James Weeks: The Composers’ Fund
James Weeks is a composer and conductor specialising in new music. His music is performed and broadcast worldwide; recent works have been completed for Plus-Minus, Quatuor Bozzini, London Sinfonietta, New London Chamber Choir, Phoenix Piano Trio, EXAUDI, Alison Balsom, Apartment House and Anton Lukoszevieze.
His work is typically focused on music for soloists or small ensembles, exploring pared-down, ‘primary’ musical syntaxes and systems, with particular interests in modality, microtonality, modularity and indeterminacy. Major works include Schilderkonst (mixed ensemble, 2003-4), TIDE (ensemble and electronics, 2007-10), the South London Harmonies series (various ensembles, 2008-11), Mala punica/Walled Garden (eight voices and ensemble, 2008-9/2015), The Freedom of the Earth (chorus and instruments, 2011), Three Trios (piano trio and tapes, 2010-11) and Radical Road (voices with stones, 2014).
In 2002 he founded EXAUDI Vocal Ensemble with soprano Juliet Fraser. As well as maintaining a busy international touring and recording schedule with EXAUDI, he is in great demand as a guest conductor, working regularly with instrumental ensembles and orchestras such as Royal Northern Sinfonia, BBCSSO, London Sinfonietta, musikFabrik, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, L’Instant Donné, Ensemble 7Bridges and Endymion. He is Associate Head of Composition at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London.
The Composers’ Fund will support the creation a substantial piece for solo violin with the violinist Mira Benjamin, titled ‘Wind Fell’ to be toured in UK, North America and Scandinavia from 2017.