You Can't Get There From Here - Premiere

On Friday I went up to Aberdeen for the In Cahoots conference which ran during Sound Festival - Scotland's Festival of New Music.

I saw a Film + New Music workshop, various live performances, and I also piped up during the conference Conclusion + Talk. The point I wanted to make was that us shy Scottish people need to push ourselves forward and out of our comfort zones if we want to create new opportunities. (I am sure glad I attended New Music Scotland's inaugural meeting last year (where at first glance everyone except me seemed to be a lecturer in classical music composition) which led to my being accepted on a composer residency at Cove Park, which led to me being one of the group of six composers who were commissioned to co-write "You Can't Get There From Here" (YCGTFH) for Sound.)

Here is a candid (*chortle*) photo of us six composers, looking nicely composed, prior to the event at Aberdeen Arts Centre:

left to right: Drew Hammond, John De Simone, me, Oliver Searle, Colin Broom and Sonia Allori.

Here is a picture of  Colin Broom, introducing the premiere of YCGTFH, to be performed by the wonderful Ensemble Thing. Excellent conductor Tom Butler has his back to the audience (very rude):

And here is a picture of the audience just after the performance:

Just kidding.

It was a great experience to hear our notes finally played by great musicians. I learned a heck of a lot from the process and I would certainly do it again.

BBC Scotland recorded the show so more about that in a bit.

If you think you see me walking about the streets of Glasgow but you're not sure, I'll be the one wearing this: