Latest News:
British Council Scholarship
Robert has recently been awarded a British Council Scholarship to attend the ICon Arts Festival in Sibiu, Romania this summer.
Zappa CD Released!
A new album of Frank Zappa’s original compositions, plus transcriptions of Zappa tracks by composers including Philip Cashian, Charlie Piper, Robert Peate, Joseph Davies and Chris Lyons, has been released by The Royal Academy of Music. Performed by The Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble and conducted by Frank Ollu, this new CD was recorded after a concert in 2010 marking what would have been Zappa’s 70th Birthday. Available from Academy Chimes:
Aoede – Castalian String Quartet
- The Castalian String Quartet will premiere Aoede along with three other new works by composers Simon Eastwood, Hollie Harding and Ruta Vitkauskaite at 6pm on 16th April in the DJRH at The Royal Academy of Music. Aoede is an 11 minute movement which explores the dialogue and interconnectivity between various melodic lines of different length and character. Aoede is one of the three original muses, she is the muse of song and the daughter of Zeus, and is also the name given to the 41st moon of Jupiter.
Five Winter Tableaux
- A performace by the Icon Arts Ensemble of this 6 minute set of ‘freeze-frames’ for Oboe and Piano Quartet (premiered in 2009/10) is due to take place at Thalia Concert Hall, Sibiu, Romania on 26th July, programmed with works by Woolrich, Cashian, Cutler and Piper.
2012 Antiphon
- A new work for 4 horns that explores antiphonal exchanges between solo and trio, as well as the various connotations that surround the year 2012. Performed by students Carys Evans, Elise Campbell, Edmund Morgan and Oliver Hickie from the Royal Academy of Music, the concert includes music for brass by Birtwistle, McCabe, Howarth and Maxwell Davies.
Academy Brass: The Manchester Set Friday 16th March, 7.30pm, Duke’s Hall, The Royal Academy of Music
The Unknown Bird – Revised Version
- An instrumental response to the poem of the same title by Edward Thomas was first performed in 2009, and then subsequently revised in 2010. The premiere of the revised score, performed by RAM instrumentalists; Mea Wade (ob./cor.), Carly Lake (hrn.), Bernadette Childs (cbsn.), Olivia Jageurs (hrp.), Catriona Price (vln.), Ninfea Curttwell-Reade (vc.), conducted by the composer, will take place in the DJRH at the Royal Academy of Music on 28th November alongside other new chamber works by RAM composers.
Reviews for Images Part 1:
- Finally, a quick word of welcome for Robert Peate’s ear-tingling Images: work in progress from an RAM student who’s already writing genuine music. Geoff Brown, The Times
Robert Peate impressed with his technical command and some weird but effective textures, as well as some genuinely lyrical music, particularly in the second of his piece’s four* short movements. … It will be fascinating to see how these** composers develop. Christopher Gunning, Seen and Heard International
*) Should read five **) The other composer being Ivor Bonnici
Shadow Play – CHROMA
- Shadow Play; a new 7 minute piece for Clarinet/Bass Clarinet, Harp, Viola and ‘cello will be performed at the Royal Academy of Music on 18th November by members of the renowned contemporary music group CHROMA. The piece will be performed along side Simon Holts’ Shadow Realm plus other new works from RAM composers.
De Profundis – FRETWORK
- This new 5 minute work for Viol consort will be performed at All Saints Church, York by the renowned early and contemporary music specialists FRETWORK, conducted by the composer. The concert includes other new works for Viol consort by young british composers, as well as suites by the 17th century composer William Lawes.
Maw celebrations at Southbank
- The Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble will perform a new 9 minute work Images; part 1 for nine instrumentalists alongside Maw’s La Vita Nuova at the Queen Elizabeth Hall at 4pm on 30th October. The concert is part of a festival at the southbank centre celebrating the work of composer Nicholas Maw (1935-2009).
Eric Coates Prize
- Sinfonia Concertante has recently won the Eric Coates Prize at the Royal Academy of Music.
NON-CLASSICAL with Chris Redgate
- 1st June, Troy Bar, Hoxton; the venue for the next NON-CLASSICAL event where the new piece; ’Winter Tableux Variations’ written for legendary oboist Chris Redgate and beefed up with some MAX MSP wizardry will be performed. Featuring a selection of new works for oboe and electronics written for Chris, as well as performaces of Sciarrino, Lachenmann and more from violinist Aisha Orazabayea.
Phantasy Prelude & Aria
- This recent piece for solo piano will be performed by Christopher Ma on 5th May in the Concert Room at the Royal Academy of Music, the concert contains all new work from academy composers; the results of a collaborative project overseen by renowned pianist and composer Rolf Hind.
Roehampton Dance!
- The fruits of a recent collaboration with choreographer Hanna Wroblewski will be performed alongside other new works for dance and live trio on 18th May 2011 at Michaelis Dance Theatre, Roehampton University. The 10 minute work; OFF, is written for flute/alto flute, clarinet, ‘cello and five dancers, exploring ides of imperfection and parody amidst a lot of limber dancing.
Sinfonia Concertante
- This recent work for Four Horns & Orchestra moves from exuberance and conflict through to intimacy and integration in a single 10 minute movement. It will be played by The Royal Academy of Music Symphony Orchestra conducted by Chris Austin at 1.00pm on 18th March in the Duke’s Hall at The Royal Academy of Music. Free admission
Zappa anniversary at RAM
- An arrangement of The Legend of the Golden Arches for chamber orchestra will be performed by The Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble conducted by Franck Ollu in the Duke’s Hall at The Royal Academy of Music on Saturday 13th November at 8pm. The concert marks the 70th anniversary of Frank Zappa’s birth.
Part Songs from Icarus:
- On Eastnor Knoll by John Masefield, set for unaccompanied SATB will be sung by Icarus led by Chi Hoe Mak on June 15th at Birmingham Conservatoire alongside other new settings for choir.
Three Etchings after ‘Wols’
- Taking inspiration from the complete etchings of Alfred Otto Wolfgang Shultze (nicknamed ‘Wols’) owned by the Tate Modern, as well as a recent series of grass studys by artist Charles McCarthy, these three movements are programmed in a concert by Birmingham Contemporary Chamber Orchestra, cond. Dan Watson in the Recital Hall at Birmingham Conservatoire on 16th June.
Setting of Blakes’ The Fly for Soprano & Harp
- Lucie Louvrier will sing a setting of William Blakes The Fly from his Songs of Experience accompanied by Harp in a concert of other new settings for Voice, Harp and small ensemble. The concert will also premiere a selection of new music for string quartet including the not so new Encore!. The concert is in the Recital Hall at Birmingham Conservatoire on 21st June at 8pm.
Five Winter Tableaux
- This recently finished score written for Oboe and Piano Quartet, commissioned by oboist Jenny Melville, is due to be premiered at Birmingham Conservatoire on 22nd April at 4.30pm, the concert will include other world premieres.
Commission from Thumb:
- Concerto for Solo Marimba and Two Chamber Ensembles, will be performed by Thumb contemporary music ensemble with soloist Joley Cragg, in the Recital Hall at Birmingham Conservatoire on 26th April. The concert is part of the Frontiers Festival, and includes music by Louis Andriessen, Ed Bennett, and a new commission from Cornish composer Tom Bassett.
