Peter Reynolds - composer

British Composers Project
	Peter Reynolds

Peter Reynolds lives and works in South Wales. In 1987 he co-founded Ixion new music ensemble and more recently the Cardiff based PM Music Ensemble.
In 1993 his opera The Sands of Time was recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as a world record for the world's shortest opera at 3 minutes and 34 seconds.
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Moonsongs

Biographical Notes

Peter Reynolds was born in 1958 and studied in Cardiff. During the 1980s he received several bursaries to attend the Dartington Summer School where he studied with the late Morton Feldman and was awarded the Michael Tippett Award for Composition in 1986.

In 1987 he completed a chamber orchestral commission for the Dartington Summer School and Ixion new music ensemble mounted concerts in London, Brighton and Dartington. PM Music Ensemble was formed in 1990. He is currently the Artistic Director of the Lower Machen Festival in Monmouthshire.
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His music has been played by performers including Bingham string Quartet, James Clapperton, Icebreaker, the Guildhall Strings, London Chamber Players, Sterling String Quartet, Sharon McKinley, Charlie Barber + Band, Carlo Rizzi, Lesley Garret and his own PM Music Ensemble.

His music has been broadcast on Radio 3, BBC Wales and BBC Television. In addition he has also published articles in Tempo, Opera Now, Welsh Music and has been a contributor of programme notes to the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Welsh National Opera among others.
Selected Works

Rehersals 2002

Selected Works

Chamber Music

Bye, baby bunting (1987-93) - string trio
Duration 15 minutes Fp PM Music Ensemble, Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff: 7.5.93
Old King Cole (1994) vln, vc, fl, cl, pno.
Duration 11 minutes. Fp PM Ensemble, Welsh College of Music and Drama: 2.9.95
Hold not thy peace and be not still (1997)
fl, vc & pno. Duration 10 minutes
Commissioned by the Go West Festival. Fp: Nancy Ruffer, Tim Gill and Andrew Ball at Queens Hall, Narberth 27.9.97
Serenta lll (1999)
vln, vc, fl, cl, pno. Duration: 7 minutes
Fp: PM Music Ensemble, Norwegian Church Arts Centre, Cardiff Bay 20.5.99
Cheap Labour (1999)
2 euphoniums and 2 tubas. Duration 6 minutes.
Commissioned by the Vale of Glamorgan Festival. Fp: Tubalate, Tythe Barn, St. Donats Arts Centre 5.9.99
The Silver Apples of the Moon - Nocturnes for Wind Quintet (2002)
fl, ob, cl, hn, bsn. Duration: 15 minutes
Commissioned by Crwth Concert Series. Fp. Alauna Ensemble, Crwth Concerts, George Hall, Swansea: 28.2.02

Instrumental Music

Variations (1993) vc/pno
Duration 8 minutes. commissioned by Sound Affairs. Fp Sharon McKinley & David Appleton. City United Reformed Church, Cardiff: 29.5.93
Tango (1993)
Version for Two Pianos. Duration 7 minutes
Serenata l (1994) flute/guitar
Duration 9 minutes. Fp Lynne Plowman & Sally Hillier, Norwegian Church, Cardiff Bay: 14.10.94
Serenata ll (1994) ob, pno.
Duration 10 minutes
Ngòmbi Song (1998)
cl, pno. Duration 9 minutes
Fp: Verity Fielding and David Appleton. PM Concert Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea 7.5.98
Suite (2000)
solo cello. duration 15 minutes
Commissioned by the Countess of Munster Musical Trust with funds provided by the Arts Council of Wales
Fp: Alice Neary, Ystrad Mynach Music Club: 16.11.00

Choral Music

Turtle Soup (1994) Words by Lewis Carol
Duration 4 minutes. Commissioned by Cheryy Willingham Comprehensive School, Lincolnshire. 2 part song for children's voices with piano and optional percussion and recorders. Fp. Lincoln Cathedral: 14.10.95
A New Year Carol (1997) Words 15c anon. 2 part childrens song for childrens voices
Duration 4 minutes. Commissioned by Cherry Willingham Comprehensive School, Lincolnshire.
Barnacles (2000) Words: Martin Riley
2 part song with piano for childrens Voices. Duration 3 minutes

Works for Voices

The House of Alcinous (1997)
Words adapeted from Homer's Odyssey. Mezzo-soprano, vc, pno. Duration 9 minutes
Commissioned by the Sajori Ensemble with funds provided by the Arts Council of Wales. Fp: Sajori Ensemble, St David's Hall Cardiff 18.11.97
near Nicosia, Sicily, July 28 1943 (1998) Words: Geoff Dyer
Sorpano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, bass (or chamber choir). Duration 7 minutes
Commissioned by the Go West Festival with funds provided by the Arts Council of Wales. Fp: Singcircle, cond. Gregory Rose, Theatre Mwldan, Cardigan 16.10.98
Urban Songs (2002)
Words: Adey Grummet. Soprano, fl, cl, vc, pno.
Fp. Adey Grummet and PM Music Ensemble, Late Music Festival, York: 16.3.02

Stage Works

The Sands of Time - An Opera in Four Minutes (1993)
Sop.Bar.Chorus of 4 sops.fl.2 ob.2 sax.gsn.tp.perc. (or any pno accomp). Duration 4 minutes. commissioned by Cardiff Arts Marketing. Fp Cardiff City Centre 27.3.93

For further details, recordings, scores and parts, please e-mail Email

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