News
Eternal December
Eternal December concludes the launch year of the Eternal series curated by Sasha Elina and supported by RTF with a showcase of the choral performance Container written and directed by Alan Fielden, with music from Tim Cape (Bastards Assignments), prefaced by an act...
New Release: Piatti Quartet play Joseph Phibbs
The Piatti string quartet’s new album of 3 string quartets by composer Joseph Phibbs is now released on CD and digitally through Nimbus. String Quartet no.4 was commissioned by RTF, and received its London première at the CD launch concert at King’s Place on 8th...
Première: Marijn & Julia at Het Concertgebouw
Julia Sinclair (soprano) and Marjin Cinjee (4DSound electronics) will be performing the world première of their RTF commissioned compositions based on the chants of Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) at Het Concertgebouw Amsterdam, as the final concert of the Aural...
Première: Joseph Phibbs at Kings Place
The Piatti Quartet will be playing the prèmiere 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
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...
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).
New Release: “Mirror Image” Echo Collective
Echo Collective’s new EP “Mirror Image” is released today on CD and digital by Naive Records. The EP started life as a spatial performance commissioned by RTF created at MONOM in Berlin and premiered at Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw in December 2022 (05/24)
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...
Amsterdam concerts
Two RTF commissions will be played in Amsterdam in November - Claire M Singer’s “Saor” will premiere at Het Orgelpark on 11th November 2023, and the Ives Ensemble will playing RTF’s first ever commission, “Quintet” (2011) by Laurence Crane, at Muziekgebouw on 30th...
In the Studio: quatro quadri
Just back from Amsterdam recording for a CD with composer Richard Rijnvos, organist Jan Hage and tonmeister Hans Erblich. Richard wrote the 42 minute “quattro quadri” in 2018 for Jan, and we plan release it on a double CD with a similar length harpsichord piece being...
Premiere: Kali Malone at Stone Nest
Kali will be playing the world premiere of “Carved Windswept in Stone“, the second part of her RTF commission, on the 4DSOUND Spatial System at Stone Nest, London on 3rd and 4th May 2023. Tickets available here (03/23) Photo: Mauricio...
Premiere: Alex Groves at Stone Nest
Alex will be playing the world premiere of “Layer Upon Layer Upon Layer“, a work commissioned by RTF, on the 4DSOUND Spatial System at Stone Nest, London on 25th April 2023. Tickets available here (03/23)
Premiere: Robert Curgenven at Stone Nest
Robert will be playing the world premiere of “Unstable Steady States (A/B/F - extended)“, the first part of his RTF commission, on the 4DSOUND Spatial System at Stone Nest, London on 28th April 2023. Tickets available here (03/23)
New Commission: Nicole Raymond
RTF has commissioned "Eternities" a new long form spatial electronic composition by Oram Award winning composer Nicole Raymond (NikNak), due to premiere on 1 May 2023 at Stone Nest in London. Tickets available here (03/23)
New Commission: Alex Groves
RTF has commissioned a new long form spatial electronic composition by Ivor Novello-nominated composer Alex Groves, due to premiere on 25 April 2023 at Stone Nest in London. Tickets available here (12/22) Photo: Sam Le Roux
New Commission: Nathan James Dearden
RTF is supporting, with the Pride Network (BNP Paribas Banking), a new song cycle by award winning composer Nathan James Dearden, due to premiere in August 2023. (10/22) Photo: Catrin Arwel
Spatial Sound: Concertgebouw
Three spatial works made in 4DSOUND and supported by the Foundation will be performed at Aural Spaces in Amsterdam Concertgebouw between 16 and 18 December - by Echo Collective, Rakhi Singh, and Casimir Geelhoed. (10/22)
espaço agora now
We are supporting this ambitious new project to create an international network of large scale spaces hosting residencies for performance artists, with plans to open in Rotterdam, Lisbon, Buenos Aires, Belgrade and London by 2024 . Details here. (9/22)
Spatial Sound: Casimir Geelhoed
The foundation has given a grant to Casimir Geelhoed to support the creation of Scatter, Swarm, Sublimate, a composition for spatial sound to be premiered in Berlin in November at MONOM's Spatial Festival . (08/22)
Concert Series: MONOM Berlin
We are helping Brussels based Echo Collective (Neil Leiter, Margaret Hermant and Fabien Leseure) to create and perform a new composition in spatial sound at MONOM on 9th July 2022. Echo Collective have worked previously with the Foundation on recording and performing...
