Biography

Tom Armstrong read music at York University; he studied composition with Roger Marsh and received his DPhil in 1994. Tom has also studied with Vinko Globokar (at Dartington Summer School) and at the Britten-Pears School with Magnus Lindberg, Colin Matthews and Oliver Knussen. His work has been performed all over the UK by leading ensembles including the Endymion Ensemble, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the New Music Players, Psappha, the Composer’s Ensemble, [rout], Trillium brass quartet and Gemini. Radio Three broadcasts have included performances by the BBC Philharmonic and the pianist Andrew Ball.

Since 1998 Tom’s work has embraced music for dance in addition to the concert hall. In 1999 he was awarded a place on the prestigious International Course for Professional Choreographers and Composers at Bretton Hall where, amongst others, he worked with Kenneth Tharp and Wayne MacGregor. He has also worked with Sonia and Sabra Sabri and Miyuri Boonham at the ROH. In 2000 Tom and the choreographer Susie Crow were recipients of the National Youth Ballet’s millennium commission; the resulting work, FIBBA, toured throughout the UK, including performances at the Lowry Centre and Sadlers Wells. In 2003 Tom and Susie set about planning a new work based on the novel Black Maria by acclaimed children’s author Diana Wynne Jones. With screenwriter Zara Waldeback they formed Green Box Productions and developed the ballet version of Black Maria as an evening length, multi-media work, returning to Sadlers Wells to produce the show with great success late in 2007. Tom’s interest in the theatre has also been nourished by long-standing collaborations with the playwrights Jim Morris and Stephanie McKnight resulting in the song cycle Opened Spaces and the one-woman show Catching the Sun, both premiered in 2007.

Instrumental music has continued to form an important component of Tom’s output; in 2006 he was commissioned by Richard Hand and Martin Feinstein to write a work for guitar and baroque flute: To the Measures Fall (one of very few additions to the transverse flute repertoire in the last 250 years) received its world premiere in the Festival di Londra, Ripatransone, Italy, followed by its London premiere at the Wigmore Hall in 2007. Tom has since continued his involvement in music for period instruments; a Feinstein Ensemble commission in 2009 resulted in Into the Garden, premiered at the Guildford International Music Festival to great acclaim. 2008 saw the world premiere of Akin for violin and piano (commissioned by Darragh Morgan and Mary Dullea) at the National Portrait Gallery and early 2009 featured the first performance of Dancing in the Moonlight and Bheki for saxophone and percussion, commissioned by the leading UK saxophonist, Sarah Field.

2010 saw the premiere of the revised version of Divertissements by the internationally renowned Fidelio Trio; this comprised a substantial recomposition of an earlier instance of the work for electric guitar and harpsichord.  The same year, Tom was commissioned by the Crossness Engines Trust to write a large-scale work for choir and concert band. Funded by Arts Council England, PRSF for Music, the Britten-Pears Foundation, the RVW Trust and the London Borough of Bexley, The Cathedral on the Marshes received its premiere in July 2011 involving musicians from across South East London. Three more performances, to take place at the Crossness Engines site itself, are scheduled for 2012. The last of these will celebrate the opening of the Trust's new, lottery-funded exhibition centre. Tom is currently collaborating with the harpsichordist Jane Chapman, singers Melanie Pappenheim and Rebecca Askew and writer Sarah Diamond on an evening-length, multimedia entertainment on the myth of Athena and Arachne. Tom will be writing a new work for the pianist Nicola Meecham early in 2012.

December 2011

Research Interests

In addition to practice-based research as a composer I am interested in the theory of creative collaboration, in particular between composers and performers. In 2009 Emilie Capulet and I delivered a paper entitled ‘Collaboration and Tradition’ as part a Palatine study day at the University of Surrey. The paper detailed, contextualised and problematised the collaborative process underpinning the composition and rehearsal of my Capriccio for solo piano. We are now extending and broadening this work to include notions of how language, in particular metaphor, functions in composer/performer dialogue. A paper entitled Creativity, Collaboration and Ontology: a composer/performer dialogue is currently being revised for inclusion in the New Directions in the Humanities conference in Montreal in June 2012. A version of this paper will be delivered at Surrey in February.

I have also been engaged in a thoroughgoing process of revision of early, and not so early, works for performance and plan to present on the nature and purpose of revision in contemporary compositional practice in the near future.

I am planning a symposium on notation and its role in the composer/performer relationship to take place at Surrey in July 2012.

Links: http://www.palatine.ac.uk/events/

Publications

List of Works

THEATRICAL

Black Maria (2004-7)

A multimedia dance work based on the novel by Diana Wynne Jones and commissioned by the author.

