Unlike May, June was a hive of activity!
On the 4th, my composition Lunar Leonardo was premiered by Symphonic Philharmonic in Bristol. One member of the orchestra cleverly spotted my use of morse code in the opening! The piece is about the Da Vinci crater in the Sea of Tranquility on the Moon, and was written in 2019 to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Moon Landings and the 400th Anniversary of Leonardo Da Vinci himself.
During the rest of the week I was tied up in rehearsals for the University Symphony Orchestra, and on the 8th we performed to a packed Victoria Rooms a programme of music by Eric Coates, the famous English light music writer. Cinderella and Goldilocks are two particular highlights, but as a cellist, the entire programme was fantastic - every single note felt important, and we had plenty of melodies to play!
In the same concert I was guest principal for the University Chamber Orchestra, and under the baton of Jasmine Law we played RVW's Wasps Overture and Butterworth's Two English Idylls.
On the 6th I was able to watch the University Symphonic Wind Band, and I thought they were fantastic. Compared to the other ensembles the Symph Winds are a relatively recent ensemble at the uni and the standard has simply grown year on year.
On the 10th I was in a wedding string quartet alongside other ex-RWCMD players. It was lovely to reconnect and at such a wholesome event.
On the 12th my latest orchestral work Seaguard had its YouTube premiere! I had presented it as a score-video, meaning that you can watch the music unfold whilst listening to the audio from its premiere by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales back in March.
On the 17th I started an archival role at Chapter Arts Centre in the music library for an esteemed composer. I love looking through the music of other composers as I find it really inspiring for my own creative work.
On the 19th I travelled to London for an audition for the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Competition is fierce but every audition is a learning experience and an opportunity to enjoy playing to a top professional player.
On the 22nd I had my first rehearsal with SoundWorld, a new new-music group based in Bristol and run by Julian Leeks. We are preparing for our maiden concert in Shaftesbury next month. I'm playing two violin-cello duos, a piece for cello and piano, and a solo cello piece, by Xenakis, Montgomery, Lindberg, and Perkins.
On the 23rd I watched the Lion King music in the Bristol Hippodrome. Surprisingly, this was my first time inside the auditorium! Though I have played regularly in the Piano Bar downstairs in charity concerts.
On the 25th I attended Welsh Music Guild annual luncheon, held in Cardiff. Since moving to Wales in 2019 I have felt a stronger and stronger connection to my Welsh heritage and my inclusion in this event cements that relationship.
On the 28th I had a recording session in Bristol of a cello-piano duet and I took the opportunity to work through my in-progress piano compositions with the pianist, who is also a composer in their own right!
During the month I also worked on engraving a newly-composed Fanfare by Martyn Brabbins in preparation for a workshop at Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.