Photograph © Paddy Ryan (white-necked raven above Mt Kilimanjaro)
In 2014 Bill walked up Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. Sitting beside his tent at basecamp, he watched white-necked ravens duetting, mid-air. This included flying in mirror formation – one upside down beneath the other – parting, then soaring directly towards each other and clasping talons. This aerial display in the oxygen-poor air at c. 5800m left a lasting impression and inspired the poem Circus which he set for SATB choir, solo soprano and solo piano for a commission from King’s School, Worcester. The piece is currently being revised.
More Fieldwork Pieces
Carrownagappul (2024)
Commissioned by the Harry Woolhouse Charitable Trust to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Imperial College Sinfonietta. Inspired by one of Europe’s major raised bogs, Carrownagappul, Co. Galway.
The Singing Glacier
For baroque ensemble. Collaborative response to glaciers, commissioned by The Little Baroque Company. In 2016 Bill and the poet Helen Mort climbed in East Greenland.
Unstartled Bird (2026)
Unaccompanied SATB. Started during Storm Darragh in 2024. Completed 2026.