Supporting innovation +
excellence in
contemporary arts
About the
Foundation
The Richard Thomas Foundation was established in 2009 to commission innovative and interesting works of contemporary performance art, and to support an ongoing programme of performances, recordings and exhibitions in London, Berlin, and elsewhere.
So far the Foundation has commissioned or supported 36 composers from 13 countries; created or supported 20 recordings; and supported or promoted over 40 concerts. Many of the pieces we have commissioned continue to be performed all over the world, and some have won awards. Over 35,000 people have so far attended concerts to hear music we have helped commission.
The Foundation owns a record company, Junk Ibu Limited, with two labels: Junk Ibu for contemporary music releases; and RTF Classical for modern chamber music releases.
Recent News
Eternal May: Idrîsî Ensemble
The first in a series of concerts promoted by Music Space Architecture and supported by the Foundation, Idrîsî Ensemble will be presenting their tribute to the trobairitz, where the medieval female voice resurfaces with timeless relevance. Interlacing Armenian, Greek,...
Première in Tokyo
Pianist Noriko Ogawa will be playing the world première of Joseph Phibbs' Piano Preludes, commissioned by the Foundation, as part of the 32nd Rare Piano Music concert at the Bunka Kaikan Hall in Tokyo on 18 June 2024. Details here. (03/24) Photo (c) Satoru Mitsuta
Underground in Utrecht
We were in Utrecht last week for our second session of creating a recording for voice and electronics with Julia Sinclair and Marijn Cinjee, based around the music of Hildegard of Bingen. Julia and Marijn spent a day exploring the acoustics in tunnels underneath...
New Release: “All Life Long” by Kali Malone
Kali Malone’s new album “All Life Long” is released today on Vinyl and CD by Ideologic Organ. The album contains a number of works - including the title track - commissioned by RTF which premiered in June 2022 on Het Orgelpark’s Van Straten organ, a copy of an organ...
New Movement Collective: Les Noces
We are supporting “Les Noces” created and performed by the dance company New Movement Collective, to be premiered at Woolwich Works, London on 13th and 14th January 2024. (01/24)
Echo Collective concerts
Echo Collective continue to tour two RTF commissions - Jóhann Jóhannsson’s “12 Conversations with Thilo Heinzmann” which receives its most recent performances on 15th December 2023 in Mechelen (BE); and on 2nd March 2024 in Heerlen (NL). The Collective is also touring...
New Release: “Saor” by Claire M Singer
Claire M Singer’s new album “Saor” is now released on CD and digitally through Touch. The album’s title track was commissioned by RTF. Many of the audience at the launch concert in Het Oreglpark on 11th November described the music as “profoundly transformative”....
Concert: Hazy Horizons
We are supporting the first London event by "Music Space Architecture" (MSA) - an organ installation by German composer Eva-Maria Houben accompanied by curator and performer Sasha Elina on 20th November 2023 at St James' Church NW1. Tickets and info here. (10/23)
New Trustee
We welcome Nick Archer to the Trustee Board of the Foundation. Nick has an extensive background in public and voluntary service, and lifelong engagement with music, as a boy chorister and now as a pianist - and he has enjoyed close relationships with the Philharmonia...