Tag: PhD

What I’ve been up to

Byartsyhonker January 27, 2017 0 Comments
The year 2016 was quite a year for me, with a number of challenges and changes. The biggest change of all was going on a sabbatical (unpaid) from my post as Director of Music (or organist, or whatever you want to call it) at St Andrew's Leytonstone, and starting a PhD in contemporary sacred choral composition at the University of Aberdeen. I won't do a long review of the year here; but as is...

What I learned from Morten Lauridsen

Byartsyhonker November 9, 2016 0 Comments
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,...

Song Cycle Sung Grace

Byartsyhonker August 27, 2016 0 Comments
Earlier this summer, Song Cycle went on a day pilgrimage to Romsey Abbey. As is often the case with pilgrimage, it didn't go entirely to plan. In fact, my bicycle broke, and not in a way that meant a 40-minute delay by the side of the road replacing a tube, but more seriously. The frame just... came apart. Thankfully I was riding rather gently up a hill at the time, not barrelling down one as I...