Blogs
Benjamin Britten ‘Phantasy Quartet’: Quirky Quartet
Benjamin Britten: Phantasy Quartet Context Composed whilst Benjamin Britten was studying at the Royal College of Music, Phantasy Quartet was premiered in August 1933 as Read more…
Blogs
Aaron Copland ‘Our Town Suite’: The Simple Life
Aaron Copland: Our Town Suite Context Aaron Copland was asked to write the score for the 1940 film Our Town. The film centres around the Read more…
Blogs
Peter Graham ‘On Alderley Edge’: A Series of Tone Pictures
Peter Graham: On Alderley Edge Context Commissioned for the 1997 National Brass Band Championships, Peter Graham’s On Alderley Edge was the set test piece for Read more…
Blogs
Sergei Prokofiev ‘Toccata’: New Traditions
Sergei Prokofiev: Toccata Context Sergei Prokofiev’s Toccata in D minor (Op.11) was composed in 1912. Prokofiev himself premiered the work some years later in December Read more…
Blogs
Malcolm Arnold ‘Concerto for Harmonica’: Quirky Character
Malcolm Arnold: Concerto for Harmonica Context Composed in 1954, Malcolm Arnold’s Concerto for Harmonica was premiered by harmonica virtuoso Larry Adler at the Royal Albert Read more…
Blogs
Jessica Curry ‘All the Earth’: Pure Beginnings
Jessica Curry: All the Earth Context British composer Jessica Curry is a well-known voice on classical radio stations such as Classic FM. She is also Read more…
Blogs
Derek Bourgeois ‘Blitz’: Fighting for Freedom
Derek Bourgeois: Blitz Context Derek Bourgeois studied at Magdalene College, Cambridge and the Royal College of Music, where he received specialist composition tutelage by Herbert Read more…
Blogs
Jennifer Higdon ‘Percussion Concerto’: A Technical Triumph!
Jennifer Higdon: Percussion Concerto Context Composed in 2005, Jennifer Higdon’s exciting Percussion Concerto has received very high acclaim from the media and from audiences around the world. Read more…
Blogs
Yiruma ‘Kiss the Rain’: Sweet Lullaby
Yiruma: Kiss the Rain Context Yiruma, born Lee Ru-ma, is a South Korean-British composer and pianist. Born in 1978 in South Korea, Yiruma moved to Read more…
Blogs
John Barry ‘Out of Africa’: Rich Landscapes
John Barry: Out of Africa Context By 1985, John Barry was already a very well-established film score composer. His work in the James Bond franchise Read more…