Two performances this week to tell you about this week...

The brilliant Quatuor Danel are workshopping three pieces by University of Manchester Masters composers on Thursday. My piece is called 'Atavice', and is a short piece for string quartet conceived as a study for a larger work. Its six sections are related by a four-note...

The University of Manchester Chamber Orchestra are premiering a new piece of mine on Saturday night at 7.30 at the Cosmo Rodewald Hall, Manchester. The piece is entitled Ex Machinis, and features pianists Keith McAlister and Hanne Ely, and will be conducted by Tom Jarvis...

Firstly, the Manchester Camerata workshopped my arrangement of the folk song The Snows they Melt the Soonest yesterday with folksinger Bella Hardy at the RNCM. The workshop was conducted by Eduardo Portal, and judged by composer Howard Skempton (that's him in the picture perusing my...

This week sees the premiere of 'Seven Face Pictures' in Manchester by Trio Atem (that's them on the right). Scored for mezzo-soprano, flute and cello, it's a breakneck song cycle of seven songs in ten minutes, setting the poetry of Caroline Bird. One hitch though...

Manchester Camerata are teaming up with folk singer Bella Hardy on the 31st of January to workshop arrangements of folk songs by composers at Manchester University, the RNCM and Chetham's School of Music. My blues-meets-Broadway arrangement of 'The Snows they Melt the Soonest', a Northumbrian...

A Christmas present for you: here's the audio of Michael Jones and Vaganza performing Acheronta Movebo on 26th November… [audio:http://www.tomcoult.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/LunchRegion-11.mp3|titles=Tom Coult - Acheronta Movebo] I've got a rather busy start of 2011 brewing…Trio Atem premiere 'Seven Face Pictures' on 14th January, two able pianists and the University...

I have been asked to write a new piece for a collaboration between Vaganza (Manchester University's new music ensemble) and Chimera Ensemble (York University's new music ensemble). The piece will be for 2 instrumental groups – an oboe and 3 percussionists, plus an ancillary string...

Following their last workshop where they tried out Wasserflut and Needles and Butter for size, mezzo-soprano Nina Whiteman and flautist Gavin Osborn will be workshopping a new duo of mine on Thursday. Entitled 'Respiration M'Inspire', the piece focuses on timbre and the intersection of techniques and...

Some news about a different project: 52 Commercial Road – a London-based band I have played violin with many a time – have just released their second album, entitled 'A Wreck Provides An Excellent Foundation'. Check out a review of the new album here. The album...