SEVN-My first commission
I was delighted when British composer Libby Croad agreed to write me a short piece for solo viola.
Although it fell outside the original remit of my award, I decided I would like to start on a journey of commissioning my own pieces. My budget was small, so commissions can only be a few minutes long but it is so exciting to be able to interact with the composer throughout the journey. This is such an interesting process as you are able to discuss with the composer what subjects are particularly interesting you at this time and what style of music you enjoy.
For me as a player, I really love music that makes the most of the rich and sonorous sound of the viola and if I’m honest, that is sometimes lacking in contemporary writing. This was an opportunity to create bespoke work that not only fits my instrument but reflects my passions. My work is very much centered around gender equality and feminism and I was delighted when Libby suggested writing a piece based on the suffragette movement, as she had recently finished reading about this time in history and was also interested in women’s rights. I loved this idea and was thrilled when she sent me “Deeds not Words”.
It starts with a very lyrical, sombre opening, allowing the player to get into the C string and enjoy that resonance. Then it breaks into a really fun dance like section, with double stops and clipped rhythms, accelerating to the end of passages, giving the effect of excitement and nerves. The lyrical section then returns and develops before a short recap of the rhythmic section. The end dies away softly and you are left unsure whether this particular deed was a success or not for the character!
It is honestly one of my favourite pieces to play just now and I was also lucky that it arrived in my inbox whilst I was at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre with my Creation Artist colleagues. I invited a few of the dancers to come and hear it, which resulted in a beautiful improvisation from them. I hope to pair it with movement in performance as its rhythm and change of pace really seems to suit dance.
Having just received the manuscript from Libby I invited dancers Ali Clarke and Laia Santanach to improvise as I had my first play through. It was a magical few minutes which I truly hope we will be expand on in the future.
Composer Libby Croad
Libby Croad is a composer, arranger and violinist based in London. She studied violin and composition at the Royal Academy of Music, where she developed her love of choral, string and piano writing.
Libby’s choral music is popular with choirs and audiences alike and her new versions of traditional Christmas carols have been particularly well received. Her setting of Silent Night has been performed many times by the Choir of Girton College, Cambridge and their rendition was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in December 2019. It was most recently performed by the BBC Singers on BBC Radio 3 in 2020, and has been published by Multitude of Voyces in a new anthology of Sacred Music by women composers and can be purchased here.
Her string music is highly acclaimed, and has been performed by some of the UK’s best professional orchestras. Libby’s Suite for String Orchestra was recently performed by the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra and broadcast on Classic FM.
