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BIOGRAPHY

David Nunn is a composer, arranger, and music educator based in London. His output encompasses instrumental, vocal, choral, and electronic music, and ranges from solo to orchestral in scope. Through his music, he aims to create an escapism for the listener, and his original music is often driven by circular processes and immersive textures.

He has written for groups such as The Hermes Experiment, Psappha, and the New London Children's Choir. His choral music has been performed by numerous choirs across Europe, in the US, and in the Far East, and his choral and electronic music is featured on the Choir of St. John's College, Cambridge's August 2023 release New Millenium.

David is a founder and co-director of Stomping Ground Collective, who in June 2024 released their debut album In the Room with Ensemble Renard and Julian Chan. The album features David's arrangements of Baroque music by Italian nun Isabella Leonarda alongside original compositions.

David is also active as an arranger, editor and copyist. He is comfortable arranging in a wide variety of musical styles, whether for professionals, amateurs, or pedagogical music for beginners. Recent projects include arrangements for Ensemble Renard and Julian Chan, Haringey Young Musicians Big Band with Haringey Vox, and Voce Chamber Choir.

 

He studied with Helen Grime at the Royal Academy of Music, where he won the RCS Muriel Dawson Award and Alan Bush Composition Prize, and he also studied with Julian Anderson and Christian Mason. His music is published non-exclusively by Black Dot Press.

If you would like to perform his music or commission a piece, please get in touch.

LIST OF WORKS

 

ORCHESTRA / LARGE ENSEMBLE

 

push / pull (2020) | 7’30 2sop, fl, cl, vib, pno(+elec), acc, va, vc

For the Sound and Vision festival at the Royal Academy of Music. Premiered by the Carte Blanche Ensemble, cond. Thomas Fetherstonhaugh, in the Angela Burgess Recital Hall, RAM.

 

hanabi (花火) (2019) | 4’30 orchestra: 3(3=picc).3(3=ca).3(3=bcl).3(3=cbsn) / 4.3.3.1 / timp.3 / hp / str(12.10.8.6.4)

Workshopped by Royal Academy of Music Symphonic Orchestra, cond. Christopher Austin, in Duke’s Hall, RAM.

 

becoming Spring, 1966 (2019) | 8’ 2fl, 2cl, 2tpt, 2tbn, tba, 2perc.

Performed as an installation at the Hepworth Gallery, Wakefield.

 

deerskins (2018) | 6’ fl (=afl), cl (=bcl), asax, bsn (=cbsn), hn, tpt, vn, vla, vc, pno, perc, elec.

Premiered by the Cambridge Composers’ Ensemble in Jesus College, Cambridge.

 

SMALL ENSEMBLE

 

lockwood (2022) | 6'30 wind quintet and piano

Commissioned by Stomping Ground for Ensemble Renard and Julian Chan. Performed at Pushkin House, London; RAM; Robinson College, Cambridge. Recorded and released on the album In the Room (2024). 

Reflection on Sonata Terza (2022) | 1'30 wind quintet and piano

Commissioned by Stomping Ground for Ensemble Renard and Julian Chan. Performed at Pushkin House, London; RAM; Robinson College, Cambridge. Recorded and released on the album In the Room (2024). 

 

Volunteer (2020) | 8’ soprano, violin, cello, cimbalom

Commissioned by Psappha. Poetry by Louise Wallwein. Performed at St. Michael's Ancoats.

 

textures of carrot (2020) | 8’ clarinet, cello, piano

Premiered by Mark Simpson, Zoë Martlew and Huw Watkins in the Angela Burgess Recital Hall, RAM.

 

then I might know like water | 3’30 fixed narration, violin, viola, cello, piano, electronics

Premiered by the Goodenough Ensemble, cond. Elias Peter Brown in Goodenough College, London.

 

antiquities (2019) | 11’ string quartet

Premiered by the Fidelio Quartet in the David Josefowitz Recital Hall, RAM.

 

this lunar beauty (2019) | 6’ soprano, harp, bass clarinet, double bass

Premiered by The Hermes Experiment in the David Josefowitz Recital Hall, RAM.

 

how we rotate (2019) | 10’ recorder trio

Premiered by Parandrus recorder trio in the Angela Burgess Recital Hall, RAM.

 

obscure sorrows (2018) | 16’ afl(=fl, =bfl), bcl(=cbcl), pno

Premiered by ensemble recherche in the Ensemblehaus, Freiburg as part of the Klassenarbeit initiative.

 

to go through the motions (2018) | 4’ mixed quintet: vn, vc (scord.), perc, ca, hn.

Workshopped by selected players from the BCMG in West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge.

prophetic stammering (2017) | 5’ wind quintet

 

Occhiolism (2016) | 6’ violin, alto saxophone, piano, sampler/electronics

Premiered at West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge.

 

SOLO & DUO

music in sixths (2023) | 5' viola duo

Commissioned by Stomping Ground for Duo Alti (Hannah Gardiner, Cameron Howe). Performed at The Old Church, Stoke Newington, and The Nave at St. Ethelburga's, Bishopsgate.

settle (2023) | 4'30 toy pianos

Commissioned by Stomping Ground for Kate Ryder. Performed at Siobhan Davies Studios, Elephant & Castle.

