New Structures in CompositionSaturday 16 September 2017

Fitzwilliam College ChapelCambridge

New Structures in Composition

With the decline in popularity of traditional compositional structures such as sonata form, it is interesting to explore fields beyond music for new structural paradigms. This academic year, Francis Knights has had a visiting mathematician, Prof Pablo Padilla (UNAM, Mexico), working on a project applying mathematical tools to musicological problems. Pablo's visit has inspired a number of ideas for how various algorithms taken from the natural world could be used in composition.

We set composers the task of writing music inspired by particular mathematical algorithms or concepts chosen by Pablo; this concert marks the end of his stay in Cambridge. These programme notes describe how the composers have set about their tasks: their methodologies, and also the usefulness, benefits and pitfalls of applying these mathematical ideas to composition.

Acknowledgements

This concert is presented in association with Colchester New Music (Registered Charity no. 287932), a co-operative of East Anglian composers and performers founded in 1984. CNM's members come together to develop professionally and artistically, presenting new music performances and workshops in Colchester and beyond, in collaboration with local and regional partners such as the Moot Hall Organ project, Firstsite and Colchester Institute. Visit http://www.colchesternewmusic.com to listen to recordings from previous concerts, and to find out more about our future projects.

For enquiries about scores for today's pieces, contact the composers directly via their websites, or write to calls@colchesternewmusic.com.

Our thanks to Fitzwilliam College for permitting us to hold this concert here. All programme text is copyright © 2017 the respective contributing composers/performers.

Programme

1. Symbols and codes: Ian Wilson: Be fruitful and multiplypiano: Stephen Watkinsharpsichord: Dan Tidharorgan: Francis Knightsrecorder: Ellen Jamesonviola: Paula Muldoonbongos: Alexander Blustin

2. Recursivity: Peter Thorne: Whimsical Waltzsolo piano: Pablo Padilla

3. Probabilistic ideas: Dice games: Dave Collins: Triple Rolldemo recording

4. Geometric methods: graphical scores: Colin Blundell: un aleatorio estudiado Notated version:harpsichord: Francis Knightsviola: Paula Muldoonrecorder: Ellen Jameson

Improvised version:harpsichord: Julia Usherrecorder: Colin Blundell

5. Iterated maps: self-similarity and fractals: Laurence Glazier: Prelude in C minor and Birthday Barcarollesolo piano: Pablo Padilla

6. The Syracuse conjecture: David and Pablo Padilla: Rondo 3n+1traverso: Patrick Welcheviola da gamba: Johanna Finnemannharpsichord: Dan Tidhar

INTERVAL

7. Music and image: Julia Usher: Calculating differences: transformations at the edge: segmenting a leafviola: Paula Muldoonrecorders: Stephen Watkins

8. Arithmetic procedures: Least common multiple and canonical forms: Ivan Moody: Passacagliasolo harpsichord: Francis Knights

9. Combinatorial algorithms: Sarah Cattley: A Transformation of Littlespiano duet: Sarah Cattley and Janet Wheeler

10.Geometric methods: three dimensional music: Mark Bellis: Vulcan Chess piano: Janet Wheeler harpsichord: Dan Tidharorgan: Francis Knightsrecorder: Stephen Watkinsviola: Paula Muldoon

Notes on the pieces

Symbols and codes: Ian Wilson: Be fruitful and multiply

The music begins with the Morse for ‘I’ (2 quavers). This is my own initial. It is soon joined by my wife’s initial (quaver – crotchet; ‘A’ for Amanda). Her rhythm comes before mine to show my change of priorities after we met.

It isn’t long before ‘C’ for Claire (crotchet-quaver-crotchet-quaver) arrives – our first child. As we are devoted parents, she comes before both of us.

Then we have a problem. My second and third children have the same initial (‘S’). The solution was to have ‘SA’ for Sarah (4 quavers and a crotchet) and ‘ST’ for Stuart (3 quavers and a crotchet).

