Julian Philips

Julian Philips is a British composer. Philips' works have been performed at major music festivals, including The Proms, Tanglewood, Three Choirs Festival, at the Wigmore Hall, South Bank Centre and Berlin Philharmonic Chamber Music Hall and by international artists such as Gerald Finley, Dawn Upshaw, Sir Thomas Allen, the Vertavo String Quartet, the Tanglewood Festival Orchestra, the BBC orchestras and the Aurora Orchestra.[1]

Julian Philips
Background information
Born (1969-04-17) 17 April 1969
Cardiff, Wales
GenresOpera & ballet, song & choral music, chamber & orchestral music, classical
Occupation(s)Composer

He has had a number of broadcasts and was the subject of a BBC Wales TV documentary[1] and a BBC 2 series.[2]

In 2007, Philips was presented with an Honorary Fellowship from the Guildhall School, and subsequently conferred with a Professorship.

Early life

Philips was born in Wales in 1969, brought up in Warwickshire, studied Music at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, completing his doctorate at Sussex University.

Career

Philips took up the post of Head of Composition at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 2004 transforming the Guildhall Composition Department while also establishing a series of flag-ship projects, most notably a Doctoral Composer-in-Residence scheme,[3] and an MA in Opera-Making & Writing,[4] both in association with the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. For over a decade, Philips has led the Wigmore Study Group an innovative adult education group which he established for the Wigmore Hall,[5] and has enjoyed a particular association with the Orchestra of the Swan, both through a series of commissions and education projects. In 2007, Philips was presented with an Honorary Fellowship from the Guildhall School, and subsequently conferred with a Professorship.[6]

Works

Philips held the Glyndebourne's first Composer in Residence.[7] He is published by Edition Peters.

Whilst at Glyndebourne, Philips completed two chamber operas in 2006-2009, Followers with libretto by Simon Christmas and The Yellow Sofa with a libretto by Edward Kemp.[8] He then went on to write his youth opera Knight Crew for Glyndebourne with a libretto by Nicky Singer; the opera subsequently featured in a BBC 2 documentary.[2] His opera How the Whale Became, again with a libretto by Edward Kemp, was written for the 2013/14 Royal Opera House's Christmas season.[9] In 2017, Philips' opera The Tale of Januarie received its premiere at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, based on Chaucer's The Merchant's Tale with a Middle English libretto by writer Stephen Plaice.[10]

In 2003, Philips collaborated with British choreographer Michael Corder on a new full-length ballet based on Les Liaisons Dangereuses for English National Ballet, collaborating again with Corder on a Prokofiev-based score for The Snow Queen, again for English National Ballet.[8] In 2012, Philips worked with French choreographer Mikaël 'Marso' Rivière on a hybrid dance-concerto for violist Maximillian Baillie and the Aurora Orchestra, which premiered at the 2012 Deal Festival.[11] His has been featured on BBC radio.[12]

In 2018 Philips is working on a new viola concerto for violist Virginia Slater, a large-scale choral work with a text by Stephen Plaice commissioned by InterOpera,[13] and a new oboe quintet for the Wigmore Hall.

Operas

Dance
  • Maxamorphosis (2012), hybrid dance-concerto for viola, dancers and chamber orchestra. Created with choreographer Mikael Marso Riviére for violist Max Baillie and the Aurora Orchestra.[22][23]
  • The Snow Queen (2005), full-length ballet based on Prokofiev's Tale of the Stone Flower commissioned by English National Ballet for choreographer Michael Corder.[24]
  • Les Liaisons Dangereuses (2003), full-length ballet after the Choderlos de Laclos novel, devised with choreographer Michael Corder, commissioned by English National Ballet.

Orchestral works
  • Ballades Concertantes (2017) for solo viola, double bass & chamber orchestra, commissioned by the Orchestra of the Swan. Duration: 25 minutes.
  • All that remains (2014) for large orchestra, commissioned by the National Orchestra of Belgium marking the centenary of the opening of the First World War. Duration: 13 minutes.[25]
  • Come forth to play (2013) for brass, percussion and organ, commissioned by the Guildhall School of Music and Drama to mark the opening of Milton Court. Duration: 6 minutes.
  • Maxamorphosis (2012), hybrid dance-concerto for viola, dancers and chamber orchestra. Created with choreographer Mikael Marso Riviére for violist Max Baillie and the Aurora Orchestra. Duration: 27 minutes.[23]
  • Divertissement (2004), suite for chamber orchestra, drawn from the ballet Les Liaisons Dangereuses. Duration: 25 minutes.
  • Out of Light (2001), poem for large orchestra, commissioned for the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, for The Proms in 2001. Duration: 21 minutes.
  • Strange Seas (1998), poem for orchestra, commissioned by the Britten Sinfonia. Duration: 16 minutes.

