News
June 2024
Ronchamp Film Launched
After a wonderful launch event at the Fruitmarket Gallery in Edinburgh I am delighted to present the film of my most recent project at Le Corbusier’s Chapel Notre-Dame du Haut.
It was lovely to present my work to a warm and engaged audience and I am grateful to everyone who made it possible.
August 2023
Forthcoming Performance of For Craigsbank
Excited to have been invited back to present my site-specific work For Craigsbank as part of this year’s Edinburgh Doors Open Day. The piece is for solo cello and will again be performed by Joanna Stark. We will be giving performances of the work between 11am and 2pm on Saturday 23 September 2023. There is of course a video of this piece on this website but I hope some of you may be able to come along to experience it in situ.
July 2023
For Notre-Dame du Haut Premiered
After 4 years in the making on July 29 I was honoured to premiere my new site-specific composition For Notre-Dame du Haut. It was a joy to spend the week with performers Gabrielle, Megan and Joanna who presented my music so beautifully in the chapel.
The piece was performed ten times throughout the day. I was pleased that so many visitors took the opportunity to hear my work (some even stayed for multiple performances) and I was grateful for all the lovely comments people made.
There are so many people to thank for making this project possible, in particular my funders at The Marchus Trust and Edinburgh Napier University. I would also like to thank the generous hospitality of the sisters at Saint Clare’s Monastery who made us so welcome during our stay. It was great to be immersed in the site throughout the week as we rehearsed leading up to the day. I would also like to thank Jean-Jacques Virot and all the staff (past and present) at the chapel.
We are currently working on the film of the performance and I can’t wait to share this with you. Do keep an eye on the website and my Instagram and I will let you know when it is ready.
July 2023
Almost Time
It has been a long journey getting here but it is almost time for the premiere of my new site-specific composition for the Chapel of Notre-Dame du Haut. Pandemics and funding have meant this particular project has been 4 years in the making. However, having now sorted out the logistics of getting the performers from the UK to the Chapel, all will hopefully come together on Saturday 29 July.
As usual the performance will be documented and presented here on the website so all will have a chance to see it.
It has been a joy working with Megan Porter (bass flute), Joanna Stark (cello) and Gabrielle Sargent (soprano).
Finally, as ever a warm thanks to everyone at Colline Notre-Dame du Haut as well as my funders at Edinburgh Napier University and the Marchus Trust.
January 2023
Ronchamp Performance Date
Following the confirmation of reaching my funding total I am delighted to announce that the premiere of my work for Ronchamp will take place on July 29 2023 at the Chapel of Notre-Dame du Haut, Ronchamp. I am greatly excited to bring this new piece to the site and for the generosity of my funders that have enabled this to happen.
I will release more specific details on the website as the piece progresses.
January 2023
Funding News
I am extremely grateful to announce that my funding target has been reached for the Ronchamp project to go ahead this summer.
The preparation of this project has been hampered by a myriad of challenges such as a global pandemic to travel restrictions. However, preparations can now start in earnest, allowing myself and the musicians to come together and workshop the new piece towards its premiere in the summer.
This work could not be done without the generosity of both The Marchus Trust and Edinburgh Napier University.
The Marchus Trust has been established to encourage and support the arts, in particular education and advancement in both music and architecture.
I also wish to thank my employer Edinburgh Napier University for their support of this project.
October 2022
NY10128 - Archive
Here is another example of an earlier work considering music, architecture, place and space.
This piece for orchestra responds to the spiral choreography of the seminal Solomon R Guggenheim Museum in New York City as well as its proximity to Central Park.
More information about this work (including audio excerpt) can be found at the link below.
There is also an article from the Scottish literary, political and arts journal The Drouth about the piece kindly reproduced on the project page.
October 2022
Chrysler Cycle - Archive
I have now added some examples of my earliest work exploring relationships between music, image and architecture.
This work, entitled Chrysler Cycle was written following my visit to the building and its environs. In the piece I have tried to capture elements informed by interior recordings as well as the buildings presence in its environment, both directly and in reflection in the surrounding built environment.
You can read more about this piece of work through the link below.
September 2022
Ronchamp Performance Update
I will be excited to premiere my new piece for bass flute, soprano and cello in the Chapel in Summer 2023.
The challenges caused by the pandemic as well as travel chaos have meant that delay was inevitable. However, it is important to me that my site-specific performance does justice to this iconic site.
In researching the Chapel I have been privileged to explore every nook and cranny of the building to understand its structure, details and textures as well as the myriad of light effects across the day and year. All of this work informs the piece and I hope that when it is presented the music forms a genuine connection with both the tangible and intangible elements of this magical place.
June 2020
The Sound of Architecture
The nice people at Historic Environment Scotland have published a guest blog about my site-specific compositions for three beautiful post-war and contemporary churches in Scotland.
In the blog I introduce my work, talking about what it is I am trying to capture in my site-specific projects. This could be the play of light on a curved wall, distorted shadows, the tactile textures of the materials or the transition between presence and absence in architectural design.
You can read the blog via the button below. I hope you enjoy it.
February 2020
Back to Ronchamp
We were lucky to get back to Ronchamp at the end of February just before these extraordinary times.
We had gone particularly at this time of the year as the sun is low on the south side of the chapel, creating beams of coloured light through the south wall. We have always wanted to see this effect and we were not disappointed.
The Chapel of Notre-Dame du Haut will be my next site-specific performance and will be presented in the chapel in the summer of 2021.
November 2019
New Film
Delighted to share the new film of for Craigsbank. Wonderful images by Liucija Selvestraviciute really capturing the links between my music and the architecture. Hope you enjoy!
October 2019
Autumn at Ronchamp
Of all of Le Corbusier’s buildings perhaps the chapel at Ronchamp is the one that needs to be seen at different times of the year to fully appreciate the way the building works with light. It was lovely to see it in mid-October emerging from the clouds. The trees had started to turn with their autumnal reds and yellows.
We stayed in the Renzo Piano monastery blocks which in themselves were beautiful. So much to think upon with the chapel and its setting.
Such a special place.
September 2019
New Film Coming Soon!
Just a heads up that we have been working away on a new film of for Craigsbank. Looking to have it finished soon and hopefully have some lovely drone footage, which will help illustrate some elements of the work. Will update when it is good to go!
August 2019
Le Corbusier Research Trip
The summer has been all about Le Corbusier! Starting in Marseille, we celebrated our wedding anniversary by staying at the Unité d’Habitation. We then headed north through a heatwave (40º!) to Lyon. From there we visited the Convent of La Tourette and three sites in Firminy (another Unité d’Habitation, the Cultural Centre and the Church of Saint-Pierre).
Continuing our journey north, Ronchamp was next on the list where we spent two days immersing ourselves in the splendour that is the Chapel of Notre Dame du Haut.
Our final base was Paris, where we packed in Villa La Roche, Le Corbusier’s studio apartment and Villa Savoye.
Couldn’t resist this shot with a concrete tree at Firminy!
March 2019
Website Launched!
Clearly the first piece of news I have is the launch of my website! I am very grateful for Andrew’s help in this who, in turn, is very grateful for templates.
