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Composing music is a bit like juggling whilst riding a unicycle: what a wonderful feeling to keep all the balls in the air and not fall off! But this is only possible after a few preliminaries have been taken care of. First one has to invent the wheel (not to mention the ball, and the rest of the unicycle) and there are so many concepts that must be understood and internalized, not least how gravity works and how it may be used. Much of the attraction with writing music is in going back to first principles: in theory anything can happen and the only limitation is the imagination of the composer.

Latest News:

A number of projects have come to fruition recently:
- Circling for clarinet, cello and piano was performed by Psappha in on 1/2/07 in Manchester.
- Interlocking Melodies for string quartet was performed by the Quatuor Danel in Manchester on 25/4/07.
- Intoxicating Orchids for saxophone and ensemble was performed by John Barker and the New Professionals Ensemble in May in the Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester (24/5/07) and the Clothworkers Concert Hall in Leeds (25/5/07).
- A new version of my song cycle Six Songs of Old Japanese Wisdom was performed in May by Michael Solomon-Williams and Melanie Jones in Manchester and in the Late Music Festival in York (4/6/07). A CD recording of this, with other new songs, is to be distributed by the Late Music Festival. Details will be forthcoming.
- It has been a good year for Twisted Variations (2001), which was performed by Dinosaur Annex in First Church, Boston, USA (4/2/07), and was performed by Ensemble Actem in the Why Note Festival, Dijon, France on 20/11/07.
- On the piano I gave a lunchtime concert in the Cosmo Rodewald Concert Hall on 19/4/07 that consisted of two world premieres: of Diablo Canyon by Camden Reeves, and of Barry Cooper’s new edition of Beethoven’s Op.111 Piano Sonata, alongside a selection from Ligeti’s Études livre 2 and Solo no.2 by Ian Dickson.

I’ve recently added lots of new recordings, and now it is possible to view scores. Also look out for new section on my piano playing. I’m always eager to hear from people. If you have a reaction to any of the music here, or any thoughts, ideas or questions please let me know. Enjoy!

Richard Whalley, Oct 2007

Upcoming Performances:

14th – 16th Feb, 2008
Kingston University / LSO St Luke’s, London
Composition workshops with the Arditti String Quartet and Prof. Brian Ferneyhough
Interlocking Melodies has been selected from an international call for scores to be workshopped on 14th/15th Feb at Coombehurst Studio, Department of Music, Kingston Hill Campus, Kingston University, KT2 7LB.

A selection from these workshops will be performed alongside third string quartets by Brian Ferneyhough and Roger Redgate in a concert at 7.30pm on 16th Feb at LSO St Luke’s, 161 Old Street, London, EC1V 9NG

15th Feb 2008, 7pm
Cosmo Rodewald Concert Hall, University of Manchester
The Quatuor Danel perform Interlocking Melodies alongside Haydn Op.71 no.2 and Beethoven Op.59 no.2

14th March 2008
Biennale Musiques en Scène 2008, Lyon, France
Amphithéâtre de l'Opéra de Lyon
Ensemble Actem perform Twisted Variations alongside music by Borrel, Scelsi and Soulié.

30th Oct – 2nd Nov, 2008
Paris International Bass Symposium
Dan Styffe, the co-principal bassist of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra will premiere his transcription of Ad Infinitum (originally for solo violin).

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