Howard Skempton
“The challenge of writing a large-scale work for unaccompanied upper voices calls for radical practicality: a radical approach is the only option if the music is not to be a waste of time. In handling time, this music must strike a balance between stillness and movement.
There is stillness and movement in pregnancy and motherhood. There is also an ever-present dark cloud of exhaustion; as there is in any genuinely creative enterprise.”
Howard Skempton (composer) studied in London with Cornelius Cardew, who helped him discover a musical language of great simplicity. He has continued to write, undeflected by compositional trends, a corpus of more than 300 works.
Byron Wallen
“The idea of working with another composer is very fascinating. Combining our approaches and bouncing off our individual ideas will deepen and widen the scope of the music.”
Byron Wallen (jazz composer/lead musician) studied classical piano from an early age + also trumpet with Jimmy Owens, Donald Byrd and Jon Faddis in New York. Wallen’s work draws inspiration from contemporary and indigenous cultures. He has four solo albums, winning awards and nominations from BBC and MOBOs.