January

Brrr. Coldest Winter in the UK for ages.

Spent a lot of Jan & Feb writing scores for the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra for a series of concerts in April. Duncan Sheik is appearing as special guest with them, performing a new suite of 6 songs from Whisper House. It’s been great writing for such a large (and wonderful) orchestra and I’m just looking forward to hearing it now! Because the songs are set in a spooky lighthouse and are based around what is essentially a ghost story, I’ve had fun playing with some unusual textures in the songs, and even start and end the suite with the orchestra becoming a virtual ‘wave’, lapping against the shore. Ship’s bells, contrabass clarinets, waterphones, brass players off-stage; it’s going to be a fun experience. Duncan’s appearing with Holly Brook and Gerry Leonard too, with the SFS being conducted by Edwin Outwater who it’s been great working with on these songs.

March

Added strings to 2 songs for new Manchester band ‘Hurts’. Biff Stannard is producing and got me involved. They are a very talented outfit and hopefully will get the success they deserve – adding 22 strings at Angel seemed to put grins all the way across their faces!

Added strings to 3 songs for new band “War of words”. They’re being produced by Ben Langmaid (La Roux) and have some GREAT songs! With Steve Price at Angel, Perry Montague-Mason & the London Studio Orchestra. Nice way to spend an evening…

Wrote orchestral arrangements and some additional composing for a video game soundtrack to be released later this year. Gil Evans meets Bernard Herrmann. Two of my favourite writers and had a great day with the orchestra in Abbey Road #2, engineered by Andrew Dudman.

Wrote a piano and string quartet arrangement for a new song by Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater that was performed by Duncan at Stephen Sondheim’s 80^th birthday celebration. Apparently it went down very well…!

Performed the premiere of my new work Line on a wall for trumpet & piano with my son Ben. Very favourable response from the audiences, especially for the bit where the trumpet plays right into the piano strings & soundboard with the pedal held down for an ‘infinite’ reverb effect. Sure it’s been done before but was fun anyhow!