1^st performance: Lilian Baylis Theatre, Sadlers Wells, London, 23^rd-27^th October, 2007. Green Box Productions.

Instrumentation: electroacoustic score on digital video tape (the work also makes extensive use of video projections).

Duration: 85 mins.

Catching the Sun (2006-7)

A one-woman musical in one act commissioned by the Guildford International Music Festival.

1^st performance: Electric Theatre, Guildford. Kirsty Bennett, Harmonieband.

Instrumentation: female voice, male actor, ten sax (dbl fl and cl), vlc, pno, perc.

Duration: 40 mins.

FIBBA (1999-2000)

Commissioned by the National Youth Ballet of Great Britain.

1st performance: Lowry Centre, Salford.

Instrumentation: fl (dbl picc), ob, cl (dbl Eb and b. cl), a. sax, t.sax, bsn, hrn, trpt, trmb, 2perc, pno, synth, hp, strings (1,1,1,1,1).

Duration: 15 mins.

The Buried Moon (1995)

An opera for children in two acts.

1st performance: Harwell Primary School, Oxfordshire.

Instrumentation: 4 soloists, a chorus of “Things” (15 singers), a chorus of Villagers (15 singers), a band consisting of: 3 recs (2 descant, 2 treble), 5 percussionists, pno/conductor.

Duration: 80 mins.

ORCHESTRAL/LARGE ENSEMBLE

Bounce (2004)

Composed whilst in residence on Making Music’s Breakout scheme.

1st performance: Wymondham Abbey, Norfolk. Wymondham Youth Orchestra and Pulham Village Orchestra/ Margery Baker

Instrumentation: 3 fl (3rd dbl picc), 3 ob, 2 cl, b. cl, 2 bsn, 2 hrn, 2 tpt, flg hrn, euph, timps, perc (glock, xyl, lge susp cym, snr dr, tamb), strings. Concertino of 2 fl, ob, cl, a. sax, bsn, pno.

Duration: 12 mins.

Tall Ship Tales (2001)

Commissioned by the City of Rochester Symphony Orchestra with funds provided by the Britten-Pears Foundation and the Ralph Vaughan Williams Trust.

1st performance: Central Theatre, Chatham.

Instrumentation: 3fl (2nd dbl picc), 2 ob, 2 cl, 2 bsn, 4 hrn, 2 trpt, 3 trmb, tba, timps, 2 perc, strings (8,8,6,6,2).

Duration: 15 mins.

Seachange (1999)

1st performance: Morley College, London.  Morley College Chamber Orchestra/Gerry Cornelius

Instrumentation: 2 fl (2nd dbl picc), 2 ob, 2 cl, 2 bsn, 2 hrn, perc (vibe, tub bells, hi-hat). str (6,6,5,3,2).

Duration: 2 mins.

Morning Sketch (1999)

Commissioned by the Isleworth Festival.

1st performance: Syon House, London (opening concert of 1999 Isleworth Festival). String Factory/Pendlebury.

Instrumentation: string orchestra (minimum 4,3,2,2,1)

Duration: 3 mins.

Good Vibrations (1997-98)

Commissioned by the East of England Orchestra with funds from Eastern Arts.

1st performance: Assembly Rooms, Derby.  East of England Orchestra/Kok with Anthony Howe and Mary Nelson.

Instrumentation: 1fl, 2 ob (2nd dbl ca), 2 cl (2nd dbl b.cl), 2 bsn, 2 hrn, 3 trpt, perc (vibe, b.dr, 4 tom-toms, 4 bongos), solo sop (vocalise), solo alto trombone, str (6,6,5,3,1).

Duration: 7 mins

Squaring up for chamber orchestra (1992) Commissioned by York University Chamber Orchestra. 1st performance: York University, York University Chamber Orchestra/Roger Marsh. Instrumentation: 2 fl (2nd dbl picc), 2 ob, 2 cl (2nd dbl b.cl), 2 bsn (2nd dbl cbsn), 2 trp, 2 hrn, strings (6,6,4,4,2), Perc 1: xyl, crot, bdr, Perc 2: mar, vib, Perc 3: tblk, bongos, 2 suspcym, large Tam Tam. Duration: 15 mins.

