sit.PLAY.orchestra - a new sound installation from the Philharmonia Orchestra


	Duncan Ward Tiddlywinks From September 9 to September 15 This piece is a short overture based on some of the themes from a recent composition I did for the NYOGB Sinfonietta. The concert was on the topic of myths and legends and so I wrote an entertaining piece entitled ‘Arthur the Great: an enchanting tale of the greatest tiddlywinks player who ever lived’. It was a multimedia event, and for me the previous months had involved a joint creative process of writing the music and making a film to go with it that was projected on a large screen during the performance. The piece told the story of Arthur’s life from his first discovery of tiddlywinks on his 5th birthday to his victory in the world championships, with all the highs and lows he experienced on the way including the tragic death of a local tiddlywinks nutter who had coached him in his early years. This adaptation as a short work for full orchestra is scored to ensure that all chairs of the orchestra are active for the whole five minutes.
	Duncan Ward, 17 and BBC Young Composer of the Year 2005, has been a composer in residence with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain for two years now where he is also the orchestra’s keyboard player. This summer he performed the piano part in Stravinsky’s Symphony in Three Movements and the organ part in Janáček’s Taras Bulba for a BBC Prom under Sir Colin Davis, as well as being involved in a pre-prom installation for percussion and film in collaboration with the Royal College of Art. Previous compositions have been performed in such prestigious and diverse venues as Symphony Hall Birmingham, the Barbican, Cadogan Hall, the Purcell Room SBC, and the National Gallery by performers including the Endymion Ensemble and The Sixteen. Current commissions include a piece for Brass 10 for a concert commemorating the late Philip Jones. Whilst being Head boy at Dartford Grammar School where he is working towards his International Baccalaureate Diploma, on Saturdays Duncan attends Junior Trinity College of Music where besides composition and piano he also studies conducting (recently making his debut with the Symphony Orchestra in Blackheath Halls) and is the principal horn player. He gained his ATCL diploma on the piano in Easter 2005, and is currently the organist for Ash Parish Church. For many years he has also fitted artistic roller skating for Great Britain into his busy schedule, winning international medals and appearing on Blue Peter three times. This summer saw Duncan spending a month in Southern India teaching the piano and musicianship at four different music schools in Kerala.

PLAY.orchestra / Music / Duncan Ward