colins diary

congratulations all round!

What a great performance! Things went even better than I expected. The orchestra were magnificent and all things went to plan. The audience seemed to enjoy it too.

Got a lift back to London with Becky and after a short bus ride was back home in time for tea. Hope I'll be able to be involved in future projects.

world premiere tomorrow

Looking forward to the performance of the 'Big Sound Symphony' tomorrow. We had a great rehearsal last weekend and everyone really pulled together. I've been doing a few tweaks here and there and creating a little bit of extra music for the instrumental champions.

Its a shame there isn't time for 7 movements ... there's still so much material that hasn't be used! This is always how it is with me.

tommorrow

Getting close now

Been working on the first movement ‘Big Noise’ today. I really want to provide music so that we can all play together and make a really big sound. There should be lots for the percussion. I’m also planning to link together all the various bits we have made for ‘Mechanical Mayhem’. I have just composed some music for the percussion section to link things together as well as a new melody for the oboes.

Tuesday 24th June

Just done a concert in Brighton as part of the Soundwaves festival with my band MooV. Now I can spend some time getting back to the Henley piece … or as I can now call it ‘The Big Sound Symphony’.

A name? Tuesday 10th June

We’re starting to get in some great suggestions for the name of the piece. I’m really glad we thought of this.

Second Inspiration day

We’ve just had the second inspiration day. Wow … another long day. You were all wonderful once again, giving me lots of inspiration for new ideas. The main problem for me now will be to make sure we blend together the music that we’re devising together in these sessions with other music that I compose here at home.

Teaching versus composing

I’ve been very busy lately with my teaching at Brunel University and having to fit composing around this. When I get it right it makes for a lovely balance. I’ve been working on a new piece called ‘Moonbathing’ which is mainly for the champions, but will have a theme that everyone can play at some point. The idea for this piece it to create something that is beautiful, but is not really a tune in the usual way. It will be more of a texture. I’ve got a good idea for the percussion section playing some jazzing grooves on the suspended cymbals!

More inspiration - Friday 9th May

Work for next inspiration day. I’m preparing scores and parts for the different movements. These of course have to be in various formats. I’m trying to create music that the champions will enjoy, as well as music that we can all play together as a group.

'jazz waves' is next

Been busy preparing 4 or 5 short movements for the next inspiration day. I realised last week having short movements is a great way to work with this project. It means that we can pack lots of ideas into a 10 minute piece and also it allows huge flexibility during the rehearsals. Have been working on a new movement called ‘Jazz Waves’ which I think will compliment what we already have in the other movements. Emailing all the scores and parts off to the full team of ‘champions’ seems to be working. The dots can now be looked at by all.

an inspiration!

Just got home after a very long day at Shiplake College. I’m sure all the members of the orchestra must be tired as well! We got so much done, ending with a short concert of three newly-created pieces at the end; ‘Big Noise’. ‘Mechanical Mayhem’ and ‘The Drone Zone’. All this has given me loads of things to think about and lots of ideas for the piece. I’m looking forward to the next inspiration day. In the meantime, I can now get on with some more composing. I’d like to bring more specifically composed music along to the next one. Of course, all the children will be much better at reading music by then as well.

Sunday 10th February

Created an aural diary in the form of an ‘electronic collage’ using all the recorded sounds from my visit on Friday. This contains some beautiful plucking from the violas of Shiplake Primary, some breathy melodies and wonderful squeaking from the woodwind players of Crazies Hill Primary, as well as some advice on what the new commission could include from Florence and Christie of Robert Piggott Junior. Hoping that we can put this up on the website soon for all to hear. Watch this space!

Friday 8th February

Had a great day today visiting several of the schools to hear the very first sounds on flutes, clarinets, violas, cello and double bass. This was really inspirational. I recorded various snippets including some delightful ambient sounds in the playground at Robert Piggott Junior School. In the middle of all this I was interviewed by Classic FM about the project back at the festival offices. Went the wrong way home to London and unfortunately got caught up in rush-hour Slough.

Monday 3rd December

Just got home from visit to Henley and the ‘demonstration evening’ with the players. They are all so enthusiastic and really good at demonstrating what their instrument can do in a brief minute or so!

Thursday 29th November

Beautiful day here. Don’t feel much like sitting indoors, but the luxury of a quiet house and a lovely piano beckons me on. Flesh out various ideas, but soon realise that things are getting over-complicated and precious. Need to keep this open. Tried scoring a few bits out in neat. This always helps to get some perspective on things.

Wednesday 28th November

Got lots done today just physicalising various patterns and ideas on the piano. Got lots of bits of paper with an idea on each. Will see what sticks by tomorrow.

Tuesday 27th November

On a train from Euston going ‘up north’ to stay with family. I’ve allocated two days to kick-start the creative process with this piece. My parents have a lovely piano (much better than mine) and I’m keen to try this whole precious ‘going-away-to-compose’ thing. Never really had the luxury before, but both my parents have recently been in hospital and this combines being able to be around them to offer support ‘and’ have a three day mini child-free sabbatical for this piece. In total debt to my partner Yolanda for this.

Monday 5th November

Bonfire night. Just got back from the first official meeting with the Henley team. Arrived late in really bad traffic. Hope it’s not always going to be like this. Took me 45 mins to do the last half mile into Henley and even then had to ditch the car on the other side of the river and walk the rest of the way! Discussed the project in great detail. It all seems very real now, and the group of instrumental tutors are very competent, ‘and’ enthusiastic. I briefly explain my ideas for the piece. We also discuss me keeping an on-line diary. Good, at least it’s not all be a waste of time so far.

Wednesday 31st October

Have just realised that the idea of no traditional development in this piece could be interesting. Perhaps there could just be seven short sections of texture/fabric? Perhaps I can develop this seed material in some other pieces for the festival? A reworking of material could perhaps lead to a double bass and piano demonstration piece for Andy Baker? Another idea might be a short piece for beginners strings with professional-player soloist, maybe flute. Must remember to share this with Stewart. I like this. This might be a good way to work beyond the original commission. It would certainly be good for the whole Shout project I’m sure.

Thursday 25th October

Have been very busy both with the start of term at Brunel University where I teach and with some of my own performances. I thought earlier that the piece should have some roots in the classical traditions (after all it will be a chamber orchestra!), but I think there should be lots of ‘modern’ elements from popular music and some improvisation. Another title can into my head today; ‘Seven Overtures’. Something about this being very classical sounding, but also subversive. Seven overtures in less than ten minutes can’t allow for much development in any traditional sense.

Wednesday 16th October

I have some time on a train again (always one of my favourite places for getting ideas), and thinking again of the piece. I need to kick ideas around my head until they take some kind of shape before I can start thinking about actual notes.

first meeting

Met Stewart Collins, Henley Festival director at the National Portrait Gallery to discuss and ‘interesting’ project. Really intrigued by the challenge it offers and am keen to be involved. Jotted down some thoughts on the way home. Main issue is the ‘problem’ of creating music for both instrumental beginners and professionals. How to make this gel? How to make a virtue out of this difference?

First thoughts: working in layers with simpler strands … then increasingly more complex strands. The word ‘fabric’ comes to mind. What would young instrumentalists be challenged by and what would they find comfortable? How to achieve both will be the big challenge. Ideas of drones, repeating patterns, free rhythmic textures and noises which are fun perhaps? What is sticking in my mind is the idea of lots of small sections of music, like a set of fabrics with different textures.