This piece is based on the intensity and madness of modern communication. Many people are increasingly feeling overwhelmed by the constant bombardment of social media platforms and mobile phone messaging in their daily lives. The need to project a glossy, perfect image of one's self and their life is a constant, draining and potentially harmful pressure in today's world that can cause much anxiety. While social media and online communication does have its benefits, for example, ease of communcation, increased political awareness and engagement, it is a presence that can feel overwhelming. Have you ever compared youreself to others online, or feel overwhelmed from text messages, or felt pressure to reply immediately to a message when you really dont have the time? All these pressures have an impact on one's self-esteem. People get stuck in their heads. They question their self worth, they crave validation and reassurance. It's like we're susceptible to voices and 'utterances' in our head that we find difficult to control as we descend into an overwhelming spiral of self doubt. This piece attempts to address these issues. The chaotic nature of the music will hopefully reflect this anxiety, allowing the audience to contemplate and question the role of modern communication in our lives.

Utterations Of Anxiety - for Rude Health Festival

The aim of this Composition was to combine the interesting sonority of a Flute Organ with the ultrasonic waves produced by a Sonar to create an interesting sound world. The aim was to create a different sounding instrument by combining the Flute Organ with a space designer (in this case the ultrasonic waves produced by a sonar). As heard in the recording the instrument almost sounds like a Bowed vibraphone as it has the mellow, soft sound of an organ with a combination of this particular reverb which creates a wash of sound with a series of overtones from the sustained notes, as well as a metallic quality. In the system of Organ flute piping "flutes" are generally the widest flue pipes and produce the tone with the most fundamental and very little harmonics. Therefore, it has quite a grounded, mellow sound. The instrument is even named ‘Flute Organ’ because it sounds like the orchestral flute. I wanted to see how this sound could be manipulated, thus adding a sonar detection space designer. As a result, we have an instrument which produces lots of harmonics, instead of an instrument before which was fundamentally grounded; almost pushing the instrument out of its comfort zone if you like. The other aim was to explore different surroundings or spaces produced by objects, in this case a sonar device which uses sound waves to detect objects. A Sonar detects these objects by emitting ultrasonic waves into the sea and detecting the reflected echoes. Combing the flute organ with these waves creates the effect of a bowed vibraphone, thus exploring how different musical instruments can sound like other musical instruments through the use of a reverb. In this case the waves given off by a sonar device.

Reflected Echoes

Written for Violin, Flute, Piano and Vibraphone. A moving melodic piece that captures the emotional sadness and power of the violin.

The Light Ahead of the Tunnel

Celtic Gamelan Fusion

The title of this piece refers to the book by Ned Vizzini about a teenager named Craig who suffers from depression and has suicidal thoughts. These suicidal thoughts lead him to check into a mental hospital where he stays for five days under surveillence. Along the way he meets patients who suffer from similar mental illnesses who help eachother get through the pain. After the 5 days he leaves and becomes a lot more hopeful to be alive, as described in the book he finds an 'anchor' (a constant or something to latch onto), in this case his love for drawing. In this piece I aim to present through music the way 3 characters in the book express their mental illness in different ways in a Theme and Variations format. In the 4th section there is a release of tension with all the previous themes coming together encompassing a hopeful ending.
    Mental illnesses amongst young people is a common and serious issue today which I feel very passionate about. Approximatley 20% of teens will experience depression before they reach adulthood. I wanted to reflect the underlying optimism portrayed in the book towards the end of my piece symbolizing that through helping one another, patients of mental illnesses can be cured and have a more positive outlook on life. 

Details of the three characters in order in the piece:

Craig Gilner: Craig suffers from suicidal thoughs and depression. He is very insular, withdrawn and observant to those around him in the mental hospital. He frequently goes into a spiralling cycle of anxious thoughts in the future. If he doesn't go to this summer application he feels his whole life will be ruined. To him it'll mean that he won't be able to get a good job and then won't be able to have a good lifestyle, which will then lead to ending up in a mental hospital his whole life.
With Craig each anxious thought leads to other anxious thoughts leading to him
over-worrying about the future.

Bobby: Bobby is a big presence and a dark comedic who seems calm and collected at first to Craig but when Bobby’ has a burst of anger after feeling like he’s screwed up an interview, it brings into focus again the seriousness of his mental illness. Even when someone looks calm and collected, there might be deeper emotions bubbling under the surface. The way Bobby shows his anxiety is externally through outbursts of anger; angry thoughts ready to explode when he's not happy with himself.

