While there he met other young composers like Peter Maxwell Davies and Alexander Goehr . Together with pianist John Ogdon and conductor Elgar Howarth , he formed the New Music Manchester group , which put on performances of modern music , especially music using serialism . While there he met fellow composers Peter Maxwell Davies and Alexander Goehr , who , together with pianist John Ogdon and conductor Elgar Howarth , formed the New Music Manchester group , dedicated to the performances of serial and other modern works .