Voice and orchestra

Chorus and orchestra
  • So gently darkness falls (2014) to a poem by John Masefield, for solo treble, choir and small orchestra, commissioned by Warwick School. Duration: 11 minutes.
  • Sea and Stars (2012) to a text by Simon Christmas, for solo soprano, baritone, chorus and orchestra, commissioned by Ealing Choral Society. Duration: 33 minutes.[26]
  • Body of Water (2012) to a text by Simon Christmas, for solo tenor, choir, organ and brass quintet, commissioned by the John Armitage Memorial. Duration: 15 minutes.

Songs for voice and piano
  • Love Songs for Mary Joyce (2016) to poems by John Clare, for tenor & piano, commissioned by the Wigmore Hall for James Gilchrist and Anna Tillbrook. Duration: 20 minutes.[27]
  • Love Songs of Amy Lowell (2011) to poems by Amy Lowell, for soprano & piano, commissioned by the Presteigne Festival. Duration: 16 minutes.
  • Blist's Hill (2009) to a poem by Simon Christmas, for baritone & piano, commissioned by NMC Recordings, for the NMC Songbook. Duration: 3 minutes.
  • An American Songbook (2004) to poems by Langston Hughes, for mezzo-soprano & piano, commissioned by the Ludlow English Song Weekend. Duration: 18 minutes.
  • There is a morn by men unseen (2003) to a poem by Emily Dickinson, for baritone & piano, commissioned by the Wigmore Hall. Duration: 3.5 minutes.
  • Life Lessens (2002) with text by Simon Christmas, for mezzo-soprano & piano, commissioned by Sue & Nicholas Nightingale. Duration: 25 minutes.
  • Four Sonnets of John Clare (2002, rev. 2015) to poems by John Clare, for baritone & piano, commissioned by the Wigmore Hall. Duration: 10 minutes.
  • Swift Partitions (1998) to poems by Emily Dickinson, for baritone & piano, commissioned by Jeremy Huw Williams. Duration: 14 minutes.
  • An Amherst Bestiary (1997) a songbook to poems by Emily Dickinson, for voice & piano. Duration: 2–25 minutes.
  • Der Jungling und der Tod (1997) to a poem by Josef von Spaun, for tenor & piano, commissioned by BBC Radio Three. Duration: 6 minutes.
  • Eclogue (1996) to a poem by A E Housman, for baritone & piano, commissioned by Bromsgrove Concerts. Duration: 10 minutes.
  • Fern Hill (1996) to the poem by Dylan Thomas, for baritone & piano, commissioned by Jeremy Huw Williams. Duration: 15 minutes.
  • Dread of Starry Majesties (1995) to poems by Ivor Gurney, commissioned by the Lichfield Festival. Duration: 20 minutes.
  • now i lay me down to dream of spring (1991) to poems by e e cummings, for tenor & piano. Duration: 25 minutes.

Works for voice and instruments
  • Cantos de Sonho (2013) to poems by Alexander Search (Fernando Pessoa) for soprano, tenor & piano trio, commissioned by the Ludlow English Song Weekend. Duration: 35 minutes.[28]
  • Sweet Love Remembered (2005) to poems by Amy Lowell, Amy Levy, Byron, May Swenson, James Merrill and Muriel Rukeyser, for baritone & string quartet. Commissioned by Sir Nicholas Goodison and the Wigmore Hall for baritone Gerald Finley and the Vertavo Quartet. Duration: 25 minutes.[29]
  • Swift Partitions (2003) to poems by Emily Dickinson, for baritone & chamber ensemble. Duration: 14 minutes.
  • Love is more thicker than forget (1997) to a poem by e e cummings, for soprano, trumpet & organ. Duration: 3 minutes.
  • Coronach (1995) to a poem by Oliver Fraser, for mezzo-soprano & viola, commissioned by BBC Radio 3. Duration: 9 minutes.

