Portals (Anthony R. Green, Nathan Riki Thomson, Amble Skuse) | Ep.4

11/06/20 • 34 min

Composers Anthony R. Green, Nathan Riki Thomson and Amble Skuse share their music and thoughts on what music might mean beyond just sounds, and how we connect to each other and the world around us through the act of making music.

We listen to the sounds of an augmented double bass, hear the inner workings of a digital opera, and dive into a social justice piano concerto. Join our CEO Susanna Eastburn MBE and composer Des Oliver for a unique insight into composing.
This podcast was produced by Michael Umney (Resonance FM) and mixed by Chris Bartholomew, with our theme tune composed by Rob Bentall. Our recommendation at the end is for the charity Castle of our Skins.

In this episode, you listen to the following music and sounds:

Anthony R Green
- Collide-oscope V (2019) for mixed quintet, performed by Sound of Late.
- Piano Concerto: Solution (2019) for piano and percussion orchestra, commissioned by Robert McCormick for the McCormick Percussion Group and soloist Eunmi Ko (piano).
- Collide-oscope II (2016) for string trio, performed by Desdemona.

Nathan Riki Thomson
- Seeds (2019), for solo augmented bass and electronics from the album Resonance, released by Siba Records / NAXOS.
- Ode to Nana (2019), duo with Nathan Riki Thomson and percussionist Adriano Adewale from the same album.

Amble Skuse
- We Ask These Questions of Everybody (2019), a digital opera by Amble Skuse and Toria Banks performed by an all-disabled ensemble; commissioned by Sound Festival and supported by Help Musicians, Mahogany Opera Group, Ignite Ticket Fund and Creative Scotland.
- Normalised Interfacing Karlsruhe (2017), a soundwalk of Karlsruhe commissioned by Zentrum für Kunst und Medien, Karlsruhe (ZKM)

Our heartfelt thanks to the record labels, performers, composers and organisations who allowed us to include excerpts of these recordings on the podcast.

In this episode, you listen to the following music and sounds:

Our heartfelt thanks to the record labels, performers, composers and organisations who allowed us to include excerpts of these recordings on the podcast.

Previous Episode

Taste (Gerald Barry, Matthew Shlomowitz, Joanna Ward) | Ep.3

Composers Gerald Barry, Matthew Shlomowitz, and Joanna Ward share their music and thoughts exploring the theme of Taste.

From writing a piece intentionally ‘in bad taste’, to cultural appropriation, from the memory of and ethics of taste; join our CEO Susanna Eastburn MBE and composer Des Oliver for a unique insight into composing.

This podcast was produced by Michael Umney (Resonance FM) and mixed by Chris Bartholomew, with our theme tune composed by Rob Bentall. Our recommendation at the end of this episode is for the Britten Sinfonia.

In this episode, you listen to the following music and sounds:

Gerald Barry (b.1952)

String Quartet No.1 (1994), performed by members of Xenia Ensemble
Viola Concerto (2018/19), performed by Britten Sinfonia with viola player Lawrence Power conducted by Thomas Ades. This recording is courtesy of Britten Sinfonia and will be released soon.

Matthew Shlomowitz (b.1975)

A Lecture On Bad Music (2015), performed by Matthew Shlomowitz and Plus-Minus ensemble, courtesy of Kammer Klang

Joanna Ward (b.1998)

baby wontcha come on home (2019), performed by ensemble recherche (based on Joan Armatrading’s Woncha Come On Home, 1977)
Gradient (2019), performed by Illuminate String Quartet and soprano Patricia Auchterlonie

Our heartfelt thanks to the record labels, performers, composers and organisations who allowed us to include excerpts of these recordings on the podcast.

Next Episode

Invitations (Shabaka Hutchings, Alwynne Pritchard, Oliver Leith) | Ep.5

Composers Shabaka Hutchings, Alwynne Pritchard and Oliver Leith share their music and thoughts exploring the nature of the human relationships which shape the music they make.

We listen to compositions rooted in friendship, explore attempts to decolonialise music, and intimate performances recorded in a toilet during lockdown. Join our CEO Susanna Eastburn MBE and composer Des Oliver for a unique insight into composing.

This podcast was produced by Michael Umney (Resonance FM) and mixed by Chris Bartholomew, with the theme tune composed by Rob Bentall. Our recommendation at the end is for Alwynne Pritchard’s #RecordedDelivery project.

In this episode, you listen to the following music and sounds:

Shabaka Hutchings

- Circadian Clocks (2015), performed by Cara Stacey and Shabaka Hutchings from Things that Grow by Cara Stacey, released by Kit Records

Beasts Too Spoke of Suffering (2020), by Shabaka and the Ancestors, from We Are Sent Here by History released by impulse! Records

Alwynne Pritchard

- Stamp Club Report 1980 (2018), commissioned by Kammerkoret GNEIS and performed by vocalists Signe Bjorvatn, Lisa Braathen, Alexander Fiske Fosse, Jung-Jae Kim, Jone Kuven, Bendik Savstad, Tanja Silvestrini, Joar Simarud Stabell, Ørjan Hammar Vollvik and Emilie Wright. Recorded at The Grieg Academy (Bergen) by Cem Arapkirlioglu, mixed by Alwynne Pritchard

- Recorded Delivery (2020), a lockdown project inviting people to send fragments, to which Alwynne responded with a video postcard. We heard extracts from Recorded Delivery No.3 (Peter de Moncey-Conegliano) and No.6 (Bernd Bleffert)

- Heart of Glass (2019), performed by Zubin Kanga at the London Contemporary Music Festival (2019), recorded and edited by Reuben Penny

Oliver Leith

- Honey Siren (2020), recorded by 12 Ensemble in the album Death and the Maiden, released by PIAS / Sancho Panza Recordings

- good day good day bad day bad day (2018), written for and recorded by GBSR duo, released by another timbre

Our heartfelt thanks to the record labels, performers, composers and organisations who allowed us to include excerpts of these recordings on the podcast.