Commission for Finchley Children’s Music Group
John has recently completed a new work commissioned to mark the 50th Anniversary of the founding of Finchley Children’s Music Group. Songs of Rain and Sea is a five movement work for children’s choir (or S.S.A adult choir) to words specially written by the Icelandic writer Sigrún Davídsdóttir. It will receive its first performance on 5 July 2008 at St Pancras Church, London. A version for S.A.T.B. Choir is also planned.

Black Castles now available on CD
Black Castles has been issued by BIS records (BIS CD1354) as part of an all-British disc by the virtuoso German brass ensemble brass partout, conducted by Hermann Bäumer. The disc also includes music by Elgar,
Arthur Butterworth, Derek Bourgeois, John Tavener
and Mark-Anthony Turnage.

Buy it here
Hear a clip here

Major new choral work completed
John has completed a large-scale choral piece commissioned by Huddersfield Choral Society. Agamemnon’s Tomb sets part of a poem by Sacheverell Sitwell. It was composed between 2005 and 2007 and its first performance will take place on 9 May 2008 in Huddersfield Town Hall, conducted by Martyn Brabbins.
Read a programme note for Agamemnon’s Tomb