Premiere: Gavin Higgins at Aldeburgh
The Piatti Quartet, David Cohen and Sara Roberts will be playing the world premiere of Gavin Higgins' RTF commission "Ekstasis" at the Aldeburgh Festival on 18th June 2022. Tickets available here (06/22)
Concert series: MONOM Berlin
We are helping violinist Rakhi Singh create and perform a spatialised violin and electronics concert at MONOM on 11th June 2022. Works include "Lad" by Julia Wolfe, originally for 9 bagpipes, and compositions by composers Edmund Finnis, Alex Groves, Emily Hall, and...
Premiere: Kali Malone at Orgelpark
Kali will be playing the world premiere of the first part of her RTF organ commission on the Van Straten Organ at Het Orgelpark, Amsterdam on 10th June 2022. Tickets available here (05/22)
Our first decade
We’ve just filed our 10th annual report. Over the last decade we’ve helped 27 composers from 12 countries create new pieces of music; made 51 grants totalling £370,000; spent £60,000 on performances of new works at over 40 concerts; and recorded and released 18...
Concert series: MONOM Berlin
We helped Australian sound artist Oren Ambarchi create a spatial mix of his forthcoming album "Shebang" at MONOM in March, featuring Ambarchi on guitars and whatnot with special guests. Mixed in 4DSOUND by Tilo von Ketelhodt, William Russell & Oren Ambarchi. A...
In the Studio: A Year in Paris
Just back from a weekend at Wyastone Concert Hall recording for our next CD with Claire Booth, Andrew Matthews-Owen and producer sound engineer Raphaël Mouterde - 23 songs written in Paris between 1913 and 1914, including some that have never been performed (03/22).
New Commission: Joseph Phibbs
RTF, with the Hattori Foundation as co-commissioner, has commissioned Joseph Phibbs to write his fourth string quartet for the Piatti Quartet to play, and to record along with his Quartets no.2 and no.3. (11/21).
Blog update
Richard posted one of his very occasional updates to his blog about recently released piano music he enjoyed over the last year.
New Release: “Ekstasis” by Gavin Higgins
We held a launch party for our latest CD, “Ekstasis” by Gavin Higgins, at Stone Nest in London. Cellist David Cohen and the Piatti Quartet played the sextet "Ekstasis" (commissioned by RTF in 2019); Thomas Gould played the "Welsh Folk Songs" for solo violin, both...
Concert series: MONOM Berlin
The second performance in our co-commissioned Autumn Series is "Marvin's Dream" - a spatialised music and dialogue based performance with a script mostly written by AI technology. Performance on 30 October - tickets available here....