CHAMBER

Into the Garden (2009)
For period instrument quartet
1st performance: University of Surrey, Guildford, Feinstein Ensemble
Instrumentation: alto recorder (dbl sopranino rec), violin, viola da gamba, harpsichord
Duration: 12 mins

Dancing in the Moonlight; Bheki (2009)
For saxophone and percussion commissioned by Sarah Field
1st performance: The Hat Factory, Luton.
Instrumentation: alto sax (dbl sop sax), perc (one player: congas, bongos, marimba)
Duration: 8 mins

Akin (2008)
For violin and piano commissioned by Darragh Morgan and Mary Dullea
1st performance: National Portrait Gallery, London
Duration: 6 mins

To the Measures Fall (2006)
For baroque flute guitar commissioned by Martin Feinstein and Richard Hand.
1st performance: Festival di Londra, Ripatransone, Italy.
1st performance of version for modern flute: Wigmore Hall, London (Jennifer Stinton: fl)
Duration: 12 mins

An Opening Line (2005)
1st performance: National Portrait Gallery, London. Trillium Instrumentation: sop sax, trp, trmb, tba.
Duration: 5 mins

Four Instances (2004-5)

1st performance: University of Surrey, Guildford. Gemini.

Instrumentation: b. cl, vln, vla.

Duration: 8 mins

Subterrania (2003)

1^st performance: Bromsgrove Mixing Music series, New Music Players/Patrick Bailey.

Instrumentation: cl (dbl b. cl), vln, vlc, pno, perc (vib, snr dr, 4 tom-toms, susp cym, tam-tam).

Duration: 7 mins

Damascene Portrait (2003)

1st performance: National Portrait Gallery, London. Trillium.

Instrumentation: sop sax, trp, trmb, tba.

Duration: 7 mins.

Divertissements (2002)

1st performance: Ocean, Hackney as part of BMIC’s Cutting Edge series. Members of [rout].

Instrumentation: el gtr, harps.

Duration: 10 mins.

Adagio (2002)

1st performance: Pheonix Arts Centra, Leicester. Subdivo.

Instrumentation: sop sax, perc (mark tree, vib), el gtr, bass gtr.

Duration: 4 mins.

Promenade (1996-97)

Commissioned by the Endymion Ensemble with funds from the London Arts Board.

1st performance: Purcell Room, South Bank Centre. Endymion Ensemble/Poole.

Instrumentation: fl (dbl a. fl and picc), ob, cl in A, bsn, hrn, hp, vla, cb.

Duration: 14 mins.

The Chief Inspector of Holes (1994)

1st performance: Oxford Contemporary Music Festival (1996).  Composer’s Ensemble/Cohen.

Instrumentation: narrator, vln, cl, pno.

Duration: 7 mins.

Homing Instinct (1994)

1st performance: Britten Pears School, Aldeburgh. Performers on Contemporary Performance and Composition Course/Oliver Knussen.

Instrumentation: fl, cl, hrn, pno, vln, vlc.

Duration: 3 mins.

SOLO INSTRUMENTAL

Capriccio (2008)

For solo piano

1^st performance: forthcoming

Duration: 7 mins

Miscellany (2008)

For solo cello

1^st performance: University of Surrey, Guildford. Lionel Handy

Duration: 10 mins

Melody for solo piano (1999)

1st performance: University of Surrey, Guildford. Clive Williamson.

Duration: 45 secs.

Partita for cor anglais and piano (1999)

Commissioned by Continuum.

1st performance: The Warehouse, London. Continuum (part of the BMIC’s ‘Cutting Edge’ series).

Duration: 8 mins

Dance Maze for solo piano (1994)

1st performance: British Music Information Centre. Stephen Gutman.

1^st performance of revised version (2009): Kings College, London. Rob Keeley

Duration: 10 mins.

VOCAL

Opened Spaces (2007)

Two songs to texts by Jim Morris

1^st performance: Manchester University Department of Music. Michael Solomon Williams and Melanie Jones.

Instrumentation: baritone, pno.

Duration: 5 mins.

Aerial Dynamics (1996)

Four songs to poems by Dickinson, Thoreau, Tennyson and Hopkins.

1st performance: Regents Hall, London. Continuum.

Instrumentation: soprano, cl, pno.

Duration: 11 mins.

Forthcoming news and events

Notes Inegales improvise on new compositions by Tom Armstrong, Milton Mermikides, Steve Goss and Matthew Sansom inspired my Miles Davis' Bitches Brew album in PATS Studio 1, University of Surrey on Saturday December 10th at 7.30pm.

Notes Inegales

Tom's operatic scene, Do the Right Thing, with a libretto by Bridget Minamore, has been selected for performance at the Royal Opera House's Exposure event at the Lindbury Studio Theatre from 16th-18th February 2012.

ROH2

Web Links

http://www.blackmaria.co.uk/

http://www.bmic.co.uk/collection/searchform.asp