Commissioning:

I am very interested in developing links with fellow musicians, bands, orchestras, choirs, etc.  If you are planning to have something new written for either a specific ocassion or for general use, please contact me for a chat.  I'm very happy to discuss either a bespoke project, or why not allow me to follow my own instincts! 

The cost of a piece can be discussed as an element of the planning process, and the final product will be emailed out to the customer in pdf format to allow printing as required. 

Please see below for examples of my work.  If you are interested in further information about performing one or more of the pieces listed below, please click on the Contact tab at the top of this page and either call me or send an email for discussion.  


Do not go gentle into that good night.mp3

Notturno

(Do not go gentle into that good night)
for
Brass Ensemble
(2024) 

This piece was commissioned by David Hamilton, Bandmaster of the Band of the Prince of Wales' Division, which, at the time of writing, was a brass ensemble looking for interesting and innovative music, with Welsh connections, for use in the concert hall.

David had instigated a composition competition, and although this piece failed to make the deadline, I deemed it worthy of completion.

Notturno is my response to Dylan Thomas' incredibly powerful poem, through music.

Two Coronation Fanfares

Fanfare for Trumpets and Trombones (2024) 

The first of this pair of fanfares was composed in response to the call for scores from the three services made by the Worshipful Company of Musicians, for the occasion of the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III. The second fanfare was composed in response to the 30th anniversary of the Royal Corps of Army Music.  

Both fanfares have been written to be played, and not as competition pieces. It is my earnest desire that they enter the repertoire, and are used on some of the incredible occasions that see the amazing fanfare teams of the Royal Corps of Army Music.

Instrumental parts can be obtained directly from the composer.

Two Coronation Fanfares - Full Score.pdf Two Coronation Fanfares - Full Score.pdf
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Two Coronation Fanfares.mp3

House of Windsor - Full Score.pdf House of Windsor - Full Score.pdf
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Type : pdf

House of Windsor.mp3

House of Windsor

Fanfare for Wind Band 

House of Windsor was originally conceived for a concert performance by the massed Guards Bands at the Cadogan Hall in Chelsea in 2007. The piece was orchestrated for band, two independent fanfare teams, and cavalry trumpets.  

Since then the piece has languished on a hard drive.  I recently rediscovered it, and have almost completely rewritten it.  The version uploaded here is the final version, as it should be, and is for wind band with no fanfare trumpets. 

State and Ceremonial Marches 1 - 5

Five Concert Marches for Wind Band (2022) 

The State and Ceremonial Marches were written for the Committee of the Army Musicians’ Association in acknowledgement of the closure of Kneller Hall - the home of British Army Music from 1857 - 2021. They were started in 2021, and completed in the year of Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee.

This set of five concert marches was written as a response to Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance Marches. The difference in context is that Elgar saw the pomp and the circumstance from the outside, as a spectator; with these marches I saw it from the inside: the many hours behind the scenes spent rehearsing on drill squares, the shouting, the polishing, the cleaning, the individual and team effort necessary to reach the required standards.


It was my intention to provide a set of concert pieces that would show off the wind band as an entity to rival the orchestra; it is my hope that they can be seen as a set original pieces which are useful, challenging and enjoyable for audience, player and conductor alike.

My long term goal is to develop the sound of the wind band, raise musical standards through complexity of wind band music, and increase the breadth of serious windband repertoire.

 

State and Ceremonial No. 1 - Full Score.pdf State and Ceremonial No. 1 - Full Score.pdf
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State and Ceremonial No. 1.mp3

State and Ceremonial No. 2 - Full Score.pdf State and Ceremonial No. 2 - Full Score.pdf
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State and Ceremonial No. 2.mp3

State and Ceremonial No 3 - Full Score.pdf State and Ceremonial No 3 - Full Score.pdf
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State and Ceremonial No 3.mp3

State and Cermonial March No. 4 - Full Score.pdf State and Cermonial March No. 4 - Full Score.pdf
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State and Cermonial March No. 4.mp3

State and Ceremonial March No. 5.mp3

H.R.H. The Countess of Wessex - Full Score.pdf H.R.H. The Countess of Wessex - Full Score.pdf
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Type : pdf

HRH Countess of Wessex.mp3

I conducted the above performance in a recording by the Band of the Welsh Guards at a studio in London in November 2021.  It was subsequentlyuploaded to the Household Division website in March 2022.  

My grateful thanks go to Major Craig Hallatt, Director of Music Welsh Guards, for allowing me to conduct this piece in recording, and in subsequent concerts.

H.R.H. The Countess of Wessex

Concert March for Wind Band (2021) 

H.R.H. The Countess of Wessex was commissioned by the Committee of the Army Musicians' Association. This march could be seen as a companion piece to Sir Malcolm Arnold's H.R.H. The Duke of Cambridge.

