Recent Commissions

Electric Aeroplanes, saxophone quartet, commissioned by the Laefer Quartet with funding from the Vaughan Williams Foundation, 10' (2023)

 

Bridgeschamber orchestra, commissioned for Young Sinfonia and conductor Helen Harrison at Sage Gateshead, 10' (2023). Premiere Video and Full Recording

 

Sonnet 43symphony orchestra, commissioned by the CBSO for 'Sounds New' and to be released on NMC recordings, 4' (2023)

 

Drought, opera with libretto by Niall Campbell for soprano, mezzo-soprano, chamber orchestra and electronics. Premiered by RNCM singers and BBC Philharmonic with funding from AHRC, 45' (2022). BBC Premiere

 

Tin Man, ballet for horn, cello, percussion and electronics, commissioned by Joss Arnott Dance Company with funding from the RPS Drummond Fund, PRS, and Arts Council England, 45' (2022)

 

To the Shore, fanfare for 3 trumpets, commissioned for the opening of the Glyndebourne Festival, 1'30'' (2022)

 

Pay the Piperopera commissioned for GYO with librettist Hazel Gould and Balancing the Score, 20' of 60' (2022). Recording

 

 

Commercial Recordings

Electric Aeroplanes, saxophone quartet, commissioned by the Laefer Quartet with funding from the Vaughan Williams Foundation. To be released on Laefer Quartet's debut album Strata on Coviello Classics in early 2024.

 

Sonnet 43symphony orchestra, commissioned by the CBSO for 'Sounds New' and to be released on NMC recordings in 2023.

 

Hrakningar, viola trio, co-commissioned by Nordic Viola and Sound Scotland, and to be released on Nordic Viola's album Elsewhere, Elsewhen on 20th November 2023.

 

Knocking, solo harp, premiered and recorded by Eira Lynn Jones on her album Forgotten Dreams in 2019. CD available here

 

Behold! SATB choir and organ, premiered and recorded by Voices of Hope on their album 

A New Christmas in 2018. CD available here

 

In the Beginning Was the Word, solo piano, premiered and recorded by Grace Francis on her album SACRED in 2016. Available online

 

 

                                                               Complete List of Compositions

ORCHESTRA:

Bridges, chamber orchestra, commissioned for Young Sinfonia, 10' (2023)

Sonnet 43, symphony orchestra, commissioned by the CBSO for Sounds New, 4' (2023)

Turbines, symphony orchestra, commissioned by Making Music and Sound and Music with funding from the PRS Foundation for 'Adopt A Composer' with Merchant Sinfonia, 10' (2018)

Last Breaths, chamber orchestra, commissioned by Glyndebourne for 'Behind the Curtain', 1'30'' (2018)

Hypomania, symphony orchestra, written for the RSNO Composers' Hub, 10' (2018)

Three Miniatures, symphony orchestra, written for the orchestra of Dutch National Ballet, 4' (2017)

Definitions, soprano and symphony orchestra, premiered by RNCM Brand New Orchestra, 6’ (2016)

Federalizing Zoo, chamber orchestra, premiered by the Royal Northern Sinfonia, 5’ (2015)

To the Lighthouse, orchestra, premiered by RNCM Brand New Orchestra 4’30’’ (2015)

 

OPERAS AND BALLETS:

Drought, opera with libretto by Niall Campbell for soprano, mezzo-soprano, chamber orchestra and electronics. Premiered by RNCM singers and BBC Philharmonic with funding from AHRC, 45' (2022)

Pay the Piper, opera commissioned for GYO with librettist Hazel Gould and composers of Glyndebourne's Balancing the Score scheme, 20' of 60' (2022)

Tin Man, ballet for horn, cello, percussion and electronics, commissioned by Joss Arnott Dance Company with funding from the RPS Drummond Fund, PRS, and Arts Council England, 45' (2022)

Citizens of Nowhere, opera-ballet for two sops, mezzo, oboe/cor anglais, bassoon and cello, choreographed by Dane Hurst, with funding from Arts Council England and Tête à Tête, 35' (2017)

 

CHOIR:

Heartland, TBB, commissioned by The Sunday Boys and Corridor of Light Festival with poetry by Deanna Rodger and Robert Montgomery in collaboration with Emergency Exit Arts, 4' (2021)

Behold! carol for SATB chorus with organ or piano, commissioned by Voices of Hope, 3'15'' (2018)

Dust, TBB chorus, written for The Sunday Boys, 2'10" (2017)

1967 in the Red House, TBB with piano, libretto by Rachel Mann, commissioned by The Sunday Boys for '50 Years of Change', 4’ (2017)

Speak Out, SATB chorus with piano, commissioned by the Sage YMP for Quay Voices, 8' (2017)

Fall, Leaves, Fall, SSA chorus with piano, 4’30’’ (2016)

If I Have Not Love, double mixed chorus, written for a workshop with the BBC Singers, 3’ (2014)

 

WIND ENSEMBLE:

Federalizing Zoo, wind ensemble, 5' (2017)

 

INSTRUMENTAL CHAMBER MUSIC:

