Ballade of True Wisdom (2019) – SATB and piano – 4’30
Commissioned for a celebration on the Isle of Arran, this piece sets a poem by Andrew Lang. It argues that all one really needs to be happy is ‘a house full of books, and a garden of flowers’. The piece was written to be sung by a scratch choir at its premiere in August 2019 and is therefore quite simple with lots of unison and repetition. It would be very suitable for a community choir or as an encore.
Goodnight Soldiers (2018) – Children’s voices with piano and trumpet – 3′
Written for the centenary of the armistice, this piece sets specially-written words by poet Moyra Tourlamain. The music moves from a march to a lullaby, punctuated with trumpet calls. The piece was premiered on 10th November 2018 by the choir of Great Chesterford Primary Academy, in a concert as part of the UK-wide There But Not There commemoration. Below is a live recording.
Return to Nature (2018) – Choir with piano – 5’20”
The words are taken from a longer poem by WH Davies, heavily edited down. The piano part is quite rhythmically demanding in places, and often mimics birdsong.
A Living Monument (2017) – Choir with piano – 3’15’’ Sample PDF
This sets a poem from a memorial in Hereford Cathedral to Emily W Whitfield, who died aged 16 in 1826. The words speak of finding comfort after a bereavement.
The Pardoner’s Song (2017) – Choir with piano – 7’15’’
David Conte chose The Pardoner’s Song as the winning entry for Caritas Chamber Choir’s inaugural International Young Composer Competition in July 2017. The text is compiled from the General Prologue to the Canterbury Tales, as well as the Pardoner’s own prologue. This recording is from the concert of the competition final, with Benedict Preece conducting.
The Fitzwilliam Service (2017) – SATB with organ / SSA with organ
The Chapel Choir of Fitzwilliam College Cambridge commissioned this Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis originally for upper voices, and they were reworked for full choir to be taken on tour to Truro Cathedral. The recordings are of the first performance, using upper voices, with Richard Bateman conducting and Amalie Fisher at the organ.
What Cheer? Good Cheer! (2017) – Trebles with piano – 2’10’’
This exuberant piece was written for SignuptoSing Youth Choir, who premièred it in December 2017 in the Spirit of Christmas concert in Saffron Walden.
A New Year Carol (2016) – Unison vocal line with piano / soloist with piano – 2’20’’
This lively setting of traditional folk words plays with changing time signatures and would suit either unison voices or a solo singer.