Ghost Dances is a large-scale composition for Chamber Orchestra, commissioned by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Society. 

Premiere date: Wednesday 8th October, 19:30. 

Ghost Dances is a suite of three interrelated movements that exploration of momentum, repeating patterns and gesture, takinginspiration from the folkloric depiction of ghosts and ritualistic practices to ward off (and sometimes invite) spirits. In previous orchestral pieces, I have regularly used folklore and local stories as a source of musical inspiration. However, in Ghost Dances, I sought to explore something more abstract using the musical material as the narrative driving force, rather than the music fitting into a pre-existing extra-musical narrative. At the same time, I wanted to create something that really champions and showcases the pyrotechnics and colours found in an orchestra, as this was sound that initially drove me to become the composer I am today. The concerto form, particularly the concerto for orchestra, became the most suitable framework that would enable me to push my sound and orchestration in this piece, while also retaining my characteristic story-driven structure. Combining these musical and personal inspirations culminated in the title, Ghost Dances (Concerto for Chamber Orchestra).

From the outset, this piece is an energetic and dramatic work leaning into the nimbleness that can be achieved in a Chamber Orchestra, clearly marked in three sections through tempo and mood. However, rather than segregating each section into separate themes or melodies, I wanted to create a work that is cohesive to complement the dramatic contrasts prevalent throughout. Instead,the music revolves around three melodic fragments often characterised through their rhythm and interval content to unify the structure and material. The fragments are loosely drawn from old dance forms such as the gigue, forlane and sarabande, but now distorted with only hints of these rhythmic devices heard throughout the piece.

The piece opens with a frantic orchestral tutti, presenting the first fragments of material the skittish semiquaver pattern with percussive stabs in the brass, timpani and lower strings characterised by a pentatonic modality. After a while, the secondary fragment appears which is a slower, more melodic material which draws from the sarabande and forlane. After seemingly running out of momentum, the music becomes darker and brooding with a slithering ostinati between the celli and double basses signal the second section of Ghost Dances. This passage is reflective and more melodic focused. However, the opening material begins to seep into the calmness, building to an emphatic climax with brass fanfares to segue into the final section. 

This last dance acts as a small rondo, weaving together the previously heard material in-between a quaver motor rhythm. The piece ends with the music running out of control, with the dances becoming more frenetic and the rhythmic ostinati beginning to disintegrate - dawn is approaching.

By the end, the music has broken down to its intervallic content, with only glimmers of the past material heard before concluding with one final emphatic gesture by the orchestra, bringing this vibrant piece to a close.