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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. In other words it is not easy, but the challenge is irresistible. The best thing about composing is that after all of this hard work it really is a privilege to work with some of the finest musicians around.

Latest News:

Three Worlds Released on CD

A new recording of Richard Whalley’s Three Worlds, performed by the composer, has been released by Prima Facie recordings (PFCD003). Entitled Dreams and Dances, this CD also includes music by Anthony Gilbert, Beth Wiseman, Giles Easterbrook, John McCabe, Camden Reeves and Stephen Plews. More details at Prima Facie’s website.

Residency at Aram-Poitou Festival, in France

I was invited to spend a week in August 2010 at the Aram-Poitou Festival in France, where I assisted Peter Swinnen with the running of the Composition Masterclass, performed my Five Preludes on the piano, and performed Isang Yun’s Five Pieces for Piano and Schumann’s Piano Quartet with Eric Robberecht (vln), Paul de Clerk (vla) and Guy Danel (vcl).

Feast for the Senses CD in preparation

Work continues on the Feast for the Senses, a single-composer CD of my music with Prima Facie Records. Recording of Intoxicating Orchids (with Vaganza Soloists), Ad Infinitum (with Caroline Balding) and Tachophobia (with Oliver Coates) took place in April 2010. The CD will be released following premiere of a new work, inspired by the artwork of M.C. Escher, to be included on the CD for Ensemble 10/10, for performance during the 2011/12 season.

Upcoming Events

Thursday 23rd February, 1.10pm
Lunchtime Song Recital with Jeremy Huw Williams
Cosmo Rodewald Concert Hall, University of Manchester, M13 9PL

Beethoven An die ferne Geliebte, Op.98
Richard Whalley Six Songs of Old Japanese Wisdom
Paul Mealor Twilight (English première)

Jeremy Huw Williams – Baritone
Richard Whalley – Piano

 

Wednesday 29th February, 1.10pm
Twenty-First Century Song Recital
PATS Studio One, University of Surrey, GU2 7XH

David Power Eight Evening Songs
Tom Armstrong Opened Spaces
Peter Reynolds Adieu to All Alluring Toys
Richard Whalley Six Songs of Old Japanese Wisdom
Steve Crowther Songs for Don

Paul Carey Jones – Baritone
Ian Ryan - Piano

 

Wednesday 7th March, 7.30pm
Ensemble 10/10 Music Theatre Night
Liverpool (exact venue tba)

Adam Gorb Anya 17 (World premiere)
Ailís Ní Ríain In Sleep...
Richard Whalley A Very Serious Game (World premiere)
Yu Oda New Work

Clark Rundell – Conductor



Thursday 8th March, 1.10pm
New Music North West FestivalQuatuor Danel
Cosmo Rodewald Concert Hall, University of Manchester, M13 9PL

Richard Whalley Interlocking Melodies
Cho Yen Lee New work
Camden Reeves Dactylozooid Complex (String quartet No. 2)
Philip Grange Ghosts of Great Violence (world première)

Marc Danel, Gilles Millet – Violins
Vlad Bogdanas – Viola
Guy Danel – Cello



Friday 9th March, 7.30pm
New Music North West Festival – Ensemble 10/10
RNCM Concert Hall, Manchester

Adam Gorb Anya 17
Ailís Ní Ríain In Sleep.
Richard Whalley A Very Serious Game
Colin Matthews L, bent

Clark Rundell – Conductor



Sunday 28th October: Leuven, Belgium
ISCM World Music Days – Transit Festival

Quatuor Danel to perform a programme including Richard Whalley’s Interlocking Melodies.

ISCM 2012 schedule



 

Richard Whalley, January 2012

 

Website by Dan Goren