I am thrilled that `A Richer Dust’ Symphony No1. for Speaker and Wind Orchestra has been shortlisted in the 2016 British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA) `British Composer Awards’ in the Wind Band & Brass Band category. The premiere was given by conductor Reed Thomas and the Middle Tennessee State University Wind Ensemble, and the works UK premiere by WO1 Andrew Porter and HM Band of the Irish Guards, in London last November as part of the Festival of Remembrance weekend. Like everything I do, collaboration is at its heart, and I am very proud that my co-collaborator on this occasion, was the wonderful Danish author and writer Malene Sheppard Skærved. Using music and words, `A Richer Dust’ explores what it means to live with violence and extremism, the constant companions of human history. Congratulations to all those shortlisted. BASCA have done stirring work in recent years, helping focus attention on `composers’, the backroom boys and girls of the classical music industry.

A short extract from the last moment of `A Richer Dust’

 

“Using music and words, `A Richer Dust’ explores what it means to live with violence and extremism, the constant companions of human history. The intertwined text and music, ideas and images, weave together voices ranging from those of historically significant figures through to the voiceless, ordinary people living in extraordinary times”.

 

See: BASCA `British Composer Awards Announcements’

also: BASCA Info on `A Richer Dust’

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Conductor Reed Thomas and the Middle Tennessee State University Wind Ensemble at the premiere of `A Richer Dust’

After the European Premiere of `A Richer Dust' - Malene, the Band of the Irish Guards and myself '(Photos: Marius Skaerved)

After the European Premiere of `A Richer Dust’ – Malene, the Band of the Irish Guards and myself ‘(Photos: Marius Skaerved)