New Commission: Robert Curgenven
As the third composer in our New Organ Works series, we’ve commissioned Robert Curgenven to create 2 new works at Het Orgelpark Amsterdam, and MONOM Sound Berlin. (10/21)
Concert series: MONOM Berlin
We co-commissioned a number of artists to work at MONOM Berlin over the Autumn to create new spatial sound pieces. The series started with C.P.I who presented their new work at 3 sold out concerts on 17 September at MONOM details here (9/21)
Laurence Crane
In celebration of his 60th birthday, we are supporting the “Festival of Laurence Crane” (07/21)
New recording: A Year in Paris
We are working again with musicians Claire Booth and Andrew Matthews-Owen on a CD of songs written in Paris in 1913-14. We’ll be in the recording studio in Spring 2022 with planned release in Autumn 2022. (05/21)
Kali Malone in Nantes
Kali Malone previewed some of her RTF commissioned compositions at the on-line Nantes Festival Variations on 28 March, 18.00 CET in a performance in La Chapelle de l'Immaculée with Stephen O'Malley and the choral Macadam Ensemble. (03/21)
BBC R3: Gavin Higgins
A new orchestral version for the BBC Symphony Orchestra of “Sadly now the Throstle Sings“ by Gavin Higgins, commissioned by RTF in 2012, was broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on 24 November (11/20)
Claire M Singer shortlisted for Ivor Composer Awards
“gleann ciùin” by Claire M Singer, a co-commission by RTF with the PRS New Music Biennial, is on the Large Chamber shortlist for the Ivor Composer Awards (11/20)
(Im)possible Bodies Arts Festival
“Nymphea” a song from the album “Bleke” commissioned by RTF from Aski, is the theme music for the Dutch arts festival (IM)POSSIBLE BODIES, opening on-line on 23 October. (10/20)
New release: “Alianza” by CPI
Alianza, a new album by CPI (Hugo Capablanca and Marc Piñol) commissioned by RTF now released on-line, and on vinyl in October (8/20)
RTF recording shortlisted for Opus Klassik prize
Our recording of Jóhann Jóhannsson’s RTF commission “12 Conversations with Thilo Heinzmann” performed by the Echo Collective nominated for the German “Opus Klassik” prizes in 3 categories: Kammermusik-Quartett, Ensemble/Orchester des Jahres; and Klassik Ohne Grenzen...
New Commission: Claire M Singer
We've commissioned Claire M Singer to create 2 new works at Het Orgelpark Amsterdam, and MONOM Sound Berlin. (6/20)
New Commission: Kali Malone
We've commissioned Kali Malone to create 2 new works at Het Orgelpark Amsterdam, and MONOM Sound Berlin. (4/20) Details here
Concert: Café Oto
The Foundation supported a performance of new compositions by John Lely and Laurence Crane at the concert programme "840, fifth anniversary concert" at Café Oto in London on 31 January. (1/20)
Exhibition: Pinar & Viola
A video art piece embodying AI and biotech “Panspermia” commissioned from Pinar & Viola is on display in Berlin at Bethanien from 17/12 to 05/01 and at Art Rotterdam from 05/02 to 08/02. See the video here (1/20)
Ivor Composer Awards
Congratulations to two Ivor composer winners, Charlotte Bray in the category of solo and duo, for her composition "Invisible Cities" - which we recorded and released last year; AND to Gavin Higgins, who we have now commissioned twice, winner in the orchestral category...
Concert: Jonathan Dove
Jonathan Dove's "Letters from Claude" commissioned by the Foundation was performed on 8 December at the Wigmore Hall, London, by Claire Booth and Sue Bickley accompanied by pianist Andrew Matthews-Owen as part of Jonathan's 60th birthday concert. (12/19)
New Release: “Riflessi” by Richard Rijnvos
We recorded Richard Rijnvos's "Riflessi" in Amsterdam in January 2019 with Ives Ensemble at Het Orgelpark. The CD was launched at concerts in Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ, Amsterdam, and at the Purcell Room, Southbank, London on 28 October 2019 (10/19)
New Release: “Bleke” by Aski
We released enigmatic Swedish singer-songwriter Aski's first recording, Bleke, on 1st December. Listen on Spotify or buy on Bandcamp (10/19)
New Release: “12 Conversations with Thilo Heinzmann” by Jóhann Jóhannsson
Echo Collective launch their recording of the RTF commission “12 Conversations with Thilo Heinzmann” by Jóhann Jóhannsson in a concert at Funkhaus Berlin Saal 1 on 20 September. Further performances include Barbican London on 3 November. The record is released as LP...
