The Composer’s Toolkit

Nico Muhly (b.1981) is an American composer and sought-after collaborator whose influences range from American minimalism to the Anglican choral tradition. The recipient of commissions from The Metropolitan Opera, Carnegie Hall, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and others, he has written more than 80 works for the concert stage, including the opera Marnie (2017), which premiered at the English National Opera and was staged by the Metropolitan Opera in the fall of 2018. Muhly is a frequent collaborator with choreographer Benjamin Millepied and, as an arranger, has paired with Sufjan Stevens, Antony and the Johnsons and others. His work for stage and screen include music for the Broadway revival of The Glass Menagerie and scores for films including the Academy Award-winning The Reader. Born in Vermont, Muhly studied composition at the Juilliard School before working as an editor and conductor for Philip Glass. He is part of the artist-run record label Bedroom Community, which released his first two albums, Speaks Volumes (2006) and Mothertongue (2008). He lives in New York City.

Jo Thomas works as a composer and sound artist. As an artist, Jo is recognised in the UK and internationally. She has worked on public commissions for concerts, radio, galleries, sound walks, privately commissioned work. In her process, Jo works with electronic sound working mostly with glitch, with fine detail. In 2012, Jo Thomas won the Prix Ars Electronica Golden Nica in Digital Musics and Sound Art for her work Crystal Sounds of a Synchrotron. Her work has been performed in public spaces across the world. Her work is released by the label Entr’acte, Holiday Records, Naxos, NMC Recordings, The Tapeworm and Soft Apple. She has written electronic music for Vinyl and CD, bespoke instruments and has worked on a combination of very experimental work and commercial projects. Jo has been commissioned to write music for Civic Projects (Ports of Call, Sound Walking in East London). In 2019 the project Ports of Call was written about in The Routledge Handbook of Memory and Place. Jo currently runs a sound walking project in North London with her label Soft Apple. Jo identifies as being disabled and is an advocate fair access in the Arts. She is Vice-Chair of Sound and Music and is a Director in the Ivors Academy.

Jordan Rees’ music is regularly used in blockbuster film trailers by studios including Universal Pictures, Warner Brothers, 20th Century Fox, Lionsgate and Studio Canal and is used by major television broadcasters including BBC, ITV, SKY, HBO, MTV Channel 4 and Channel 5. Some of his orchestral music has been recorded by the Hungarian Studio Symphony Orchestra, the English Session Orchestra, and the Sofia Session Orchestra. Jordan graduated from the Guildhall School Of Music & Drama in 2017 with a 1st class degree, and received an award for exceptional performance.

Simmy Singh has always been keen to push her career far beyond the classical world and has developed a thriving career as a cross-genre violinist. She is leader of the Kaleidoscope Orchestra – who’s recent success with their ‘lockdown sessions’ series has seen them reach 50,000 subscribers, as well as appearances on BBC Radio 3 and BBC Breakfast. Simmy also co-founded the innovative Manchester Collective. A young classical organisation redefining the experience of the classical concert with eclectic programming of world class classical and experimental works presented in both concert halls and club venues around the UK. Highlights include their 2019 Sirocco tour with cellist, Abel Selaccoe – with performances in Switzerland, Kings Place, CLF Arts Cafe and a sold out performance at the Dora Stoutzker Hall in Cardiff.