At the climax there is a homophonic statement of the complete Wilson family Morse rhythm from all of the instruments.

Now the music works backwards in an unusual way. Claire is the first to leave, as the oldest child. When all three children have gone, Amanda and I are left alone. The leaving process goes by very quickly, as in life.

Although families are united in love, there is always something a bit awkward about them, hence the odd phrase lengths, quirky harmonies and spiky rhythms.

The piece was a lot of fun to write, although the unusual instrumental combination was a challenge. The piano and harpsichord largely play in octaves to clarify the texture. In order to avoid the piece becoming rhythmically uninteresting, I had to layer different versions of the code, including augmented and diminished versions. As a result the piece is rather tricky to play but the outcome is catchy and exciting.

Recursivity: Peter Thorne: Whimsical Waltz

I often use sharp juxtapositions of mood or style in my music. In this instance, the material is organised using a section of the Fibonacci sequence, 1,1,2,3,5,8,13. Each discrete idea lasts for the appropriate number of bars and then the order is reversed with variations to produce an arch form in miniature.

Probabilistic ideas: Dice games: Dave Collins: Triple Roll

Triple Roll is a work based upon chance processes in both composition and performance.The demo recording presented here is a version for piano, electronic MIDI piano, sound engineer and live electronics (electronics designed by Sam Hayden). The electronics patch within performance is written so that that when a key is pressed on the MIDI piano another pitch may sound creating chance performance as well as chance composition. It was performed in rehearsal by Hannah Wisdish, Sam Goodway and Kayol Lam.

The work is a study in minimalism and all interval serialism. It is based upon the concept of the ‘Grandmother Chord’:1 a chord made up of all twelve chromatic pitches and all eleven intervals.

Figure 1: The Grandmother Chord

The compositional process behind the work is as follows:

• Three dice are thrown Dice 1 – Odd Numbers = Keyboard 1, Even Numbers = Keyboard 2 Dice 2 – Odd Numbers = Bar 1, Even numbers = bar 2 Dice 3 – Number on dice represents which note to transpose an octave so

that it is in its notated position in the grandmother chord.

• The dice are repeatedly thrown until all the notes are in their correct position as shown in diagram 1. Once notes are in their correct position they should not be moved.

1This chord was designed by Nicolas Slonimsky and the chord was used in movement six of his Yellowstone Park Suite.

Figure 2: Graphic description of instructions

The work has a very simple Binary structure:

A: bars 1 – 63B: bars 65 – 86.

As it can be seen these two sections are contrasting. The A section concerns itself primarily with the evolution of the two hexachords from their layout based around the centre of C, to match the layout of the Grandmother Chord. It adheres to minimalist principles with slow evolution of pitches rising over time, with a repetitive additive quaver pattern. In section A each keyboard only has a hexachord of the full Grandmother Chord but within section B both keyboards play all 12 chromatic pitches.

Overall the work is incredibly engaging and keeps the listeners attention through spontaneity in performance. It uses serialist philosophies to create a work of musical minimalism developing a rich and varied musical tapestry.

Advantages:

1. It is a strict process without any room for compositional decision. The composer has set the conditions but the outcome is completely down to chance of the Dice.

2. This process removes the hierarchy of composer-performer-audience breaking down this archaic passing of musical information.

Disadvantages:

1. A very sterile process.

2. The musical outcome is completely up to chance.

Geometric methods: graphical scores: Colin Blundell: un aleatorio estudiado

Music is simply note-strings which can be submitted to intellectual workover. Here, perhaps different from conventional musical composition, randomness comes first.

I listened to Peter Ruzicka’s doom-laden orchestral work Über Unstern (Under an Evil Star), a meditation on Franz Liszt’s piano piece.

I made a unique 5-line drawing response to what I was hearing – ‘unique’ because, on another occasion, I might make a different response!

