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

Premiere: Joseph Phibbs at Kings Place

Premiere: Joseph Phibbs at Kings Place

The Piatti Quartet will be playing the premiere of Joseph Phibbs’ RTF commission - String Quartet No.4 - at Kings Place on Wednesday 9th October at 19:00. Tickets available here (09/24) Photo © Tiago Melo Ribeiro 2024

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Eternal September: Apartment House

Eternal September: Apartment House

Eternal September welcomes Apartment House, one of leading collectives in the UK scene performing experimental and avant-garde music, created by cellist Anton Lukoszevieze in 1995.The programme features music by:Ramūnas MotiekaitisGretchen KorsmoTaku SugimotoBilly...

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New Commission: Vince Lamanga

New Commission: Vince Lamanga

RTF, with the Carducci Music Trust as co-commissioner, has commissioned Vince Lamanga to write his first string quartet for the Carducci Quartet to play (08/24).

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Eternal May: Idrîsî Ensemble

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,...

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Première in Tokyo

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

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Underground in Utrecht

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...

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New Release: “All Life Long” by Kali Malone

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...

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New Movement Collective: Les Noces

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)

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Echo Collective concerts

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...

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