‘lullaby’ is a piece inspired by the act of falling asleep, and lying awake in bed, and, ultimately, the border between wake and sleep. Imagining myself lying in bed unable to sleep and listening out for rain on my window, I wanted to create a sound world where the string orchestra acts both as the "scary" rain outside, as well the soothing warm lullaby inside which comforts the listener into a sleep-like trance. As the piece closes, the listeners eyes get heavier heavier, as they drift in and out of consciousness, before finally surrendering unto sleep.

performed by the Senior String Chamber Orchestra at the Junior Royal Academy of Music, conducted by Edmund Jolliffe

lullaby

Lichens are a complex life form that consist of a symbiotic partnership of two separate organisms, a fungus and an alga. Within their complementary coexistence, the fungus and alga become dependent on each other to live, and thus create their own organism. The bringing together of these three distinct instruments that form this ensemble created what could be perceived in a similar way as one organism, or "lichen". Through "Lichen", the players are forced to breathe as one organism, and react to each other as one life form that organically ebbs and flows. Inspired also by the Slavic forest spirit "Leshy", "Lichen" blurs the line between the literal and the mythological forest, and aims to explore the image of a forest waking up, not just through it's creatures, but through also the vegetation that inhabits it.

Commissioned by the Britten Sinfonia as part of their Opus 1 Scheme, this piece was performed by Joy Farrall (clarinet), Owen Gunnell (vibraphone), and Rosie Moon (double bass) of the Britten Sinfonia at The Painted Church in Cambridge.

lichen

composer / performer / artist currently based in london

james alexander preller

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