Some time after, I made an improvisation, based on my drawing, on a Yamaha e-piano, recording it on disc for Finale. I distributed the ‘randomness’ of the improvisation into strings of music for three instruments and then worked on them intellectually by addition, subtraction and re-arrangement; the final work does not sound much like the improvisation it started from; Peter Ruzicka and Franz Liszt are left far behind too. The result, maintaining, for me, a desirable improvisatory quality, is tolerably mellow with a complete lack of doom.

I have often produced graphic scores for groups. This is the first time I’ve improvised solo to one of my own graphic scores to make a permanent conventional musical score out of it.

It seems that, mathematically, randomness is by no means conventionally ‘random’: formulae can be worked out to tame what’s thought of as ‘completely random’. Being a fascinated non-mathematician I have to take experts at their word but I do know that in string theory one considers universal tiny strings that wiggle and evolve into order. Inside the human brain there are innumerable neurons that can wiggle together randomly until

Figure 3: Graphical score

intellect intervenes to impose an invented order on their product; I suppose it might be possible to find a maths formula for this. My process works initially by cashing in on random associations – Ruzicka, graphic representation, improvisation, re-arrangement of computer-generated notes, intellectual/feelingful intervention.

Note Regarding the Usefulness of the Process

I am fairly used to the different parts of the process: drawing the shape of musical sound has been with me since childhood; improvising at the e-keyboard is often a very congenial way of initiating composition for me; improvising to a graphic score is something I enjoy doing with the Colchester COMA group Firewire. Joining these familiar events smoothly one to another proved very exciting & organic; I haven’t done this before. The final part of the whole process was, of course the laborious but ultimately very satisfying task of organising a score for performance. A key word philosophically for me is ‘organicity’ – one thing can always follow from another when you work at it!

Iterated maps: self-similarity and fractals: Laurence Glazier: Prelude in C minor and Birthday Barcarolle

The method grows a musical composition by an iterative expanding process, starting from a single bar. A succession of compositions is made. Each consists of two parts, one longer than the other by the Fibonacci ratio, approximately 1.62, and is a template for the smaller part of the next, longer composition. These compositions all have structural integrity and are written out as chorales. The final stage has counterpoint, colour and texture added. This is what is heard in performance, but while the listener expects music, like experience, to unfold from a beginning, tell a story, and then end, music produced by this method is not sequential in origin, but a result of scaleable fractal production.

In practice this method has been used to compose several works, most of which have been performed. It is, however, extremely labour-intensive, as to create the performed music, several transitional compositions are built along the way.

The Syracuse conjecture: David and Pablo Padilla: Rondo 3n+1

The initial idea is to exemplify how relatively simple mathematical procedures and algorithms can give rise to new musical structures or modifications of traditional forms. In this case we used the so-called Syracuse conjecture or 3n+1 procedure to do it. There is a direct way, as explained below, in which this construction suggests a modification of the traditional rondo form.

First a few words about the 3n+1 recipe. The algorithm starts with any positive integer number, say n=4. If the number is even, it is divided by 2. If it is odd, it is multiplied by 3 and 1 is added (whence the name 3n+1). So for instance, we start with 4, the procedure yields 2, and then 1. After this, it is easy to see that it starts repeating: 4,2,1,4,2,1,…Here are other examples: 8,4,2,1,... and 5,16,8,4,2,1,…

The point is that it seems, although it has not been mathematically proved, that no matter with which number we start, eventually the sequence enters the cycle 4,2,1. This feature of returning to the same structure suggests a connection with the rondo traditional musical form. Instead of returning to the refrain each time a couplet or episode ends, it returns to

the same kind of thematic material, but enlarged. In order to fix ideas, we took the numbers provided by the Syracuse procedure as determining the length (in bars). So we start with a refrain of

4+2+1

bars (using a whole tone harmony). Then we develop the first episode of 4 measures (using pentatonic material) and go back not directly to the same 4,2,1 structure, but to an enlarged one 8,4,2,1 in which the 4,2,1 part is repeated as it was presented before. We continued in this way choosing appropriate numbers.