Malcolm Arnold's march was written in 1957 to celebrate the centenary of Kneller Hall, and is named after the Founder of the school: Queen Victoria's Cousin, The Duke of Cambridge.

This piece has been written to acknowledge the closure of Kneller Hall in 2021, and is named after the Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Corps of Army Music: H.R.H. The Countess of Wessex.

The march sets out in C minor, a key seen by Beethoven and Brahms as being dark and tragic, and changes to A flat major at the trio section, this new key was used by Elgar in his First Symphony. My idea being that it' s possible for a good outcome to emerge from a seemingly tragic decision.

The trio theme is drawn directly from the opening theme, which is built on a series of rhythmic motifs growing in power as the piece progresses. The bridge section is the central section of the trio, and is distinctive as a development section; it links back to the Trio theme by use of quotations from the Quick March of the Royal Corps of Army Music, over a dominant preparation for return to the tonic key ofA flat major.

The march ends optimistically, with a view of a new chapter of musical contribution to the British Army.

The Band of the Household Cavalry recorded this piece as a part of the RCAM30 Legacy Recordings project, which celebrated 30 years of the Royal Corps of Army Music. 

Interestingly, Major Craig Bywater took the music at a much steadier tempo - one which I really liked, it suited the music beatifully

Andrew Henry VC

Concert March for Wind Band (2022) 

This march was commissioned by the Lancashire Artillery Volunteers Band in 2022.

There is a rather stirring account written about 10 years later by Andrew William Kingslake, an English travel writer and historian who wrote an 8 volume opus on the Invasion of Crimea.

“When the foremost of the enemy’s troops had so closely surrounded Henry’s guns as to be already but a few paces off, they charged in with loud shouts, undertaking to bayonet the gunners; but by Henry himself, and one at least of his people, they were encountered with desperate valour. Henry called upon the men to defend the gun. He and a valiant gunner named James Taylor drew their swords and stood firm. The throng of the Russians came closing in, very many of them for some reason bareheaded, and numbers of them, in the words of a victim, ‘howling like mad dogs.’ 

Henry with his left wrested a bayonet from one of the Russians and found means to throw the man down, fighting hard all the time with his sword arm against some of his other assailants. Soon both Henry and Taylor were closed in upon from all sides and bayoneted again and again, Taylor then receiving his death wounds. Henry received in his chest the up-thrust of a bayonet, delivered with such power as to lift him almost from the ground, and at the same time he was stabbed in the back and stabbed in the arms. Then, from loss of blood, he became unconscious, but the raging soldiery, inflamed by religion, did not cease from stabbing his heretic body. He received twelve wounds, yet survived.”

Andrew Henry VC - Full Score.pdf Andrew Henry VC - Full Score.pdf
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Andrew Henry VC.mp3

Step Short - Full Score.pdf Step Short - Full Score.pdf
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Step Short.mp3

Step Short

March for Wind Band (2020) 

Slope Road in Folkestone (now known as Remembrance Road) was the road leading down to the harbour where soldiers embarked upon boats which would take them over the channel to France during World War One. As the Soldiers marched down Slope Road, they were told to 'step short' in order to maintain pace and distance between ranks. The falling chromatic line which features in all sections of this march represents Slope Road. It also represents the sinking feeling the young men and women must have felt, and also it represents a sense of tragedy, desolation, fear and sadness. This idiom has been used in the same way that Rennaissance madrigalists used it to represent the same feelings of negativity and tragedy. The tragic sections of the march are intersperced with unbounded positivity reminiscent of young men whistling as they go about their duties, naively unaware of the enormity of the forthcoming action. My intention is that the music represents both aspects of British war poetry: the realistic barbaric, awful side of war, and the perceived patriotic heroism portrayed through propaganda at home. This march was composed in response to the call for composition of a new march for used in the centennial year of the outbreak of World War 1. The call for composition was instigated by the Go Folkestone Action Group, and I have used the notes G-F-A-G in the various areas of the march in acknowledgement of the Group's efforts.

 

Trusted Guardians

(Symphonic Suite for Wind Band)

(2020)

This piece was commissioned by the Band of the Household Cavalry as part of very defined plans for a charity CD to be made towards the close of 2020.

Plans for the CD were tripartite: firstly, the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, celebrating the British Armed Forces; secondly the Coronavirus pandemic, celebrating the UK Emergency Services, particularly the NHS; and finally a positive view into the future.

In order to establish a structural link, I decided to use the hymn tune Jerusalem as common ground to all three movements.  In the first movement the theme occurs in a minor key as part of a battle scene depicting British Soldiers. 

In the second movement the theme is much more obvious. Here, the Jerusalem theme represents NHS paramedics, doctors, nurses, support staff and care home workers on their own front line, early in this battle a tradition took off across the UK, to step outside and applaud the heroes of the present at 8pm on Thursday evenings.

