Following the premiere last Thursday, you can now listen to the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Ryan Wigglesworth, performing Symphonic Message in memory of L. R. on BBC Sounds until 22nd October. Ryan and the orchestra gave a great performance not only of my piece but also Messiaen’s Poèmes Pour Mi and Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé, which are well worth a listen too. You can find out more about the piece and view the score here. The programme note is below:
“This piece ranges from the sombre to the exuberant, at times having the quality of a memorial or ritual, and at other times bursting out with joy and theatricality. Opening with a duet for solo violin and offstage trumpet, the music goes on to feature ghostly chorales, moments of sweeping lyricism, colourful flourishes and triumphal arrivals (some of which are quickly undermined). The L. R. of the title is Lynda Ross, a drama teacher from Carleton High School, Pontefract, who had a huge impact on mine and many other students’ lives.”