I aten’t ded…

It's been a while! Due to some hosting shenanigans this website stopped working at some point in 2020 and, er, I only just got it back up and running. Oops.In the meantime, I've gotten an MPhil in contemporary sacred choral composition from the University of Aberdeen, and taken up allotment gardening. I'm also the Commissioned Pastoral Assistant at my church, St John the Evangelist, Brownswood...

Sung Compline

I couldn't get to church this morning: we're socially isolating in this household while my spouse gets over a cough. This evening at 8pm GMT I will be leading a live-streamed service of Sung Compline. Please join me. The text is Common Worship Compline in Traditional Language. This is a test:

The Old Astronomer

Remember the Musical Hat Draw? Well, my setting of The Old Astronomer, text suggested by AlexSeanchai, has now sold. It was sponsored by Kathleen Jowitt and AlexSeanchai. I've set the first four stanzas to the same tune, and though I had intended this to be a piece for choir and piano or choir and ensemble, it didn't work out that way. It's quite folk-y, maybe a little jaunty for the subject...

Musical Hat Draw: Music Sale!

About a month ago I tried a new-to-me experiment: I asked the internet to suggest texts for me to set to music, on the understanding that I'd do my best at some drafts with random selections of text, and then eventually put the completed music up for sale online. I called it the Musical Hat Draw because I was going to pull numbers out of a hat to decide what order to set the texts in. I loved...

What I learned from Morten Lauridsen

Last week, American composer Morten Lauridsen was composer-in-residence at the University of Aberdeen, where I am studying choral composition. Over the course of the week I heard him speak at the Composers' Forum and at two concerts, as well as having a 45-minute personal tutorial. Dr Lauridsen and I come from very different backgrounds musically. He has been an academic for his entire career,...

Barking

A few months ago I was having one of those journeys home where I end up at Barking station for half an hour, having just missed the Overground train heading north west.  I asked Twitter for hymn texts, and David Barton suggested this one by Anna Laetitia Waring: In heavenly love abiding, no change my heart shall fear. And safe in such confiding, for nothing changes here. The storm may roar...

Reforming Arts Funding

Saying this won't make me very popular, but I'm growing tired of rants about arts funding, or the lack of same. Don't get me wrong. I think that in a just world the state and/or other large funding bodies would spend real money on the arts: from educating, nurturing and supporting emerging artists to making sure people of all backgrounds have affordable access to the arts. The arts are not just...

Moss and Jones — “Let us Demonstrate”

I think I first heard of Moss and Jones on Twitter, through a mutual friend. I am always pleased when they record more music. Their latest recordings are no exception. In fact, I think they may be the best yet. The high, pure, clarity of Ruth's voice really comes through on this demonstration. The strength of the musical ideas is also clear, without losing the quirky, folky aesthetic of ukelele,...

Placeholder and Plans

I was going to post a choral anthem for a competition today, but I've realised judging hasn't happened yet. I don't want to accidentally disqualify myself by compromising anonymity, so you'll have to wait a little longer. I am hoping to have more compositions and arrangements to post this year. As an experiment, I am planning to spend ten hours per week composing, starting on 7th January. There...