Noelle: Noelle is a self-harmer who disfigures her face with scissors as she finds lots of expectations of her overwhelming which causes her to self -harm as if she is wearing her depression. In the book Criag and Noelle fall in love and find comfort through being with eachother, not hiding who they are as they help eachother to recover without feeling judged.
   
The novel was inpired by Vizzinis own expereices during his hospitilization for depression in November 2004. Unfortunatley, Vizzini died of suicide on 19th December, 2013. Therefore, this compostion as well depicting mental illness and the triumph of overcoming it, is an ode to Vizzini himself. As this book has felt very important to me as it not only increases awareness of teenage mental health but sends an important message: that anyone can undergoe a transformation to beat mental ilness which should be celerbrated. 

" He not busy being born is busy dying" - Bob Dylan - Vizzini references this quote is in the book and is also used in the film adaptation.

Its Kind of a Funny Story

Performed on 14th December at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance as part of the Rude Health Festival. 

Music for mixed ensemble alongside footage from my childhood :)

Many thanks to all the wonderful musicians who helped me bring this to life:

Piccolo: Zehao Zhou
Flute: Hanna Wozniak
Clarinet: Stephanie Clark 
Bassoon/Contrabassoon: Georgina Taylor 
Trumpet: Dan McKay
Trombone: Jacob Smallwood 
Xylophone: Marika Tsuchiya
Timpani: Cameron reed
Violin 1: Andrew Liddel 
Violin 2: William Rolt
Viola: Jamie Elless
Cello: Lydia Wang
Double Bass: Sam Pugh

Siblings

Project Tagline: An intergenerational depiction of our relationship with the unknown world. Interjecting traffic soundscapes, against sounds of nature. Incorporating movement that physicalizes opposition in musicality and journey from youth and beyond.

Project Description: An examination of intergenerational discourse around the way we as people interact with, and try to understand the unknown world. Interjecting chaotic traffic soundscapes of the current world and past decades, in tandem with smoother sounds like water, wind, and birds. We will then apply this juxtaposition in the body, while the dancers are physically ageing in real time; embodying themes of unfamiliarity vs nostalgia, appreciation vs unappreciation, and finally naivety vs knowing. In addition to conducting this research in the studio, and performance space; we plan to physically take ourselves to the streets of London, and be influenced by parts of the environment we hope to encapsulate. Movement artists listening, smelling, seeing, and illustrating what they are subjected to. Alongside Sonic Artists collecting soundbites and recordings of what the dancers were subjected to. Then having this research be an actual dialogue between all artists involved, and not just projected experiences of us as project leaders. Which we believe, will make a fruitful and authentic narrative for the audience to receive, and artists to display.
Summatively, we aim to unify a range of viewers, with varying views and experiences with their natural environments.

Sonic Artists: Tom Bradbury, Sam Pugh and Steven Stanley 

Choreographers: Timmy Blankenship, Xavier Williams

Dancers: Francesca Roe, Mina Lena, Rachel Bartley, Juliette Victor, Katie Masson, Raliat Oyewole-eletu

Intergenerational Traffic

This piece is a condemnation of fox hunting, criticising a practice that is both cruel and unnecessary. It has long been controversial for its cruelty to animals: despite being illegal in the UK, many rural communities still condone it. The piece is designed to evoke a range of emotions, from the thrill of the chase to the horror of the kill. The piece challenges listeners to reconsider their attitudes towards the natural world and the animals that inhabit it. It is a reminder that all creatures, great and small, deserve our respect and protection.

'The Hunt' was recorded at Blackheath Halls as part of the New Music Recording Sessions conducted by Gregory Rose on 19th May 2023.

Duration: 5 minutes 18 seconds

'The Hunt' (For Orchestra)

The inspiration of this piece came from trying to depict Dementia as a mental illness musically. I find in a lot of Shoegaze music such as My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive and Sigur Ros (which heavily inspired this piece), while it is melodically and harmonically very beautiful, the distortion, reverb and various effects distort the beauty. This creates a fracturing quality. It is as if something beautiful that was once there is broken and fracutred, in this case the human mind with dementia.

Fractured (for two bowed Electric Guitars and Bass Guitar)

Intricacies of the Mind came about due to my interest in psychology and the human brain.
Intricacies of the Mind delves deep into the complex world of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Around 750,000 people in the UK have this mental illness which causes them repeated unwanted thoughts or obsessions. Split into two movements, this piece aims to explore the two brain processes associated with this condition: Obsessions and Compulsions.

Recorded by Ed Pendrous

Tom Bradbury

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