Rasen (2020) | 1'30 solo violin

Written for Emily Earl. Recorded in her home and released on YouTube.

 

Cairies (2020) | 13’ flute and harp

Commissioned by the Richmond Concert Society for Equinox Duo (Esther Beyer, Mina Middleton). Performed at St. Mary’s Church Twickenham.

 

étude ‘circlets’ (2020) | 6’30 solo piano

For George Fu. Performed and recorded in the Angela Burgess Recital Hall, RAM.

 

Capel Suite (2019) | 20’ clarinet and piano

Commissioned by Alastair Watson. Performed at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.

 

two materials (2019) | 5’ solo viola

Premiered by Rosalind Ventris at the 2019 Cheltenham Festival.

 

retina (2019) | 6’ solo harp

Recorded by Lauren Scott as part of the 2018 Psappha ‘Composing for…’ initiative.

 

Virginia Fragments (2018) | 15’ solo piano

Premiered by the composer at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.

 

simple songs (2018) | 8’ soprano saxophone, piano

Premiered by Rowan Hawitt and the composer at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge

 

Sonder (2013, rev. 2016) | 6’ alto saxophone, piano

 

VOCAL & CHORAL

 

Whispering Palms (2021) | 3'30 SATB

Commissioned by Voce Chamber Choir. Performed at Grosvenor Chapel, Mayfair.

oh pristine example (2019) | 7’ SATB with electronics

Commissioned by Andrew Nethsingha for the Choir of St. John’s College, Cambridge. Performed in St. John’s College, Cambridge. Recorded and released on the album New Millenium (2023).

 

The Goat and the Kid (2019) | 3’ SSA (children’s voices) with piano

Commissioned by Ronald Corp for the New London Children’s Choir. Performance cancelled due to Covid-19.

 

The Question (2019) | 6’ soprano, bass, piano (opera scene)

Workshopped by Elspeth Marrow and Ossian Huskinson in the David Josefowitz Recital Hall, RAM. Libretto by Martin Keady.

 

O lurcher-loving collier (2019) | 3’ SSA (solo voices) with violin

Premiered by Kath Roberts and Academy singers in the Angela Burgess Recital Hall, RAM.

 

Da pacem Domine (2018) | 3’ AATTBarB (solo voices)

For The Gesualdo Six. Performed at RAM.

 

Sitivit anima mea (2018) | 7’ SATB with electronics

Commissioned by Andrew Nethsingha. Premiered by the Choir of St. John’s College, Cambridge in St. John’s College, Cambridge.

SATB, organ, brass quintet. Recorded and released on the album New Millenium (2023).

Rearrangement for Michael Bawtree, Onyx Brass and The Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge, premiered at St. Bride’s Church, Fleet Street, London.

 

Rejoice we (2017) | 2’ SATB

Commissioned by Graham Walker. Premiered by St. John’s Voices, Cambridge in St. John’s College, Cambridge.

 

alleluia (2017) | 7’ soprano, two violins, piano, digital audio track

Premiered in the Angela Burgess Recital Hall, RAM.

 

Ave Maria (2017) | 4’ SSAATTBB (sop. solo)

Commissioned by Kavi Pau. Premiered by the Cambridge Bruckner Consort in Trinity College, Cambridge.

 

Three Campion Songs (2016-17) | 9’ SATB

Commissioned by Robin Walker. Premiered by the Choir of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge in Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.

FIXED MEDIA

November Day (2024) | 1'30

Samples of viola duo, music box, improvised e-piano and vocals, ambient sound.

Performed at The Old Church, Stoke Newington, and The Nave at St. Ethelburga's, Bishopsgate.

 

patchwork (2023) | 7'

Samples of music boxes, improvised e-piano

Performed at Siobhan Davies Studios, Elephant & Castle.

parabola music for eleven sine waves (2017) | 10’

Set up as an installation with accompanying graphic score in the McCrum Lecture Theatre, Cambridge.

ARRANGEMENTS

Trad. - The Rocky Road to Dublin | 3' Intermediate string orchestra with percussion

 

Daniel Caesar - Best Part | 5' Intermediate big band and vocal ensemble

Performed by Haringey Young Musicians Big Band and Haringey Vox at Finsbury Park.

 

Huw Warren - Yokate | 2' Beginner flutes, cellos, and percussion

Howard Shore - Lord of the Rings Suite | 5'30 Intermediate wind band

Performed by Haringey Young Musicians Intermediate Wind at Holy Innocents, Crouch End

Isabella Leonarda - Sonata Op. 16, No. 3 | 8'30 wind quintet and piano

Recorded by Ensemble Renard and Julian Chan, released on the album In the Room (2024)

Isabella Leonarda - Sonata Op. 16, No. 10 | 4' wind quintet

Recorded by Ensemble Renard, released on the album In the Room (2024)

Sigrid - Home to You | 4' STB solo voices with piano

Arranged for a friend's wedding

Sammy Cahn & Jimmy Van Heusen - The Secret of Christmas | 3' SATB choir

Performed by Voce Chamber Choir

Hugh Martin & Ralph Blane - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas | 2' SATB choir

Performed by Voce Chamber Choir

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