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What a P.A.R.A.D.E!

paradenight

Sunday marked the final performance of P.A.R.A.D.E., and what an enjoyable journey it has been.  We were featured in the Guardian too (click here for the link), where Judith Mackrell describes my manipulation of the original score as a ‘rich clamour’ (I am assuming rather presumptuously that this is a compliment!).  It was such a great experience to be a part of this project and I look forward to November when it will be aired on BBC4 – more updates to follow!

Parade Recording with BBC NOW

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Tonight I listened to BBC NOW recording Satie’s ‘Parade’, conducted by Martin Yates.  I will be using the recording as the basis for a new work written for Marc Rees and National Dance Company Wales.  I will be posting much more about this event over the next few weeks and this recording session marks the start of a lot of studio work for me! The first performances are on the 24th and 25th of October in the WMC in Cardiff with performances in Pontio, Bangor shortly afterwards.

 

Cinderella soundtrack now available

young girl in long white dress underwater

I have just made the soundtrack to the ballet ‘Cinderella’, which was commissioned by Ballet Cymru, available here.  It was such a pleasure to work on music for a whole production and I hope you enjoy listening to it.

5-star review for Cinderella!

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So it’s fair to say that I was a little more than excited for the premiere of ‘Cinderella’ with Ballet Cymru on the 8th this month. I had been working hard to complete the score and finish the production on time. I had not really had chance to watch much of the dancing until the week before the production. I was absolutely stunned watching the final performances. Everything worked together brilliantly, and the critics agreed. Jemma Beggs in the Wales Art Review called the score ‘wonderful’. Mike Smith, writing in the Western Mail, gave the show a 5-star review and comments: ‘The dance is swept along by an instantly accessible atmospheric score, so catchy that it seems familiar as if it has been accompanying this ballet for decades rather than a fresh piece of writing’. I feel particularly proud of this comment, since it validates the hard work I put into creating a score that had to be traditional and innovative in the same respect. Similar praise is awarded to the choreographers and collaborative partners in this review: ‘This Cinders is the complete package. The dancing is full of character and style while Darius James and Amy Doughty’s choreography is packed with pulsating invention melded with traditional elegance and refinement’. And above all the dancers should feel amazingly proud of what they have achieved. Cinderella continues to tour next month. Check out http://welshballet.co.uk/whats-on/tour-dates for a complete list.

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