Terry Holmes Composer/Performer Award Application

Composer: Oliver Pickup

Performer: Connor McLean (Trumpet)
Duration: c. 15 minutes
Instrumentation: Trumpet (solo), Flute(=Alto Flute), Oboe, Clarinet in Bb (=Bass
Clarinet), Horn, Trombone, Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Percussion (Tam-tam,
Wood blocks), Vibraphone, Piano, Live Electronics. TO BE ADVERTISED AS THE
CHIMERA ENSEMBLE
Our proposal plans to take an innovative approach to ensemble writing with a
soloist in a number of exciting and unique ways. The first of these will be the
utilisation of a silent brass mute. These mutes work by converting the sound
waves produced by the instrument into a digital signal which is then typically
reproduced through headphones. We would want to take this a step further by
having the mute connected to a PA system through a digital audio workstation.
Once the signal reaches the DAW, a variety of interesting approaches can be
taken to produce some very unique sounds. These include but are not limited to:
controllable reverb, delay, wah-wah, flange and chorus sounds. Using the silent
brass mute instead of simply playing into a microphone has the advantage that
very little of the raw trumpet sound will be heard; even less with the ensemble
also playing. The Music Department has access to a huge range of software plugins that can be used to achieve the desired sounds.
This piece will also make use of a pre-composed electronic track, produced in
Ableton, to be played over loudspeakers. To make the performance as unique as
possible, we would like to have it performed in the Rymer Auditorium in order to
utilise the 16.1 surround sound system.
The next area we plan to look at is the use of different lighting effects, similar to
the recent Juice concert but making more use of colour the lighting would
almost be a part of the piece rather than just enhancing it for the audience.
The music itself will be heavily based on Eastern sounding harmony such as the
Phrygian and Phrygian Dominant modes. This will be combined with aspects of
melodic improvisation in the solo part, and rhythmic/noise improvisation in the
ensemble. The structure of the piece will be split into three distinct sections over
15-20 minutes. The first section will be a building up a soundscape with little
melodic presence. It is in this first section that we will make the most use of the
surround sound effects to fully immerse the audience in the music. For the
second section, we will build of a definite sense of melody with related Eastern
harmony. We believe that using non-western sounds will keep the attention of the
audience as it is be something that they are not used to hearing. It will also be
exciting for the ensemble to perform for the same reasons. The final section will
focus on the stratification of musical material and how this is presented from
ensemble to audience.
To conclude, Connor and I are confident that this piece will be an avenue that the
Music Department has not been down in much detail before in a variety of ways.
The use of a trumpet soloist is something that is not seen very often in the York
Concert Series and has the potential to also attract new people into the world of

contemporary classical music. The use of the surround sound system in the
Rymer Auditorium will be a crucial part of brining our piece to new levels, as well
as showcasing what the Music Department is capable of producing. Finally, we
would like to use Chimera as our ensemble as although the instrumentation of
Chimera varies from piece to piece, having that connection will ensure that the
people who agree to play actually stick to their commitment as Chimera is a
departmental ensemble.