Louis Johnson

Born in 1980, Louis Johnson has been composing music since childhood. He was educated at Calderstones School in his home city of Liverpool and later went on to receive a BA (Hons) in music from Churchill College, University of Cambridge. In 2005 he received an Mmus in composition from the University of Liverpool. He is currently undertaking an MPhil/PhD in composition at the same institution where he is also involved in teaching (amongst other things) orchestration and arrangement.

Since 2005, Louis has had four newly composed works premiered at the University of Liverpool: Tree Study for percussion ensemble (2005), played by Adrian Spillet and Mark Norman, Refrain for Piano (2006), played by James Wishart, Holmewood Study for Cello and Piano (2006-07) played by Jonathan Aasgaard and Ian Buckle and Broken Suite (2007), played by the period instrument ensemble L'indiscret.

Jim Clements

Jim began his musical education as a chorister in Rochester Cathedral, and his first choral work was performed by the choir in his last year as a chorister there. His interest in composition developed further at Tonbridge School, where he held both music and choral scholarships, but it was during his studies at Manchester University that he first received formal compositional tuition. There, the required study of orchestration led to his fascination with instrumental texture and technique, and thus an interest in orchestral arrangement. It was also at this time that he began arranging close-harmony music for his acappella octet, The Goo Dats.

Following his graduation with a first class music degree in 2005, Jim received commissions from various vocal ensembles, and became the resident composer/arranger for Voces8 in early 2007. He has written acappella arrangements for the BBC, The King's Singers, The Coupland Consort, Manchester Chamber Choir, and Worcester Cathedral Chamber Choir, and instrumental arrangements for the BBC and The Maraini Quartet. The arrangements on this disc are his first for the full symphony orchestra.

Jim also writes original compositions, the majority of which are choral. He lives in Worcester, where he is a cathedral lay clerk.

Ian Stephens

Born in Sidmouth, Devon, Ian began composing while in his early teens. After studying music at Bristol University, he worked as an editor on the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians then lectured in music part-time at the University of Liverpool and at Liverpool Hope University. He is a keen cellist, double bassist and singer.

Awards include a place on the Society for the Promotion of New Music's 1994 shortlist; he was one of three composers to be shortlisted for the Making Music category of the 2004 BACS British Composer Awards for Crosby Symphony Overture. His music has been performed by orchestras including the RLPO, Bournemouth Symphony, RTÉ, Ulster Orchestra and Malaysian Philharmonic; and choirs including the BBC Singers and National Youth Choir. His ensemble work … through the affrighted air … was commissioned by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and performed by Ensemble 10/10, the RLPO's contemporary music group, in March 2007.

Between 2002 and 2006 Ian wrote 15 short pieces for the RLPO's family concerts. His fanfare The World in One City, celebrating Liverpool's selection as Capital of Culture 2008, has been performed by the RLPO in Philharmonic Hall and at the Royal Albert Hall.

His many arrangements include Schubert's Serenade for violin and orchestra for Nicola Benedetti (released by EMI, 2006), and a transcription for full orchestra of The Christians' song 'Father' (performed by Garry Christian and the RLPO in August 2006).

Ian's new string quartet Dances Overheard will be performed by members of the RLPO in Philharmonic Hall on 29 November 2007. A new work for guzheng (Chinese zither) and Western ensemble will be performed by a guzheng virtuoso and Ensemble 10/10 in November 2008.

Ian is married to RLPO clarinettist Mandy Burvill; they have two daughters aged four and two.

James Wishart

James Wishart was born in Birmingham and educated at the universities of Oxford and Surrey. He has been on the staff of the University of Liverpool since 1980 and has had many performances of his works in the UK and abroad.

His recent works have included a piano trio (... topologies of sound and silence ...) played by members of the RLPO's 10:10 ensemble in November 2006 and 23 songs for a madwoman - a music-theatre work for female vocalist and small ensemble, which currently awaits its premiere.

His future compositional plans include an opera (Maggiebitch) on the life of Margaret Thatcher, a work for solo violas and orchestra which absorbs sketches for an abandoned work by Morton Feldman, and a voice and ensemble work: The Punishment of Lust (based on an extraordinary symbolist picture by Giovanni Segantini hanging in Liverpool's Walker Art Gallery), commissioned by Ensemble 10:10 for the 2008-09 season.

He remains active as pianist, conductor and writer/lecturer on music, and is in the throes of working on a major book-length study of the history of arrangement and transcription since the time of Liszt.

Gavin Higgins

Born in Gloucestershire 1983, Gavin Higins grew up in the forest of dean. Surrounded by a family of 'banders' it was not long before he began to play in the local brass band.

In 1999, Gavin was awarded a place to study at the prestigious Chethams School of Music in Manchester where he began to study French horn and composition and In 2001 was given a scholarship to study at the Royal Northern College of Music with Gary Carpenter, Frank Lloyd and Pete Francombe.

Gavin has had music performed by various ensembles and soloists across the UK in numerous venues including the Wigmore Hall and the Royal Albert Hall and is regularly commissioned to write new works.

Gavin is also an active orchestrator and arranger for both screen and stage.

You can listen to some of Gavins music at:

Paul Whittall

Born into a musical household in 1949 (his father being a renowned trumpet player) Paul Whittall is a composer, arranger and orchestrator who has worked with David Jephcott for a number of years on various projects. Although essentially self-taught he had, when young, a number of private teachers and as well as engaging in private study always had the guiding musical influence of his father

He has composed music for corporate videos and documentaries and has work logged with producers and documentary film makers in this country and abroad. He has had a life-long interest in film music, which indeed was the catalyst for him when young to want to become a composer, and contributes to an international industry magazine on film composers. The magazine is circulated in this country and abroad, including in Hollywood.

He has produced a number of CD's the two most recent focusing on his love for the Elizabethan period "The Silver Swan" and "Fleet Majestical", were both inspired by poetry of the period. In 1999 he was shortlisted in a competition to compose a score for a feature length silent film.

Contact details:
tel. 01304 619211
e-mail paulwhittall@btinternet.com

Piers Tattershall

Piers Tattersall is a composer, orchestrator and pianist based in Manchester and is currently studying with Gary Carpenter at the Royal Northern College of Music and will be graduating in 2008. In October 2006 his clarinet concerto Voice was premiered by the RNCM Symphony orchestra under Mathew Wood with Paul Vowels on Clarinet.

Contact:
piers.tattersall@gmail.com.