DAVID NUNN
composer
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