While these months have had a number of disappointing delays, that has meant more time to plan projects and compose, so there’s plenty going on behind the scenes!
Firstly, some album updates:
The fantastic Laura Sinnerton of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales recorded her debut album of solo viola works at the end of November in Birmingham. The CD includes excerpts from my concert-work for solo viola and VR, The Testimony of John Paton, and will be released in Spring 2021 by the Birmingham Record Company, and distributed by NMC Recordings.
My commission from the CRASH Ensemble, Cross-Purposes, a duo for clarinet, cello, & electronics, was to be recorded in December, but has been delayed until the new year due to restrictions in Ireland. The forthcoming release, Reactions, will be published on the CRASH Ensemble label in 2021, along with visual material edited by Laura Sheeran.
I’m currently finishing my piece for Claire Edwardes and Jason Noble of Ensemble Offspring: Woolgathering. It will be released in Spring 2021 on the newly formed ICC label. If you’re interested in funding the ICC’s label venture, and receiving the three CDs that will initially be released, you can donate here (link will be added once the indigogo page is live).
Plans for my first portrait album are trundling along! A special thank you to Moving On Music for all their support and patience as we’ve planned, re-planned, and tentatively scheduled. Hopefully things will kick off in February, when I’ll get into the recording studio with Cahal Masterson, and then later in the month with Chris Roberts, to record my two suites: piano (Ceaselessly into the past) and guitar (Eyewitnesses of His Majesty).
Secondly, some performance updates:
December has some online events: On December 6th my collaboration with film-maker Oliver Mezger, Direct Shipping/Crossing the Firth, will be broadcast as part of the Nottfar Midlands New Music Symposium. The same day at 7pm GMT, Choir & Organ will host an online launch of their New Music Series for 2021, including a short reflection I have pre-recorded for them about my piece Asphyxiate.
Some exciting performances coming up early next year. In the first week of January, I’ll have a short interview broadcast on BBC Radio 3 for their New Year, New Music series, where I’ll be discussing a work that inspired me in 2020, Djuro Zivkovic’s On the Guarding of the Heart. On January 13th, my piece Laniakea, which has been re-orchestrated for full-sized orchestra, will be recorded for broadcast by the Ulster Orchestra. The same week, Hard Rain Soloist Ensemble will premiere my PRSF commission, Refractions, on January 15th in the Harty Room at QUB. Later in January, I’m looking forward to recording a performance for the St. Brigid’s Day celebrations in collaboration with the Contemporary Music Centre Ireland and the Embassy of Ireland in Hungary. I’ll be performing Grainne Mulvey’s Carlow Song Cycle with the soprano Elizabeth Hilliard.
Finally, other good news!
I’m extremely grateful to ACNI for their help over these past few months, as I was awarded funds through their Emergency Resilience Programme to support my creative practice and development.
I’m delighted that my first Notation in Sibelius session has proved to be useful to colleagues involved in new music, at the time of writing it has nearly 900 views. I’ve added a dedicated page for Notation & Engraving to my website, where you can see both of the notation session I’ve done for CMC. The second also involved the composer Lillie Harris, who gives an introduction to Dorico.
That’s probably all from me for December; I’ll be busy practising for these January concerts, and finishing off my piece for the LSO, which I’m pleased to confirm has a visual contribution being created by the lighting designer Laurenz Theinert. Looking forward to playing the electric guitar at this concert in February! Have a wonderful holiday.