News
February 2020: RPO Recording 1st Edit Recieved
February 20, 2020
The first edit of two works recorded in September 2019 by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and City of London Choir has been received:
Silvered Night - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Mark Bebbington (piano)
The Angry Garden - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and City of London Choir
Both works were conducted by Hilary Davan Wetton.
7th February 2020: New Recording Released
February 07, 2020
A new recording of the flute and piano work The Balancing of Opposites is now available for purchase. Featuring flautist Philippa Davies and pianist Megumi Fujita.
Click here for more information and to purchase. The score is also available.
New Work Available for Purchase
December 01, 2019
The score of a new piano work, Variations on Papaver Rhoeas is now available for purchase. A recording of the work made in 2018 by Megumi Fujita is also available.
Angry Garden Soloists Confirmed
September 15, 2019
We are delighted to be working with Stephanie Corley, Marta Fontanals-Simmons, Ed Lyon and William Berger in the recording of The Angry Garden on September 21st 2019.
Picture credits:
Stephanie Corley: used by permission of Hazard Chase
Marta Fontanals-Simmons: Victoria Cadisch
Ed Lyon: Gerard Collett
William Berger: used by permission of William Berger
Mark Bebbington: Piano soloist for Silvered Night
August 29, 2019
International concert pianist Mark Bebbington has been confirmed as the soloist for a recording of Michael's new work Silvered Night which is to be recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and City of London Choir this September 21st.
See Mark's website here:- https://markbebbington.co.uk
Image used by permission from Catherine Gosney
Hilary Davan Wetton confirmed as conductor of two new works
August 14, 2019
September's recording of The Angry Garden and The Silvered Night will feature Hilary Davan Wetton as conductor. Hilary has led a distinguished career as a choral conductor and we are looking forward to his involvement with this project.
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Recording: The Angry Garden
July 09, 2019
On September 21st this year, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and City of London Choir will record Michael's large-scale work The Angry Garden in London.
Originally premiered in aid of the World Wildlife Fund, the work is intimately connected with Michael's concern for the state of our planet.
More info can be found at the Works page. The text of the work is by poet Simon Rae.
Michael records new work for Flute and Piano in London
November 08, 2018
On Monday 29th October, Michael recorded a new work for flute and piano, The Balancing of Opposites. One of the UK's leading flautists, Philippa Davies, joined pianist Megumi Fujita who was in the country to premiere a new work for piano to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One. The five-movement work for flute and piano is inspired by the sculpture Discobolus, by Myron.
See the Works page for an introduction to the work.
Pianist Megumi Fujita performs new work by Michael in Centenary Concert
October 30, 2018
Last month's concert featured a World Premiere of Michael's latest work, Variations on Papaver Rhoeas inspired by the Remembrance Poppy. The pianist was award winning musician Megumi Fujita.
John Francis, Vice-chairman of the Ralph Vaughan Williams Society was guest speaker at the concert. While he focused on the extraordinary courage and dedication of Vaughan Williams in the War, Michael spoke more generally about the involvement of composers in and around the War. Less well known than the War poets, composers such as George Butterworth, Rudi Stefan, Frederick Septimus Kelly, Cecil Coles and William Denis Brown lost their lives in the War while other composers such as Arthur Bliss, Arnold Schoenberg, and Alban Berg took part in the conflict and fortunately survived. The new work of Michael's to mark the occasion, Variations on Papaver Rhoeas, was recorded for future release.
First World War 100th Anniversary Concert to feature a new composition by Michael
August 15, 2018
To mark the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One, pianist Megumi Fujita presents a concert of music by composers who were involved or connected with the War: Ralph Vaughan Williams was a stretcher-bearer with the Royal Army Medical Corps; Maurice Ravel enlisted as a truck driver; Enrique Granados drowned when his cross-channel ferry was torpedoed in 1916; and Claude Debussy died in the last year of the War, his funeral marked by bombardment in Paris.
The programme is complimented by the World Premiere of Variations on Papaver Rhoeas by Michael Stimpson. 'Papaver Rhoeas' is the Latin name for the Remembrance poppy, characterised by four petals which surround the central black core. Written in the shape of the flower, the piece is a symbol for all those affected by conflict, in World War One and beyond.