New Commission: Gavin Higgins
We've commissioned Gavin Higgins to write a string sextet on the theme of "ecstasy". (8/19)
Concert: Éliane Radigue
The Foundation supported a performance of Éliane Radigue's Occam XXVI (2018) by the percussionist Enrico Malatesta at the concert programme "Music We'd Like to Hear 2019" in London on 12 July. (07/19)
New Commission: Claire M Singer
With the PRS we’ve co-commissioned Claire M Singer to create a new work for the PRS New Music Biennial. Her piece, gleann ciùin, was performed with the London Contemporary Orchestra at the Southbank London on 5 July and in Hull on 14 July. (07/19)
New Commission: Oliver Coates
We supported Renaud Wiser Dance Company's commissioning of composer Oliver Coates for Renaud’s choreography and performances of "Smoke Screens" (05/19)
New Release: “Songs and Vexations”
"Songs and Vexations", is now released! The CD includes a new composition by Jonathon Dove (“Letters from Claude” commissioned by RTF), and was recorded by soprano Claire Booth, mezzo Sue Bickley and pianist Andrew Matthews-Owen in Monmouth in late May 2018. (03/19)
In the Studio
Following on from a session with Echo Collective at Jet Studio in Brussels last October, we had two recording sessions in January - in Amsterdam at Het Orgelpark with Ives Ensemble recording "Riflessi" by Richard Rijnvos, for release in October 2019, and in Berlin at...
New Release: “Chamber and Solo works” by Charlotte Bray
We recorded Charlotte’s second album in Bremen in May 2018 with the Mariani Klavierquartett, Amaryllis string quartet, and pianist Huw Watkins, with a launch concert at the Purcell Room, Southbank in London on 16 October 2018 (10/18)
In the Papers
Financial Times article about commissioning music includes an interview with Richard Thomas (01/18)
World Première: “Letters from Claude” by Jonathan Dove
160 people attended our latest concert including the world première of our Jonathan Dove commission "Letters from Claude" in what was one of the first concerts in the newly reopened Purcell Room at the Southbank Centre (3/18)
In Memoriam: Jóhann Jóhannsson
We deeply mourn the sad loss of our dear friend Johánn Johánnsson.(2/18)
New Commission: Jonathan Dove
We've commissioned Jonathan Dove to write a song duet for Claire Booth and Sue Bickley, accompanied by pianist Andrew Matthews-Owen. The piece will be based on the correspondence between Debussy, his wife, and his lover Emma Bardac (pictured) (11/17)
New Release: Kendall, Phibbs, Tabakova
Following our recording in Budapest in July 2017, our new piano CD now released - Andrew Matthews-Owen playing piano music by Hannah Kendall, Dobrinka Tabakova, and a set of Piano Preludes we commissioned from Joseph Phibbs. (10/17)
Ives Ensemble recording shortlisted for Gramophone Awards
Our recording of music by Laurence Crane, including the RTF Commission "Quintet" for piano and string quartet, was released in March 2017 with launch concerts at de Duif in Amsterdam and Purcell Room, Southbank London. It has been shortlisted for the 2017 Gramophone...
BBC R3: Charlotte Bray
Charlotte Bray's Yellow Leaves, commissioned by RTF, was performed by Claire Booth and Andrew Matthews-Owen was on Radio 3 at the end of an international women's day broadcast (03/17)
In the Papers
Classical Music Magazine published an article on the Foundation here (09/16)
BBC R3: Charlotte Bray
Excerpts from Charlotte Bray's "Yellow Leaves" commissioned by RTF were performed as part of BBC Proms and broadcast on Radio 3 (08/16)
New Release: Alec Roth
We held two launch concerts for our first CD - a recording of string quartets composed by Alec Roth, performed by the Allegri Quartet - at the Conway Hall in London on 22 May 2016, and at Piano Salon Christophori in Berlin on 25 May 2016.
In the Papers
Presto Classical interviewed Richard here about the new Alec Roth CD (5/16)
Gavin Higgins shortlisted for RPS Awards
Gavin Higgins shortlisted for the Royal Philharmonic Society's large scale composition award for Dark Arteries - a piece based on the original RTF Commission Sadly Now the Throstle Sings (4/16)
World Premières: Jóhann Jóhannsson & Hildur Guðnadóttir
World Premières of two new RTF commissions by Icelandic composers Jóhann Jóhannsson "12 Conversations with Thilo Heinzmann" and Hildur Guðnadóttir "Prepared Listening" were performed to an audience of 250 at Conway Hall, London (16/4/16)