My Story:
I'm very surprised (and delighted!) to be making a career as a composer. I come from a non-musical, working class background, a friend took me to my first ever classical concert when I was sixteen which was a turning point that has led to finding community, joy and work in classical music. I'm never happier than when writing or working directly with performers.
I'm very surprised (and delighted!) to be making a career as a composer. I come from a non-musical, working class background, a friend took me to my first ever classical concert when I was sixteen which was a turning point that has led to finding community, joy and work in classical music. I'm never happier than when writing or working directly with performers.
Music & Collaboration:
Most of my music draws on other art for inspiration, especially text, from poetry and literature to Twitter feeds and graffiti. My first album released with Delphian Records in July 2024 was a close collaboration with mezzo-soprano Lotte Betts-Dean exploring Thomas Hardy's poetry through two major song cycles and a suite of arrangements of song from across the 20th Century. This album reached number 5 in the specialist classical charts, was Presto Music's 'Recording of the Week' and received some lovely reviews. The album is called The Past & I: 100 Years of Thomas Hardy and, as well as Lotte, features James Girling (guitar) and the Ligeti Quartet.
I have also worked with the Philharmonia Orchestra on a piece inspired by Tim Key's lockdown poetry. A recording of this work was released on the NMC label in 2023. Ongoing work in development includes two stage works: a dance piece based on the tale of Dorian Gray and an opera about the love triangle between Thomas Hardy, Emma Gifford (his first wife) and Florence Dugdale (who became the second Mrs. Hardy).
In 2020 I was a joint recipient of the Paul Hamlyn Foundation's 'Awards for Artists'. My music is broadcast on UK radio (BBC Radio3) and performed across the UK as well as in the US and Canada.
Most of my music draws on other art for inspiration, especially text, from poetry and literature to Twitter feeds and graffiti. My first album released with Delphian Records in July 2024 was a close collaboration with mezzo-soprano Lotte Betts-Dean exploring Thomas Hardy's poetry through two major song cycles and a suite of arrangements of song from across the 20th Century. This album reached number 5 in the specialist classical charts, was Presto Music's 'Recording of the Week' and received some lovely reviews. The album is called The Past & I: 100 Years of Thomas Hardy and, as well as Lotte, features James Girling (guitar) and the Ligeti Quartet.
I have also worked with the Philharmonia Orchestra on a piece inspired by Tim Key's lockdown poetry. A recording of this work was released on the NMC label in 2023. Ongoing work in development includes two stage works: a dance piece based on the tale of Dorian Gray and an opera about the love triangle between Thomas Hardy, Emma Gifford (his first wife) and Florence Dugdale (who became the second Mrs. Hardy).
In 2020 I was a joint recipient of the Paul Hamlyn Foundation's 'Awards for Artists'. My music is broadcast on UK radio (BBC Radio3) and performed across the UK as well as in the US and Canada.