Here’s the link to a post published on Sound and Music’s blog – it’s about writing for young musicians. I reflect on my experiences of working with Ealing Youth Orchestra, and how my Adopt-a-Composer commission in 2011 laid the foundations for this current project Dark Matter Sounding.
I’ve also completed a new piece for the idiosyncratic (half-metal band/half-piano trio) ensemble Vulgar Display. Titled Eviscerated Dysphoria, the piece is an encounter with feedback and dynamic extremes. Premiere on 12 February at the RNCM.
Vera Rubin (b.1928) is an astronomer whose research led to theories of dark matter in the universe. Her observations that objects at the outer limits of galaxies rotate much faster than the laws of physics predict was an important landmark in our understanding of space: unseen, non-luminous, dark matter of significant mass must exist.
The Galaxy Rotation Problem is an impossible journey through some of the galaxies observed by Rubin: their properties are re-imagined sonically, guiding the listener through terra incognita light years apart.
Some things to look forward to in the coming months!
Saturday 21 September 8pm – solo voice set (to include Kurtág, Aperghis, and my solo piece DNA) – Manchester, location to be revealed….
Tuesday 29 October 6pm – Trio Atem performance (programme features Fabrice Fitch, Martin Iddon, Michael Mayhew, Ian Vine, Richard Whalley, and my trio The modifications of clouds) – MediaCityUK, Salford – Dock10 building.
Saturday 2 November 7.30pm – Psappha premiere my newest piece The Galaxy Rotation Problem – Martin Harris Centre for Music and Drama, University of Manchester.
Friday 6 December 7.30pm – Quatuor Danel perform my string quartet Cloud Fragments – Martin Harris Centre for Music and Drama, University of Manchester.
Had a brilliant time at the last concert in the Trio Atem Northern Arcs series yesterday – we played in a bar to a friendly crowd including lots of kids and some unfamiliar faces.
I’m giving a paper at the MuSA conference in Karsruhe, Germany on 25 May.
I’ll be talking about current compositional approaches that generate sonic materials from scientific impetuses, as well as reflecting on my dual role as composer-performer.
Thanks to the RNCM Research Fund for financial assistance with my attendance costs!
Also coming up is the final concert of the Trio Atem Northern Arcs series, where we finally play in a bar! 4pm Sunday 2 June at the Nip and Tipple, Whalley Range, Manchester. Also featuring special guests GOVES and David Birchall. Can’t wait!
Over the last few months my ensemble Trio Atem has performed five new commissions (Eleri Pound, Scott Wilson, Larry Goves, Martin Iddon, Mic Spencer), so much of my time has been spent learning this music and navigating the new technical challenges posed. It’s been very exciting! We’ll be performing all the commissions together as part of the Leeds University Contemporary Music Weekend on 21 April. This concert will also feature the second performance of my new piece for solo voice, DNA. There’s a recording of the premiere here https://soundcloud.com/#trio-atem/dna_nina-whiteman-solo-voice.
I’ve also revised my bass flute piece The invention of clouds so that it can be performed without the offstage instruments. Gavin Osborn gave a fantastic performance of this new version in March at the International Anthony Burgess Foundation, Manchester.
At the moment I’m working on a new piece for solo voice, which I’ll be performing on Valentine’s Day at the University of Manchester.
Trio Atem are the delighted recipients of an Arts Council Grants for the Arts award.
The funds will support our 2013 concert series, Northern Arcs, which features five brand new Trio Atem commissions from composers Martin Iddon, Larry Goves, Eleri Pound, Scott Wilson, and Mic Spencer. We’ll be working closely with these fabulous composers, who we think will make exciting and varied additions to our repertoire. Please see my ‘Events’ page for details of the concerts taking place in Manchester and Leeds in the coming months at a variety of venues. We look forward to seeing you there!
Busy times have meant I’ve not updated this site for a while….
Recent performances include singing at A Curious Night, which was part of the Allery Gallery (www.allerygallery.weebly.com).
Next week, Trio Atem will be performing a new piece by me (flute, cello, live electronics) as well as works by Diana Salazar, Larry Goves, Oded Ben-Tal, and Manuella Blackburn.
More details at http://www.idaf.co.uk/ – it’s a festival of improvised and digital sound art. Yippee!
The trio will be giving a lunchtime concert on Friday 4 May, followed by a workshop exploring new pieces by Kingston University students.