Photograph © H. Spenceley, Pirhuk – Greenland Mountain Guides (Greenland expedition 2016)
Bill composes music inspired by immersive fieldwork, in collaboration with artists, scientists and outdoor specialists. He maintains a busy conducting career.
His latest orchestral composition, Carrownagappul, was commissioned by the Harry Woolhouse Trust for the 25th anniversary of Imperial College Sinfonietta and was inspired by fieldwork at Carrownagappul raised bog, Galway, in collaboration with photographer Tina Claffey. The premiere was at Imperial College, London in 2024. In 2018/19 he won a Finzi Scholarship to compose an orchestral piece inspired by Mountain Hares. Mountain Hare was premiered by Farnborough Symphony Orchestra in 2022; the fieldwork inspired the travel essay Composing with Hares which features in a Finzi Trust podcast. In 2016 Bill collaborated with poet Helen Mort on an exploratory climbing expedition in East Greenland for a commission from The Little Baroque Company. The Singing Glacier has been performed at festivals in London, Sheffield, Aldeburgh, Wells-next-the-Sea and Inchigeelagh, Cork. Helen’s poetry and the project were celebrated by Hercules Editions in a chapbook of the same name with paintings by Emma Stibbon RA. Upcoming projects include The Sea of Trees, involving sailing to the Faroe Islands to research birdsong and phytoplankton – the so-called ‘marine forest’. Bill is Artistic Director of St Albans Symphony Orchestra.
Bill studied English Literature with an organ scholarship at Pembroke College, Cambridge University. He then studied conducting with Martyn Brabbins at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (1998-2001) and with Ilya Musin in St Petersburg and Jorma Panula in Kuopio, Finland. His work as Music Director includes Elizabeth for the Royal Ballet in 2016 and 2018, and guest conducting with the Royal Oman Symphony. He was a bass-baritone soloist for many years, performing with groups including the London Mozart Players.
Bill is a passionate supporter of eco sail: the transport of people and cargo by wind ships.
(This biography starts with ‘Bill composes music inspired by fieldwork, etc.’ It may be reproduced. It may only be changed with permission. Please maintain the italics for piece titles.)
There is a shorter version here. Bill’s CV is available by return email.