Chamber music
  • Winter Music (2016) for solo harp, commissioned by the Tanza Trust for harpist Oliver Wass. Duration: 10 minutes.
  • Ricochets Between (2010) for clarinet, bassoon, horn, two violins, viola and piano, commissioned by the Britten Sinfonia and the Wigmore Hall for BBC Radio 3. Duration: 12 minutes.
  • Four Characters (2003) for viola and piano, commissioned by BBC Radio 3 for violist Laurence Power. Duration: 12 minutes.
  • Sextet (1999) for piano and wind quintet, commissioned by the 1999 Warwick & Leamington Festival. Duration: 16 minutes.

Unaccompanied voices
  • I Sing of a Maiden (2012) a setting of the medieval lyric, for unaccompanied choir, commissioned for the Choir of Truro Cathedral. Duration: 3 minutes.
  • Sorrowfull Songes (2012) to poems by Thomas Wyatt, for vocal ensemble, commissioned for The Proms 2012, broadcast live on BBC Radio 3. Duration: 15 minutes.[30]
  • Invocazione (2004) to a poem by Joseph Addison, for vocal ensemble, commissioned by the National Chamber Choir of Ireland. Duration: 11 minutes
  • Reach for Andromeda (1995) to a poem by Olive Fraser, for vocal ensemble, commissioned by the Finzi Singers. Duration: 6 minutes.

Choir and organ

Choir and piano
  • The Promised Child (2018) to a text by Stephen Plaice, commissioned by InterOpera.[31] Duration: 5.5 minutes.

Works for children's voices

Works in progress
  • The Massacre of the Innocents (2020) with a text by Stephen Plaice, for soloists, chorus and ensemble, commissioned by InterOpera. Duration: tbc.[32]

References
  1. "Guildhall School of Music & Drama | Professor Julian Philips". www.gsmd.ac.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  2. TwentyTwenty TV (June 2010). "Gareth Malone Goes to Glyndebourne". Gareth Malone Goes to Glyndebourne. BBC. BBC Two.
  3. Guildhall School of Music and Drama and Royal Opera House Doctoral-Composer-in-Residence. Retrieved 4 September 2018
  4. MA in Opera-Making & Writing, Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  5. "Three-part study course". Wigmore Hall. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  6. "Philips, Julian | NMC Recordings". www.nmcrec.co.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  7. "The inventive and beguiling world of Julian Philips — News — Royal Opera House". www.roh.org.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  8. "Featured Editor - Music education books - Sheet music books | edition-peters". www.edition-peters.com. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  9. "How the Whale Became — Productions — Royal Opera House". www.roh.org.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  10. "The Tale of Januarie - homegrown opera at Guildhall". 16 August 2017. Retrieved 16 July 2019 – via YouTube.
  11. "Maxamorphosis rehearsal photographs". Aurora Orchestra. 7 July 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  12. "Julian Philips - New Songs, Playlists & Latest News - BBC Music". BBC. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  13. "The Massacre of the Innocents". Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  14. "Philips - The Tale of Januarie I&II". Issuu. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  15. Director Natalie Abrahami discusses How the Whale Became, Royal Opera House. Retrieved 5 September 2018
  16. "Good Intentions by Julian Philips". Issuu. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  17. Good Intentions, performance extract. Retrieved 5 September 2018
  18. Knight Crew, Glyndebourne Festival Opera, retrieved 5 September 2018.
  19. The Yellow Sofa, Glyndebourne Festival Opera, retrieved 5 September 2018.
  20. Varjak Paw, Guy Dammann, 30 September 2008, Guardian. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  21. Followers, Glyndebourne Festival Opera, retrieved 5 September 2018.
  22. "Maxamorphosis". 11 July 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2019 – via YouTube.
  23. "Maxamorphosis". Issuu. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  24. "Sněhová Královna / The Snow Queen – trailer". 2 March 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2019 – via YouTube.
  25. All that remains, Peters Edition full score.
  26. "Julian Philips - Sea and Stars". Issuu. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  27. Gilchrist/Tilbrook@Wigmore Hall, London, Melanie Eskenazi, 21 September 2008, Music OMH. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  28. Cantos de Sonho, extract from Peters Edition full score.
  29. Sweet Love Remembered, Peters Edition full score.
  30. "Sorowfull Songes (extract)". Issuu. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  31. "InterOpera website". Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  32. "The Massacre of the Innocents, InterOpera website, accessed 2018-09-03". Retrieved 16 July 2019.
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