1382381_785933218114462_6465830685918706354_nThe joy of my life is continually thanking musicians for the performances that they give of my compositions. Saturday 18th October saw the UK Premiere of `Storm Surge’ given by Maidstone Wind Symphony under the excellent direction of Jonathan Crowhurst. What made this occasion also special, was that the poet Martin Westlake read his wonderful and evocative poem at the start of the composition. I also found the imagination behind the performance impressive and brave with a dry-ice machine, and strobe-lighting as well as other artistic effects deployed. `Storm Surge’, is a musical representation of the devastating North Sea storm surge (in Dutch, Watersnoodramp) of 1953. This has to be one of the most ambitious ensembles as far as new material is concerned in the UK – Long may it continue!!! Other work in the concert included Gustav Holst: Hammersmith, Johan de Meij: Symphony No 1 and Torstein Aagaard Nilsen: Arctic Funk. I look forward to the next visionary experience in Maidstone.

 

Short Clip from the `Storm Surge’ recording session at the Koninklijk Conservatorium in Den Haag, Netherlands 12/11/13 with the band of the Marinierskapel der Koninklijke Marine under the baton of Peter Kleine Schaars.