I am really delighted to announce that the Juice Vocal Ensemble will be giving the first (and second) performance of "The Ballad Of The Harp Weaver" as part of their "Snow Queens" series of concerts.

The piece is a setting of the poem of the same name by Edna St. Vincent Millay, a poet definitely worthy of further investigation!

The poem tells of an impoverished mother weaving clothes for her beloved son with the strings of "a harp with a woman's head nobody will buy".  I think it is probably fair to say that my other life as a folk musician has had some bearing on the setting!

The Juice Ensemble will be performing "The Ballad Of The Harp Weaver";

Tuesday, December 1st
Shoreditch Church, London
7.30pm

A concert to raise money for the charity work done by the church for the homeless and those with addictions. 

Public Facebook event here: 
https://www.facebook.com/events/124582564569244/

Saturday December 5th
Thames Concerts, Kingston Arts
7.30pm

Details: http://www.kingstonarts.co.uk/event/thames-concerts-juice-vocal-ensemble/

Why not come and listen to a fabulous ensemble and a jolly good story?
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Ferio Saxophone Quartet will be premiering my new work "PIED PIPER" in a tour of the Channel Islands later this month. 

The piece was commissioned as a performance piece but also as a piece to engage young listeners of all ages from Early Years to A level. It tells the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, using a simple and easily recognisable motif to represent the Piper (Huw on Soprano Sax), with the ungrateful Councillor being represented by the Baritone (Shevaughan). 

The piece is about five minutes in total, split into linked movements RATS: PIPER: RATS II: PIPER II: CHILDREN: MOUNTAIN and uses elements of space and movement to help bring the story to life. Pre-tour workshops are taking place on November 20th in various schools in Basingstoke, Hants. 

On Friday 18th December Dorking Choral Society (cond. Hilary Campbell) will perform "Those Things Three", my new choral piece based on a medieval poem sometimes known as the "Adult Lullaby" at St. Joseph's Church, Dorking. Six new pieces will be performed with a winner being chosen by Judith Weir, Master of the Queen's Music and Stephen Jackson, Director of the BBC Symphony Chorus.