News
NEW CD RELEASES
Pianist: Pieces, a triple-CD set of solo piano music by Christian Wolff, on sub rosa.
Includes all the works from the 1950s alongside major works composed since 2000, including the extended work Long Piano (Peace March 11), and a number of works recorded for the first time.
Laurence Crane - Chamber Works 1992-2009, a double-CD set of solo and chamber works by Crane featuring Apartment House, on another timbre
Includes the first recording of Piano Piece No.23 - Ethiopian Distance Runners, composed for Philip Thomas.
A CD of four solo piano works by Christopher Fox will be released on HatHut in the summer.
Forthcoming Events
A launch concert celebrating the new CD release of music by Laurence Crane (see above) takes place at Cafe Oto on Tuesday 15th July.
See here for details.
Autumn 2014 sees the first performances of Philip's next solo project, celebrating Christian Wolff's 80th birthday.
Featuring specially composed new works by Wolff himself Michael Finnissy and Howard Skempton. Finnissy is composing a large-scale work, details of which to be posted here soon, along with details of the first performances. The premieres of all works will take place during the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, on Saturday 22nd November
***BLOG***
I have taken the plunge and started an occasional blog. You can read why here.
Initial posts include discussions of performance issues concerning the music of Bryn Harrison, Tim Parkinson and Morton Feldman. You can navigate back to the main website via the blog menu.
Recent Concerts
MONDAYS IN MAY
Philip gave three London concerts in May:
Monday May 5th, Cafe OTO.
The first London performance of the extended version of Bryn Harrison's Vessels
Monday May 12th, Insitute of Music Research, London, Senate Hall, University of London.
Music by Christian Wolff, with Apartment House, following a talk by Wolff.
Monday May 26th, London Contemporary Music Festival, London, Second Home, Britannia House, 68-80 Hanbury Street
Philip played two solo works - James Clarke Island and the world premiere of Tim Parkinson Untitled 2004b - as well as playing with Gavin Bryars, Chris Hobbs and John Tilbury in Hobbs' McCrimmon Will Never Return and Aran
Recent CD releases
See above for latest releases featuring music by Christian Wolff and Laurence Crane
Vessels by Bryn Harrison is an extended, 76-minute version of the work premiered by Philip in 2012. Hear an extract here
Philip features as soloist and ensemble player in Logical Harmonies, a portrait disc of music by Richard Glover
Wandelweiser und so weiter, is an extraordinary 6-CD box set of recordings on 'another timbre', exploring music from composers and others associated with the Wandelweiser movement. Philip features on many of the performances, and the edges ensemble features also.
divisions that could be autonomous but that comprise the whole
CD of music by James Saunders featuring Philip Thomas performing PART OF IT MAY ALSO BE PART OF SOMETHING ELSE as well as the edges ensemble, directed by Philip, performing imperfections on the surface are occasionally apparent released on another timbre
Other News
An article by Philip exploring performance issues within John Cage's Solo for piano (from the Concert for piano and orchestra) has just been published in Twentieth Century Music.
Entitled 'Understanding Indeterminate Music through Performance: Cage's Solo for piano', it draws upon Philip's experiences of performing the work as a solo, and with Apartment House and the Merce Cunningham Dance Company.
Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards 2012
Apartment House, with whom Philip has been a regular performer since 2001, have been awarded the prestigous Royal Philharmonic Society Award for Chamber Music and Song. "Their performances are always revelatory, and the concert of John Cage's music at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in September 2011 was an epiphany, confirming the status of Apartment House as one of the most innovative and exciting chamber ensembles in Europe."
OUT NOW: Changing the System: The Music of Christian Wolff, to be published by Ashgate Publishing in July 2010.
The first major study of Wolff's music, co-edited by Philip with Stephen Chase. Philip has contributed two chapters relating to the piano music and performing Wolff's music. The book is available for order on-line. Click here for full details
In August 2011, Philip was promoted to position of Reader in Music at the University of Huddersfield.
Since January 2010 Philip is heading up both the performance programme and the Masters programme at the University of Huddersfield Music Department. He is also pioneering the Music Department as a centre for the study of the performance of experimental music and welcomes proposals at doctorate and post-doctorate levels. See CeReNeM for related information and here for Philip's research page.
The Ashgate Companion to Experimental Music, edited by James Saunders and to which Philip has contributed a chapter concerning performance, 'A Prescription for Action', is now available for sale. Click here for more details.