Electric Aeroplanes, saxophone quartet, commissioned by the Laefer Quartet, 10' (2023)
To the Shore, fanfare for 3 trumpets, commissioned for the opening of the Glyndebourne Festival, 1'30'' (2022)

Dust Mouth, string quartet, composed for the Piatti Quartet, 6' (2021)

Uptake, alto saxophone, bass guitar and piano, commissioned for PRiSM 8Cubed and premiered by Riot Ensemble, 3'30'' (2020)

Hrakningar, flute, viola and bassoon, co-commissioned by Nordic Viola and sound Festival, 6'30'' (2018)

Requiem for Gaia / String quartet no. 1, 17' (2013-18)

The Green Blade, oboe trio, 10’ (2015)

 

SONG CYCLES:

From the River, mezzo-soprano and piano, commissioned by Glyndebourne, 12' (2019)

Time and Travel Song Cycle, bass-baritone and guitar, 18’ (2016)

Fridge Poetry Song Cycle, soprano and piano, 10’ (2014)

 

INDIVIDUAL SONGS:

Future Dream, soprano and tenor with electronic track, commissioned by Electric Voice Theatre, 3' (2023)

The Pilgrims at Luke Copse, soprano and piano, commissioned by Rachel Mann, 5' (2017)

The Windhover, tenor and piano / soprano, clarinet, harp and double bass, 5' (2016)

To Margot Heinemann, mezzo-soprano and piano, 4’30’’ (2015)

Four Sunflowers, mezzo-soprano and piano, 5’ (2015)

Winds of Iona, a cappella folk song, 3' (2013)

Caedmon’s Hymn, a cappella folk song, 2' (2012)

 

SOLO REPERTOIRE:
13.8 Billion Years, soprano saxophone, commissioned by Riot Ensemble and HCMF for Amy Green, 5' (2020)

Glitch, solo clarinet, written for Psappha's 'Composing For' with Dov Goldberg, 4' (2019)

Knocking, solo harp/clarsach, premiered and published by Eira Lynn Jones, 2'30'' (2019)

 Five Miniatures, solo piano, 6' (2017)

In the Beginning was the Word, solo piano, 3’ (2015)

 

MUSIC THEATRE COLLABORATIONS:

Bird, countertenor and electronics, commissioned by Glyndebourne for Jamie Hall, 10' (2020)

We Did Our Best, collaboration with librettist Ruth Mariner, commissioned by Tête à Tête, 9' (2019)

The Manchester Peace Song Cycle: excerpt from 'Disabled' by Wilfred Owen, dir. Feelgood Theatre, 2' of 60' (2018)

 Tell Me The Truth About Love, linking passages as part of a production with Streetwise Opera, 23' of 60' (2018)

Kingdoms Come and Kingdoms Go, opera chorus with lyrics by Streetwise Opera performers, 4' (2016)

The Attic, tenor and mixed ensemble, opera scene for 'Performing the Jewish Archives', 8’ (2016)

 

SHORT INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC FOR DANCE:

Head Above Water, piano duet, commissioned by Joss Arnott Dance Company with funding from PRS and Arts Council England, 15' (2019/20)

CUE, two saxophones, trombone, guitar, piano, vibraphone, written for Ensemble Klang, commissioned by Dansox, choreo. by Malgorzata Dzierzon, 15' (2018)

 

ELECTRONIC MUSIC FOR DANCE:

Shudder voice and electronics, commissioned by Carolyn Bolton for Choreodrome, 15' (2021)
Outside of Me, In / Wish That I Could, voice and electronics, created for choreographer Lisa Rowley, 3' (2020)
Shell, 7' and Sunken City, 7', voice and electronics, choreographed by Carolyn Bolton for OperaEstate Festival Veneto in Bassano del Grappa, 14' (2019)
Solo Matter, electronics, choreographed by Carolyn Bolton with Mbulelo Ndabeni for Rambert, 13' (2017)
Imaginary Situations, electronics, created for 'your ten thousand eyes' by Julie Cunningham with Rambert at the Southbank Centre, 45' (2017)

 

FILM:

For the Love of Ava, short film (2018)

 

OTHER ELECTRONICS:

 Complete works of Norrisette (2020 onwards)

The Impossible Piano series of miniatures for synthesized piano (2015-18)

 

 

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Website © Anna Appleby 2023. Images © Merchant Sinfonia and Alex Gascoine by Ian Watson, choreographer Carolyn Bolton by Roberto Cinconze, Citizens of Nowhere (with choreographer Dane Hurst and dancers Liam Giacuzzo, Alice Laidler, Eleanor Stevenson and Zunnur Sazali) by Pari Naderi and Claire Shovelton, Anna Appleby by Mike Plunkett, Lore Lixenberg and Gweneth Ann Rand by Claire Shovelton and designer Sarah Booth, The Sunday Boys by Guðbjörg Ágústsdóttir, conductor Tom Goff by Anna Appleby, Citizens of Nowhere (with Ann Wilkes, Emma Wheeler and Helen Lacey) by Claire Shovelton.