2019
'LONE YELLOW' SELECTED FOR HEBRIDES ENSEMBLE INTERNATIONAL COMPOSERS' SEMINAR
'Lone Yellow' for bass clarinet and piano will be performed by the Hebrides Ensemble in their 2019 International Composers' Seminar with Master of Queen's Music, Judith Weir.
Judith Weir will lead discussions on a wide range of compositional issues and techniques.
For more information and to get your FREE tickets for this event, please follow the link below.
https://www.hebridesensemble.com/events/event/international-composers-seminar-with-judith-weir/
2018
'FAULT KLANG' BROADCAST ON BBC RADIO 3 'HEAR AND NOW'
"Tom McKinney introduces a programme which introduces some of the next generation of British composers, several of whom featured in a recent concert given in St Michael's Ancoats, Manchester, given by Psappha as part of their young composer mentoring scheme ".... Composing For"." (from BBC Radio 3 Hear and Now page).
Performed by Psappha's clarinetist Dov Goldberg on February 15, 2018. Catch it now on BBC iPlayer (from 25'20")
2017
JAMES ANNOUNCED WINNER OF 2016/17 SIR JACK LYONS CELEBRATION AWARD
"This annual award was set up in memory of Sir Jack Lyons by his widow, Lady Roslyn Lyons The award recognises Jack's unfailing support for creative musicians, and is intended to allow the recipient to undertake a significant creative musical project, culminating in a public musical performance. As part of the award, and in addition, there is a possibility for the successful applicant to have a short period of residence at the Banff International Arts Centre in Alberta, Canada.
One of Jack's most cherished pieces was Leonard Bernstein's Chichester Psalms. This competition asks applicants to outline an innovative project that is in some way inspired by that work. For example, a composer might propose a new setting of these or other psalms, or a work that uses related Hebrew texts."
- University of York, Music Department.
As an outcome of the award, James will write a new work for the University of York Symphony Orchestra. The new work is set be premiered in March 2018 - please keep an eye out for details later in the year.
LIGETI QUARTET DUE TO WORKSHOP 'STRING QUARTET NO.1, ERRATIC' IN FEBRAURY
The Ligeti Quartet will visit the University of York Music Department and workshop student string quartets. Last year, String Quartet, No.1, Erratic saw Quatuor Diotima workshop Movements I and III. In this workshop, the Ligeti Quartet will work on Movement II.
SCAW DUO TO WORKSHOP NEW WORK
Sarah Watts (bass clarinet) and Antony Clare (piano) visit the University of York Music Department for two workshops. The first to work though sketches for the duo and second to workshop and perform the final piece.
'THE FIFTH ELEMENT' PUBLISHED ON COMPOSERS EDITION THIS JANUARY
James' The Fifth Element, for solo oboe is published by Composers Edition as part of James Turnbull's New Oboe Music collection.
Check out http://composersedition.com/newoboecollection for further details.
JAMES IS JANUARY'S NEW OBOE MUSIC PROJECT FEATURED COMPOSER
January sees a great start to the year as James is featured composer as part of the New Oboe Music Project, an initiative founded in 2015 by English oboist James Turnbull. The aim of the feature is to raise the profile of James' The Fifth Element, for solo oboe, a piece commissioned through York's Late Music Series and premiered by Souza Wind's Dave Benfield.
Check out http://newoboemusic.org for further details.
2016
‘TWENTY MIRRORS’ AT POSTGRADUATE FORUM
twenty mirrors is a work in progress for two pianos, Indian elephant bells and electronics. Sketches from this work will be performed (by Alice Masterson and Sophie Adams) and discussed at the Postgraduate Forum Day Composition Workshop at the University of York, chaired by composer/sound artist Federico Reuben. September 28th.
FINAL DAY OF THE PSAPPHA ‘WRITING FOR CLARINET SCHEME’
March 25th sees the final day of the amazing three-month ‘writing for clarinet scheme’, through which I have had the pleasure of working closely with Psappha’s very own Dov Goldberg. The day will consist of filming and recording Fault Klang along with new works by the other composer’s involved in the project, of which I’m looking forward to hearing.
Check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1XGveF9ZXs to watch the film.
QUATOR DIOTIMA TO WORKSHOP STRING QUARTET
Quatuor Diotima workshop the final version of the quartet one year after the initial workshop of the first sketches.
Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, Department of Music, University of York, February 16th.
COMPOSITION SEMINAR AT YORK ST. JOHN UNIVERSITY
On February 15th, James will be present and discuss his most recent music with the MA Composition students at York St. John University.
HIGHLIGHTS UP TO 2015
SELECTED FOR PSAPPHA ENSEMBLE 'WRITING FOR CLARINET SCHEME
James is one of six composer's selected for Psappha ensemble’s ‘writing for Clarinet Scheme’. He will working closely with Psappha’s clarinetist Dov Goldberg through three 1:1 rehearsal sessions; culminating in a day of filming and recording at the end of March.
LATE MUSIC FEATURED COMPOSER OF THE MONTH FOR AUGUST 2014
Check out http://bit.ly/2i6BRYI to read a short interview about the featured work (Staten Crossing I-VIII, for Saxophone Quartet) and a little about my writing process at the time.
‘THE HOLE OF HORCUM’ RECEIVES OVERSEAS BROADCAST
The Hole of Horcum accordion concerto, performed by Franko Bozac will be broadcast on Radio 3 Beograd (Serbia) on April 27th 2013.
FIONA TALKINGHAM BROADCASTS ‘IN MEMORIAM’
The BBC Radio 3 Late Junction, hosted by Fiona Talkingham will broadcast In Memoriam on November 22nd 2012. This follows the release of the Lunar Saxophone Quartet 's new album Flux.
‘IN MEMORIAM’ IS A WINNER
In November 2007 at The Warehouse, London, In Memoriam becomes the winning piece of the Lunar Saxophone Quartets inaugural young composers competition. The piece was subsequently recorded on the quartets album ‘Flux’ (released 2012)