listen / projects

I write predominantly from the clarinet and bass clarinet, creating sketches of linear work that is then developed vertically. I’m able to create idiomatic and adventurous music to brief, to arrange and orchestrate pre-existing music, and I have a particular interest in contributing to projects with a focus on accessibility. My own writing is currently preoccupied with the blurring of notational styles, audio scoring and developing a language on my instruments in and around the cracks of traditional western musical traditions. Below is a selection of recent creations and commissions, please get in touch if you would like more details or to collaborate on a new project.

Flight

Flight is an 8-part podcast series exploring the worlds of birds, soundscape ecology and music. The 12-piece ensemble Propellor and its director Jack McNeill, invite the listener to join them as they dive into ideas about how we listen, what we listen to, and why it matters. Following the amazing migratory journeys of three birds, and a musical ensemble trying out new ways of making music together. Flight is also a personal journey about new fatherhood, uncovering connections between the soundscape ecology of everyday lives, where listening to the health of the world around us, can tell us much more than our eyes alone. Written and produced by Jack McNeill, Flight is a collaboration with best-selling author Mark Cocker, Leafcutter John and a host of fascinating guests. Supported by Arts Council England, Brewery Arts and Kickstarter. If the Flight player doesn’t appear below please refresh the page to listen:

Rewindwild

Inspired by the pioneering soundscape ecologist Bernie Krause who explores the impacts of soundscapes on ecosystems. Rewindwild is a personal exploration into the sounds revealed by lockdown and how we might listen and respond to ‘noise’ returning to the Lake District. In a hopeful rewilding of instrumental and found sound projected into a future Lake District landscape, I wanted to explore the environmental and ecological benefits of returning swathes of our countryside back to nature. Comissioned by Aerial Festival.

Loom

Loom (n.) The slow and silent movement of water in a deep pool (Cumbrian dialect). The sounds of waves, wetlands, and straits map the human experience of water, charting its journey backwards from the sea to the sky. Encouraging conversation and shared community experiences of our coastlines, estuaries, rivers, lakes and floodplains – Loom has been created to inspire and share our stories of these waterscapes. The soaring instrumental score and found sounds are the sonic counterpart of a collective, human element, as the work also features recorded interviews and personal stories as told by audience members. Loom was created on a residency at Snape Maltings, Britten Pears Arts.

River was one of 5 miniatures from the Loom project, for clarinet and accordion (Jim Molyneux).

Body of Water

Written for Propellor and dancer Heather Birley as part of Propellor's Loom tour performances. A trio, for clarinet, cello (Clare O'Connell) and dancer (Heather Birley), film created by Robin Beatty. Commissioned by Dance4 and Nottingham Lakeside Arts.

Roll Up!

Commissioned by Mahogany Opera, Roll Up! is a new Snappy Opera created by Jack McNeill, Claire Willoughby and Annie Ruscillo with and for Sandgate School in Kendal. It is inspired by contemporary circus, natural elements and ancient traditions of entertainment where Tumblers; Fortune Tellers; Magicians; Flyers; and Daredevils reveal the magic in the everyday. Roll Up! Is an immersive, sensory experience. Although the entire score could be condensed down into approximately 10 minutes of original music, the premiere performance took place across 2 days in Sandgate School. We took core musical ideas and expanded them - using improvisation, intensive interaction, variation and repetition with each “act” set in a different class, in response to the pupils themselves and the musical ideas they helped us create. Roll Up! was created throughout the school year 2022-23, involving students throughout the school (aged 4-19) and staff in different aspects of making the piece through sound, storytelling, movement, and design. It was performed at Sandgate School on 29 and 30 June 2023, at Hadrian School (Newcastle) on 16 and 17 May 2024, and has been filmed for a screening later this year (available soon).

SOLO

A new solo/trio project in development for 2024. More information coming soon.

Ness

A new adaptation of Ness, by Robert MacFarlane and Stanley Donwood, alongside Propellor, Hayden Thorpe and Kerry Andrew. The project will premiere in September 2024.

Hayden Thorpe X RNS - The Hide

The Hide is brand new artwork created by Hayden Thorpe during his time as The Glasshouse Artist In Residence. Featuring three songs written by Hayden, and string arrangements by Jack McNeill recorded with Royal Northern Sinfonia in May 2024 (photographs by Thomas Jackson). The Hide is designed to be a peaceful space to relax and reflect. Inspired directly by a bird hide Hayden has spent time in near wetlands near Kendal, this brand new Hide will sit on the concourse of The Glasshouse, overlooking the River Tyne and the kittiwakes who call the area home. 

Hayden Thorpe made his name as the distinctive voice and chief songwriter of acclaimed indie band Wild Beasts. After five albums for Domino Records (including the Mercury nominated Two Dancers and two further UK Top 10 albums (Present Tense, Boy King), Thorpe has released two solo albums that combine a magpie range of influences with his unique vocal style and seductive, confessional songwriting. The strings parts written by Jack will feature in Hayden’s upcoming third solo release on Domino Records (2025).