This way we end up with the following form:

Refrain: 4 2 1 (whole tone)Couplet 1: 4 (pentatonic)Refrain: 8 4 2 1 (whole tone)Couplet 2: 4 (pentatonic)Refrain: 5 16 8 4 2 1 (whole tone) Couplet 3: 5 (pentatonic)Refrain: 20 10 5 16 8 4 2 1 (whole tone).

The changes in harmony were used in order to make the return to already presented material clear, although the return, as explained above, is not direct. In order to make this contrast even greater, the couplets might be played at a slower tempo.

Music and image: Julia Usher: Calculating differences: transformations at the edge: segmenting a leaf

In 2017, Pablo Padilla and Francis Knights announced a call for new scores based on a set of famous mathematical algorithms, for Colchester New Music. From the available instruments, I chose to work with viola and recorder. I was assigned the process of transformation of an image or a sequence from one image into another, like an Escher diagram; or a series of varying patterns (Fig. 4).

I aimed to make one instrumental sound mutate or transform into another, in a close but expressive relationship. Online, I found a research paper describing how to apply a mathematical algorithm to calculate the shape of any leaf, through fine segmentation of the areas outlined by its edge/curves.

I was intrigued; my relationship with musical maths has previously been via my own serial calculator (Fig. 5). But as a very limited mathematician, the realm of calculus now suddenly opened up; far removed from anything I have ever studied. Again an online search led me to an algorithmic formula (Fig. 6), which instantly sparked my usual literal approach:

Figure 4: similarity matrix

I spotted a musical forte sign; several note letter names, c,d,e,f; x could represent a free choice of pitch. Another relationship present is x = 2 and 2 = x. The formula appears to divide into two halves, with C defined as a Constant.

The piece grew from this idea: two coupled curves, making two weaving parts; shaped by a central idea of inside the curve and outside the curve. I drew freehand an elegant double curve (Fig. 7), which crosses over at the start, then rises and falls in the second half - interpreting the algorithm. I then proceeded to compose the entire piece: five movements, or “segments”, based on the curves superimposed on two staves, representing the two instruments.

I’m told the algorithm I found is basic to A-level maths. My imperfect knowledge of maths has led to a fascinating process combining such basic theory with my own subversive methods: a slightly strange procedure applied to a biological phenomenon.

Figure 5: Usher's serial calculator

Figure 6: a calculus expression

Figure 7: the curves

Combinatorial algorithms: Sarah Cattley: A Transformation of Littles

The process I chose was that of setting a poem instrumentally according to its vowels. Thesuggested method was to assign each of A, E, I, O and U a set of pitches and choose a note randomly each time a vowel is used in the poem. However, since poetry is about language as it sounds, rather than as it is written, I decided to make a new system according to vowel sound rather than spelling. I used Wells' list of vowel sounds to identify fourteen different vowel sounds in Herrick's A Ternary of Littles, and mapped them onto the poem. The first time a new vowel appears, it is given the lowest available number. I then created my sets of pitches - major triads ascending chromatically, so 1 is C E G, 2 is D flat, F, A flat, 3 is D, F sharp, A, etc.

After that it was simply a process of threading them into little melodies. I decided to keep the rhythm steady to mirror the way one would read the poem; an aspect of my vowel system was that it fitted the poem syllabically, where a spelled system would not (for example, in a spelled system the word 'boat' would give two notes rather than one as it contains two vowels even though it is only one syllable). Another way in which I tried to stay as close to the poem as possible was in my treatment of the first two lines of each stanza. The first and second lines of all but the last stanza all end 'fits a little [noun]' or 'best fits a little [noun]', so within these verses the first and second lines end with the same string of notes.

This process was useful in that it meant that I had a text to use as a framework; not having a text as an anchor is normally what makes instrumental composition a bit daunting for me so this was a great help. It also made music that was rather different in sound-world from the music I normally write, which was interesting.

I suppose the process in itself just makes a monophonic line of pitches, so the creation of harmony is up to the composer either making it up free-hand, as it were (which is what I did) or by layering up different lines created by the process at the same time. I suppose that could be seen as either an advantage or a disadvantage!

Herrick's poem can be found here: http://www.luminarium.org/sevenlit/herrick/pipkin.htm

Geometric methods: three dimensional music: Mark Bellis: Vulcan Chess

The chosen concept was 'Three-Dimensional Music'.

This was addressed via movement through a three-dimensional 12 x 12 serial matrix. Taking Schoenberg's concept of a 12-tone row (or set) in which all 12 chromatic pitches are used once only to create a monody, others, such as e.g. Pierre Boulez (see: 'Boulez on Music Today', trans. Bradshaw) and Maxwell Davies have extended this idea to create a 12 x 12 pitch matrix.

An example is shown as 'Matrix 1' (Fig. 8). Here, the Original (or Prime) appears as line 1 'Bb, A, C', etc. - and is labelled P-10 - using the numbering system such that the Prime starting on C is labelled P-0 (i.e. = 'untransposed'), the one starting on C# is P-1 (i.e. transposed up one semitone) and so on.

After writing the Prime across the top of the matrix, the Inversion which starts on the same note (in this case, Bb - so labelled I-10) is written down the matrix. The Inversion is formed

by retaining the same intervals between each note as in the Prime, but moving in the opposite direction. For instance, P-10 begins Bb - A (i.e. moving down a semitone) so the Inversion becomes Bb - B natural (up a semitone). The next interval in the Prime is A - C (a minor third down) in the Inversion, and so on.

All other Primes are then filled in - the second being P-11 - i.e. the Prime which starts on the second note of the Inversion.

Retrogrades may be read from right to left across the page, for instance, R-10 being that which ends (rather than begins) on Bb, and Retrograde Inversions are read up the page (e.g. RI-10).

As will be seen, one feature of the 12 x 12 array thus arranged is a so-called 'Axis of Symmetry' - i.e. the same pitch appearing on the diagonal from top left to bottom right, at note 1 in the first Prime, note 2 in the second, and so on.

In Boulez or Peter Maxwell Davies, pitch organisation of melodies/monodies, and indeed harmonic structures, are often generated by finding 'pathways' through such 12 x 12 arrays - perhaps based on further geometric shapes.

A further refinement, as used in my piece, is to use not just a two-dimensional 12 x 12 matrix, but a three-dimensional, cube-shaped 12 x 12 x 12 structure. In this, one has to imagine twelve 12 x 12 matrices stacked one on top of another. The topmost would be as in 'Matrix 1', the next, appearing immediately below it, would be 'Matrix 2' (Fig. 9) - i.e. the Matrix whose first Prime starts on 'A' - the second pitch in the original set (P-10), making an Axis of Symmetry on 'A'. 'Matrix 3' (Fig. 10), immediately below this one, would be that starting on 'C' (the third note of the original row) and with 'C' as its axis, and so on, through 12 transpositions.

Pathways can then be found not only in two dimensions through the initial Matrix 1, but progressing three-dimensionally through the 12 x 12 x 12 cube.

One final point is that there are, of course, two possible cubes - one based on the Primary Array (original) 12 x 12 (as explained here) and another - the 'Inversionary' cube - in which Axes of Symmetry describe the Inversion, rather than the Prime.

My composition 'Vulcan Chess', refers to the three-dimensional chess board favoured by Mr Spock, the Vulcan in the sci-fi TV series Star Trek. The piece is in four sections: 'Opening Gambit', 'Middlegame', 'Endgame' and 'Checkmate'. The instruments pursue each other somewhat frantically, making their 'moves', rather in the style of a Rapidplay or 'Blitz' chess game, in which all moves have to be completed very quickly.

