Commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic Society, as 2017 Composition Prize Winner, for players from the Philharmonia Orchestra and premiered in their Music of Today Series. It was premiered by the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Anna-Maria Helsing at the Royal Festival Hall. It has been released on the NMC record label.
Written for Flute (doubling picc.), Clarinet (doubling Bass Clarinet), Oboe, Trumpet, Trombone, Piano, Percussion and string quintet.
I have a poetry book by Caleb Klaces on my shelf at home, and as I was naming Ink - which was towards the end of the writing process - I was looking at it. The book is called ‘Bottled Air’, and it always gives me the image of capturing the writer’s breath and bottling it into ink. I like the kick of the K at the end of the little word ‘ink’, and it seems suitable for this piece, which starts with a playful sort of kick, before drifting into softer, airier, spaces.