway-Nahum at St Giles, Cripplegate on June 29th, 2009.
November (2009) for soprano and guitar [4’]
Performed by Amy Moore and Alastair Putt at the Leeds Lieder Festival on October 8th, 2009.
Impetus (2009) for mixed octet (flute, clarinet, harp, viola, horn, vibraphone, violin, cello) [6’]
Recorded by musicians from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the BBC Symphony Orchestra at Maida Vale Studios, conducted by Richard Baker, on January 17th, 2010.
Cascabelada (2010) for 4 pianos and percussion [8']
Performed by Alexander Soares, Richard Uttley, Janneke Brits, James Kreiling and musicians from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, conducted by Leonardo Gasparini, at LSO St. Luke's on March 13th, 2010.
Luma (2010) for mixed quintet (violin, clarinet, piano, accordion, double bass) [4’]
Recorded by CHROMA at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama on July 15th, 2010.
Quadrophony (2010) for electric guitar quartet [10’]
Performed by Sam Cave, Alastair Putt, Matthew Robinson and Matthew Elliot at the Forge, Camden on September 3rd, 2010.
Halazuni (2011) for wind quintet [8’]
Performed by the Carter Quintet in St. Mary's, Twickenham on July 12th, 2011. Commissioned by Richmond Concert Society through the Mary Ryan Award.
Tocco (2011) for orchestra [4’]
Workshopped by the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by James Macmillan, at LSO St. Luke's on January 11th, 2012.
Litany to the Holy Spirit (2012) for SATB choir [3’]
Performed by the Choir of St Margaret’s, Westminster conducted by Aidan Oliver at St Margaret’s, Westminster on June 14th, 2015. Longlisted for the 2012 St Paul’s Cathedral Composition Competition.
Scala (2012) for mixed nonet [3’]
Performed by the Fellows of Tanglewood Music Center, conducted by the composer, in the Theatre at Tanglewood on July 14th, 2012.
Comet (2012) for violin and viola [3’]
Performed by Alex Shiozaki and Derek Mosloff in Seiji Ozawa Hall on August 18th, 2012.
Sunglow (after Sol LeWitt) (2012) for trombone and marimba [3’]
Performed by Zachary Guiles and Ethan Pani in Seiji Ozawa Hall on August 18th, 2012.
Dance-Rite (2012) for violin and cello [3’]
Performed by Micah Ringham and Michael Dahlberg in Seiji Ozawa Hall on August 18th, 2012.
Blaze (2013) for brass ensemble of 16 players [10’]
Performed by the Fellows of Tanglewood Music Center, conducted by Stilian Kirov, in Seiji Ozawa Hall on June 30th, 2013. Commissioned by Tanglewood Music Center through the Norman Solomon and Merwin Geffen New Commissions Fund.
Madrugada (2013) for mixed octet (alto flute, cor anglais, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, double bass) [6’]
Performed by members of the London Contemporary Orchestra, conducted by Robert Ames, at Oval Space on October 3rd, 2013. Commissioned by the London Contemporary Orchestra through the Britten-Pears Foundation.
Spiral (2013) for orchestra [8’]
Performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Ben Gernon, at the Barbican on June 12th, 2014. Commissioned by the London Symphony Orchestra through the Panufnik Young Composers Scheme, supported by the Helen Hamlyn Trust.
Veni Sancte Spiritus (2014) for double choir [5’]
Performed by the Choir of New College, Oxford, conducted by Edward Higginbottom, in New College Chapel on June 7th, 2014. Commissioned by the Choir of New College, Oxford.
Epicedium (2014) for mixed quintet (clarinet, cor anglais, violin, viola, cello) [8’]
Performed by members of the Royal Northern Sinfonia at Brinkburn Priory on July 5th, 2014. Commissioned by the Brinkburn Festival.
Impromptu (2014) for solo violin [4’]
Unperformed.
Herzlich lieb hab' ich dich, O Herr (2014) for organ [2’]
Performed by Alex Pott on March 31st, 2015 at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford. Commissioned by William Whitehead for the Orgelbüchlein Project.
Epithalamium (2015) for four solo voices [3’]
Performed by Juliet Fraser, Katherine Nicholson, Stephen Jeffes and Cheyney Kent, conducted by James Weeks, at the composer’s wedding in the University Church of St Mary the Virgin, Oxford on June 19th, 2015.
The Nature Of Things (2015) for tenor solo and vocal quartet [8’]
Performed by Stephen Jeffes and EXAUDI conducted by James Weeks at the Warehouse, Waterloo on October 17th, 2015. Commissioned by EXAUDI through the RVW Trust.
This Worldes Joie (2015) for SATB choir [3’]
Performed by the Choir of St Margaret’s, Westminster conducted by Aidan Oliver at St Margaret’s, Westminster on December 6th, 2015. Longlisted for the 2015 St Paul’s Cathedral Composition Competition.
Tombeau (2016) for bass viol [5’]
Performed by Liam Byrne at Crypt on the Green on November 15th, 2016. Commissioned by Listenpony.
O Sacrum Convivium (2016) for SATB choir [4’]
Performed by the Choir of St Margaret’s, Westminster conducted by Aidan Oliver at St Margaret’s, Westminster on May 13th, 2018.
Cuerdas (2017) for guitar [5’]
Performed by Sam Cave at Brunel University on November 3rd, 2017. Commissioned with the support of the PRS / Bliss Trust and the Francis Chagrin Award.
Under the Giant Fern of Night (2018) for children’s choir and harp [15’]
Performed by Finchley Children’s Music Group and Catherine Derrick (harp) conducted by Grace Rossiter at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on January 13th, 2019. Commissioned by Finchley Children’s Music Group.
Quincunx (2019) for string quintet [8’]
Commissioned by Riot Ensemble with the support of the PRS Foundation (performance delayed by COVID-19).
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