The final movement contains the entire hymn from start to finish. The music which approaches the hymn is uncertain, but grows stronger. The hymn is powerful, and the music which closes the suite is at peace, as it drifts into the distance.

So who are the heroes of this final movement? They could be the Armed Forces, the Emergency Services, they could be anyone, or someone, or a fictional character, or maybe even an aspiration. After all, the listener should take some responsibility for the final outcome.

Trusted Guardians - Complete - Full Score.pdf Trusted Guardians - Complete - Full Score.pdf
Size : 1679.368 Kb
Type : pdf

Trusted Guardians.mp3

Trombone Concerto - Full Score.pdf Trombone Concerto - Full Score.pdf
Size : 1049.787 Kb
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Trombone Concerto.mp3

Trombone Concerto - Solo Trombone.pdf Trombone Concerto - Solo Trombone.pdf
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Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra

(2019)

This concerto was originally conceived for bassoon and orchestra, and written for Miles Nipper, a friend and colleague from our army days.  

Having now re-written the piece for trombone, it feels like it could never have been written for any other instrument.  The balancing in the orchestration is much more successful, and the mood and nature of the music suits the trombone perfectly in my opinion. The other factor, which I can't experience with my other compositions, is that I can enjoy playing this piece.

The concerto is cast in three movements, and is set mainly in the dorian mode based on F.

As with all of my pieces, I'm happy to talk to anybody about sending out scores or sets of parts ; please see the Contacts tab.  

I've attached the solo part as well as the score for players to have a blow through - I know trombone players won't be able to resist!

Piano Quartet

(2017)

This Piano Quartet has been written with the express intention of writing tonal music, focusing on melody writing. Having spent an extended period of time exploring atonal composition I felt that I wanted to indulge myself in trying to hone my tune-smithing skills. The Quartet is set in three movements, with the melodic material for the outer two movements being modal, hopefully giving a hint at my interest in folk music. The central movement is cantabile in style,
and firmly based in F major.  I am hopeful that players and listeners will enjoy the piece for its coherent melodic and structural qualities. Players should not try to take the music too seriously, but should feel free to make interpretative decisions at will, within the stylistic nature of the piece.




Piano Quartet - Full Score.pdf Piano Quartet - Full Score.pdf
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Piano Quartet.mp3

Trumpet Sonata - Full Score.pdf Trumpet Sonata - Full Score.pdf
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Type : pdf

Trumpet Sonata.mp3

Sonata for Trumpet and Piano

(2016)

This piece is unashamedly tonal, and romantic in nature.  It's a little self-indulgent, and I really enjoyed writing it!

There is no program to the music, and the structure is loosely based on sonata forms.  My aim with this piece was to try and develop thematic material from the start, to give the music more of an organic feel whilst still creating coherent themes.

I realise there's nothing new in this; but for me, writing this piece was all about the constant process of honing my skills as a composer. I would like people to want to play my Sonata, and I would love to hear from people who would like a pdf of the solo part.  Please email me if you are interested!


Sinfonietta for Brass Band

(2016)

This piece was started around January 2016, and finished in June.  I had a break from writing the piece through March and April.

Sinfonietta is set in three movements, and reflects quite a dark time in my life.  The last movement takes the player/listener through confusion to resolution, and the piece ends positively.


Sinfonietta for Brass Band - Full Score.pdf Sinfonietta for Brass Band - Full Score.pdf
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Sinfonietta for Brass Band.mp3

Songs and Interludes

(2015)

This set of seven movements has, on the surface, nothing substantial in common.  The common ground is, simply,  that in one way or another, a text inspired me.  The attractions were rhythmic, atmospheric, structural, or a combination of these factors.  It was not my intent to try and create programmatic music through word painting, it was simply to create a musical context through my own sonic response to each poem.  I felt that the balance between voice and cello was an extremely good one, both strands were able to blend and contrast comfortably.

My intention is certainly for these pieces to be sung and played, and I hope to hear from anybody who wishes to do so.

Songs and Interludes - .pdf Songs and Interludes - .pdf
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Songs & Interludes.mp3

Prelude in B flat

(2015)

This Prelude was written in response to a Call for Scores for the Colchester New Music Festival where it received its first performance by David Mitchell on Wednesday 4th November.

The Prelude is not typical of my usual musical language.  In writing this piece, I took time out from atonality to enjoy traditional harmony.

I enjoyed composing this piece; writing piano music within the bounds of traditional harmonic strictures seemed a little indulgent at first, but it was useful in terms of making me think about the basics of harmonic issues which are all equally pertinent in atonal music.

I get considerable satisfaction from playing this piece; it may well be followed by more short tonal piano compositions.

