New Music Evensong 2024
CNM is providing the music for a complete choral evensong at St John the Evangelist Church in Cambridge on Sunday 30 June 2024. Sung by the Erasmus Chamber Choir, the service will include a number of premieres of new works.
Neil Crossland piano recital 2023
Neil Crossland gave a solo recital of new piano music, from CNM and the London Composers Forum, on November 25 2023 at the Pimlott Foundation.
Seasons: new music for violin and piano 2022
A concert of new music for violin and piano performed by Mark Wilson (violin) and Neil Crossland (piano), November 26, 2022 at the Pimlott Foundation near Colchester. Full details here.
British Clarinet Ensemble 2019
CNM and the BCE held a weekend of workshops, recording sessions and performance of works for large clarinet ensemble on 22-23 June 2019 at the Headgate Theatre, Colchester. Details and ticketing for the public performance on Sun 23 June can be found here and one of the recordings is available here.
Music of Starrs and Skies 2019
Harpsichordist Sara Stowe gave a concert of new works for solo harpsichord, including some by CNM members, at the Pimlott Foundations’s Old Barn on 11 May 2019 as part of her PRS Foundation-sponsored tour.
Piano Project 2018
In collaboration with EPTA, CNM presented a concert of new music for Grade 1-5 learner pianists in summer 2018. The shortlist of works is here. Information on the concert and final selection of works performed is here.
Harpsichord duets 2017-2018
New works for two harpsichords, selected from a call for scores, performed by the Knights-Tidhar duo in Colchester in April 2018. See the call for scores here and the selected works here; concert ticketing details available here. A compilation of sample pages from eleven selected works is available here.
New structures in composition 2017
A concert of works by CNM members and others, experimenting with the use of new mathematical structures in composition, in collaboration with mathematician Prof Pablo Padilla (UNAM). September 2017, Fitzwilliam College Cambridge. Details here; photos and programme here; two recordings from the concert are here. Following on from this we have created a resource on mathematical ideas for composers.
The Pale Enchanted Gold: recital for baritone, piano and clarinet, June 2017
A recital of CNM members’ works, performed by Tim Torry (baritone), Alan Bullard (piano) and Charles Hine (clarinet) at Castle Methodist Church in Colchester, 17 June 2017: details here, photos and full programme here. Recordings are here.
Church Music Portfolio 2016
A compilation of new church music by CNM members Mark Bellis, Alexander Blustin, Alan Bullard, Jenni Pinnock, Peter Thorne and Tim Torry. Details here.
5-Part re-Inventions 2016
We ran a call for scores for recorder quartet with harpsichord, a combination for which there was, surprisingly, no existing repertoire. See the notes from the composing workshop held at Colchester Institute, and an article by Stephen Watkins on composing for contemporary harpsichord[ists]. Selected works were performed on 4 June 2016 by harpsichordist Francis Knights with the Dulcis Venti recorder quartet in a concert at the Headgate Theatre, Colchester. The results of the open call are available here; the concert programme, including both selected and invited works, is here;some recordings are available here; a review of the concert appeared in the Autumn 2016 issue of Recorder Magazine and an article published in the January 2017 Newsletter of the National Early Music Association is reproduced here.
Piano Project 2015
In the second annual installment of this highly successful project, Dylan Christopher, David Mitchell and Elspeth Manders were joined by local piano pupils in a performance of new works for learner pianists, in a concert at the Swinburne Hall, Colchester Institute on 4 November 2015. See more details on the programme here; studio recordings of the solo works are available here.
Fretless Architectures 2014-2015: new works for an instrument without a repertoire
The aim of this project, led by Rich Perks, is to generate a concert repertoire for the fretless electric guitar. The first resulting performance was on Thursday 5th November 2015 at Colchester Arts Centre; see full details here. Recordings, scores, and live video from the premiere are available here.
Moot Hall Organ 2015
CNM, in collaboration with the Friends of the Moot Hall Organ, ran a call for organ works to celebrate the restoration of this historic instrument; the selected works were performed at concerts in Summer-Autumn 2015. Julia Usher was commissioned to create a ten-minute piece for the gala re-inauguration concerts in May 2015.
Piano Project 2014
A call for scores and Swinburne Hall concert of contemporary piano works for learners. See programme and report.
Colchester Open Heritage Day Organ Trail 2014
A day of recitals, in seven historic Colchester churches, of both repertoire and new works including at least ten world premieres. See programme and photos.
Sonic Arts Forum Festival 2013
A weekend festival of experimental music and sound art at Firstsite, including workshop sessions, a sound and image installation in the Auditorium and family outreach activities. The headline concert of experimental organ+electronics pieces, performed by Lauren Readhead and including new commissions from Martin Iddon, Stuart Russell and Huw Morgan was held at the neighbouring St James the Great. Full details are on the festival micro-site.
Cutting Edge Brass 2013
New works for brass quintet and electronics, with Steve Drury and Bespoke Brass, electronic diffusion by Stuart Russell; Headgate Theatre. Read review here.
Travelling Light 2012
SCAW and Chrissie Caulfield at Colchester Institute and St Botolph’s. Read review here.
Electroacoustic Day 2011
Stuart Russell, Chrissie Caulfield, Midnight Llama at Firstsite, plus electronics at St Botolph’s. See programme notes. Read review here.
Travelling Light 2010
SCAW and Anthony Clare, Headgate Theatre.
In a Nutshell 2009
Gemini, Ian Mitchell. Alan Bullard featured. Swinburne Hall, Colchester Institute.
New Music Day 2008
Gemini, Ian Mitchell, Sarah Leonard. Julia Usher featured. Headgate Theatre.
New Music Day 2007
Ixion Ensemble, Michael Finnissy.
New Music Day 2006
Big Noise Ensemble with Simon Speare, featuring works by Simon Speare, Tansy Davies, Tim Torry, Steve Ferre, Julia Usher, Alan Parsons, Stuart Russell, Eric Hudes, Alan Bullard, and student works from the afternoon workshop. 29 March 2006, Swinburne Hall, Colchester Institute.
New Music Day 2005
Anthony Green, Colchester Arts Centre.
New Music Day 2004
The Composers’ Ensemble, Michael Finnissy. Swinburne Hall, Colchester Institute.
New Music Day 2003
Vega Wind Quintet (Charles Hine). Swinburne Hall, Colchester Institute.
New Music Day 2002
Ensemble E2K, Robin Newton, Lindsay Gowers. Swinburne Hall, Colchester Institute.
New Music Day 1996
Schidloff String Quartet, Colchester Institute.
Colchester New Music 
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