Figure 8: Matrix 1

Figure 9: Matrix 2

Figure 10: Matrix 3

Composer and performer biographies

Mark Bellis studied at Cardiff, Durham and Cambridge Universities with Dr David Wynne, David Lumsdaine & John Casken. In 1985 he was awarded a PhD in Composition from Durham University. He has had performances at the Purcell Room, London, and on Radio 3. He composed a large-scale orchestral work for the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, and more recently, much choral music. He has also been the conductor of The Colne Singers, a choir which deputises for cathedral choirs over the summer months, for the past seven years. Since 2005, Mark has been Course Leader for the BA Music programme at Colchester Institute, Essex.

Colin Blundell is an entirely self-taught ancient teacher, twenty-six years out of wage slavery, who used to strive to compose like Ralph Vaughan Williams, but now just follows his nose.

Sarah Cattley read Music at Newnham College, Cambridge, where she studied composition with Cheryl Frances-Hoad and Joseph Phibbs, graduating in 2016. Since then she has had a growing number of performances, beginning with Dulciana Vocal Ensemble singing her upper voice carol Adam lay ybounden in Dublin. Venues where her music has been recently performed include Ely Cathedral and Saffron Hall (Granta Chorale), Truro Cathedral (the Chapel Choir of Fitzwilliam College Cambridge), St Pancras Church (where her Preces and Responses were sung as part of the London Festival of Contemporary Church Music) and St Wilfrid's, Haywards Heath (the second performance of Circle Dances). In July her piece The Pardoner's Song was selected by David Conteas the winner of Caritas Chamber Choir's inaugural International Young Composer Competition. She is now working on a commission for Caritas Chamber Choir, and writing a piece for women's voices and piano about mathematician Philippa Fawcett.

Dave Collins is a Graduate of Grey College, University of Durham with a First Class Honours Degree in Music. He specialised in acoustical composition with Richard Rijnvos, Sam Hayden and Eric Egan. He also composed for fixed media electronics supervised by Peter Manning and Simone Tasrsitani. Further studies were undertaken with Ray Farr (Conducting and Arranging), Bennet Zon (Orchestration), and Huw Thomas (Conducting and Trumpet Performance). He is currently studying a Master’s Degree in Musical Composition with Dr. Alan Williams and Dr. Robin Dewhurst at the University of Salford. Dave has had work premiered by the Vonnegut Collective (BBC Philharmonic), Black Dyke Band, and The WolfPack amongst many others. Outside of composition, Dave works within music education. Dave is the Composer-in-Residence of the Fishburn (RMT) Band and Boarshurst Silver Band. He is also the Composer-in-Association of Ebbw Valley Brass. Further works by Dave can be found at: www.davecollinsmusic.com

Laurence Glazier studied mathematics at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge. After lessons in composition from Chris Sansom, he studied Harmony and Counterpoint at the City Lit in London, where one lecturer was Colchester composer Alan Parsons with whom he later undertook many years of study.

Ellen Jameson is a member of the Cambridge Renaissance Ensemble and Cambridge University Recorder Ensemble.

Francis Knights studied at London and Oxford, and has been Music DoS at Fitzwilliam since 2008. He currently has a number of long-term early keyboard recital projects in hand, including the complete Fitzwilliam Virginal Book and complete Bach. Website www.francisknights.co.uk

Ivan Moody studied music and theology at the Universities of London, Joensuu and York (where he took his Ph.D). He studied composition with Brian Dennis, Sir John Tavener and William Brooks. His music has been performed and broadcast all over the world, and recorded on labels such as Hyperion, ECM, Telarc, Warner Classics, Sony, Linn, Orange Mountain and Challenge. He has been commissioned and performed by many of the world’s outstanding performers, including the Hilliard Ensemble, the Tallis Scholars, Chanticleer, the BBC Singers, the English Chamber Choir, Raphael Wallfisch, Paul Barnes, Suzie LeBlanc, Cappella Romana, the Coro Nacional de España, the Norwegian Soloists’ Choir, Trio Mediaeval, Singer Pur, the Goeyvaerts Trio and the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir. His largest works to date are Passion and Resurrection (1992), the Akathistos Hymn (1998) and Qohelet (2013).