Prelude for Piano.pdf Prelude for Piano.pdf
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Prelude for Piano.mp3

Four Haiku (2014)

For Soprano and Chamber Ensemble

The Four Haiku I have chosen to set are by four great masters of Haiku, who between them, have compressed the gamut of human experience into the limits of seventeen syllables.  The poems I have chosen were all translated from the original Japanese by H R Blyth, and edited by Peter Washington.

              The full moon, Only lovely, Flawlessly clear             

- by Chora

All around, that meets the eye, Is cool and fresh

- by Basho

How lovely. Through the torn paper window, The Milky Way 

- by Issa

This is all there is; The path comes to an end, Among the parsley 

- by Buson

Haiku - Transposing Score.pdf Haiku - Transposing Score.pdf
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Type : pdf

Four Haiku.mp3

Passing Through Three Points (2013)

A Suite for Large Orchestra

Passing Through Streets is the rough derivative of the Spanish word Passacaglia; I did not want to use the term Passacaglia as the title of the movement because the piece is not a strict Passacaglia. The odd numbered playings of the melody (the complete tone row) are strict repetitions, however the even numbered playings are as close as I can get them within the constrictions of half of the tone row. This makes for a constantly varying melodic language.

Passing Through the Geodesic is a Scherzo in essence. In mathematical terms the Geodesic is the shortest line between two points on a sphere; this scherzo is the fast movement which links the two outer slow movements.

Passing Through the Origin uses Isorhythmic phrases to form its structure. Each of the three tone rows used in this movement has its own rhythmic row with the respective augmentations, diminusions and retrograde permutations. Mathematically, a line which passes through zero at 45 degrees on a graph is said to be passing through zero. This movement places equal importance on rhythmic possibilities (the x axis of the graph) and pitch (the y axis of the graph).

Passing through three points.mp3

Origins(2011)

for Wind Band

Origins was was written to follow the same processes of the beginnings of life on Earth; it was not intended to be a tone-poem describing the processes, but to actually start with individual notes and sounds and allow them to grow and mutate into larger motivic cells, and eventually develop into coherent thematic ideas. The piece starts with a clarinet gradually exposing the tone row accompanied by seemingly random percussion. It closes with the trombone restating the row accompanied by a regular pulse in the percussion. The trombone's final solo is intended to give the impression of the survival of the fittest.

Origins - Full Transposing Score.pdf Origins - Full Transposing Score.pdf
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Origins.mp3

Piano Quintet (2011)

I composed this Piano Quintet at the end of 2011, it is cast in three movements and uses three tone rows as its structural basis. The Piano Quintet was composed in 2012 in response to the death of a close friend from my time in the army. Hugh Billington was an outstanding ceilidh fiddler who was trained in the Irish and Scots traditions, and he and I performed together on a regular basis for about 15 years. The final movement of the Piano Quintet contains a verse of one of Hugh’s favourite tunes: My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose by Rabbie Burns.

The Piano Quintet was rehearsed and performed at a workshop at Durham University by the Ives Ensemble, and subsequently edited into its current format. It was also performed at the SoBe Institute for Arts in Miami, Florida on 15th March 2013 as part of the XXII Subtropics Festival where it won the Jury's Award.

Piano Quintet - Full Score.pdf Piano Quintet - Full Score.pdf
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Piano Quintet.mp3


Dance Suite (2010)

for Solo Piano

Dance Suite for Solo Piano was composed in 2010. In true 'retro' fashion, the first movement of the Dance Suite to be composed was the Finale. After which quickly followed the quasi Allemande, the Toccata, the quasi Menuet, the quasi Sarabande and the quasi Aria.

My intention was not to create a strict Baroque Dance Suite, neither was it to re-invent the musical wheel in any way; it was to try and capture something of the mood and feeling of the Instrumental Suites of J.S. Bach, without copying their structure or style; so to try and create a piece which had its own integrity as a 21st Century piece, but showing clear influence - with respect.

The Toccata and the Finale illustrate their point without requiring explaination. The four internal movements however may require comment: these movements are influenced by blues music, Russian Romantic pieces, the New Viennese School, Hungarian and Romanian Nationalism, and many other diverse areas. However I feel that they mainly owe loyalty to their Baroque relatives, and a performer will get closest to the musical essence of these movements if s/he approaches them from a Baroque point of view.

Dance Suite for Solo Piano.pdf Dance Suite for Solo Piano.pdf
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Dance Suite.mp3

The Music Makers (2010)

This piece was composed in 2010 for a competition organised by the Corps of Army Music who were, at the time, searching for a new March to represent the Corps.  The Music Makers won the competition, and the march was subsequently adopted by the Army.  I conducted the first performance of the Music Makers at the Royal Military School of Music (Kneller Hall) in July 2011. 

This recording of the brass band arrangement is played by the Band of the King's Division - the Band to which I was first appointed upon graduation as a newly qualified Bandmaster.

Music Makers.mp3