Paula Muldoon is a multi-talented violinist, software engineer, and blogger based in Cambridge, UK. After an international career as a violinist with the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, the Philharmonia Orchestra and the London Symphony Orchestra, she retrained as a computer programmer and now combines her violin career with a job as a PHP developer at Kurt Geiger. She blogs as The Mindful Violinist and Fiddlers Code and teaches violin at St. John’s College School in Cambridge.

David Padilla obtained his B. Sc. in mathematics at the National Autonomous University of Mexico and is currently a Ph. D. student at the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences of New York University. He studied composition at the Faculty of Music also at UNAM with Julio Estrada and later on privately with Leonardo Coral. He has written piano pieces, a suite for string quartet and piano (Alebrijes), and other works for string quartet and other ensembles.

Pablo Padilla (Professor of Mathematics, UNAM, Mexico City, and Visiting Fellow, Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge; PhD in Mathematics, Courant Institute, NYU; Piano diploma Mannes College of Music, New York) has mathematical research interests in nonlinear differential equations and dynamical systems as well as applied mathematics to music (algorithmic composition, musicology and musical acoustics), biology, economics, finance and sustainability. Website: http://www.fenomec.unam.mx/pablo/

Peter Thorne has been composing music since the age of about 12. He read music at Oxford and the UEA, where he took a master’s degree. Over the years he has written in many different styles and genres but most recently he has been writing for wind instruments and piano. Peter's music often features influences from various kinds of jazz and pop and is often colourful and rhythmic.

Dan Tidhar completed a PhD in digital musicology at TU-Berlin and a Masters in harpsichord performance at the UdK-Berlin, has held numerous university research fellowships and is very active as a performer on early keyboard instruments, appearing as a soloist and continuo player with various ensembles such as the Amphion Consort, L'Avventura London, Berliner Cembalo Ensemble and others. Dan runs an early instrument hire, tuning and maintenance business in Cambridge. Website www.cambridge-baroque-labs.com/

Julia Usher is a composer, project animateur and music therapist. She read music at Newnham College, Cambridge, receiving her PGCE at York and Diploma in Music Therapy (Nordoff-Robbins) at City University. Julia has extensive experience in contemporary composition and performance, and a lively interest in mixed media and science/arts projects. She particularly enjoys working in collaboration with other visual artists; organising natural sounds into music; and combining music with other media – painting, poetry, and drama. She has written a number of music theatre pieces. Her work has been broadcast and performed by many of the leading contemporary ensembles. In 2003, Metier Records released a CD of five of her major compositions.

Stephen Watkins studied trombone, piano and recorder as well as composing at the Guildhall School of Music. Currently he is involved in writing large scale pieces for recorder orchestra. His own composition style very much reflects the wide range of music styles. He is published by houses in Germany, Austria, The Netherlands, USA and at last UK!

Janet Wheeler is a freelance composer and choral conductor based in Saffron Walden and Cambridge, where she read music long ago, studying composition with Robin Holloway and piano with Hilda Bor. She taught before producing for BBC School Radio. Now conductor of Saffron Walden Choral Society, Granta Chorale and other groups, she works on a growing number of choral commissions.

Ian Wilson is a music graduate of Durham University, where he received composition lessons from Robert Casken, and is currently a secondary head teacher. An album, called ‘Come and Rejoice in Jesus’, containing songs written for his church, is available on iTunes. The Dunblane Chamber Orchestra performed his ‘Three Songs from A Shropshire Lad’ in May 2012. ‘The Sleep’, a setting of an Elizabeth Barrett-Browning poem, was performed by members of CNM in June. At St Bonaventure’s School he ran a boys' choir which won the BBC Choir of the Year regional round in Cambridge, sang at the National Festival of Youth Music regularly, appeared several times on TV and won the Jack Petchey Gold Award.