John Palmer (1959) is a British composer, pianist, musicologist, and university professor. His compositions are published by Composers Edition. He has held academic posts at the University of Oxford, the University of Hertfordshire, and the University of Music and Performing Arts of Stuttgart.

Life

John Palmer began his music career as a pianist in the mid-seventies. In the 1980s he continued his piano studies with Grazia Wendling and Eva Serman at the

Lucerne School of Music The Lucerne School of Music (''Hochschule Luzern – Musik'') is a professional school for musicians located in Lucerne, Switzerland, and closely associated with the city's annual music festival. It is a division of the Lucerne University of Appl ...

(Musikhochschule Luzern), where he also studied composition with

Edison Denisov Edison Vasilievich Denisov (, 6 April 1929 – 24 November 1996) was a Russian composer in the so-called " Underground", "alternative" or "nonconformist" division of Soviet music. Biography Denisov was born in Tomsk, Siberia. He studied math ...

and

Vinko Globokar Vinko Globokar (born 7 July 1934) is a French-Slovenian avant-garde composer and trombonist. Globokar's music uses unconventional and extended techniques, places great emphasis on spontaneity and creativity, and often relies on improvisation. H ...

. He continued his composition studies in London at

Trinity College of Music Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance is a music, dance, and musical theatre conservatoire based in South East London. It was formed in 2005 as a merger of two older institutions – Trinity College of Music and Laban Dance Centre. Trini ...

Royal Holloway, University of London Royal Holloway, University of London (RH), formally incorporated as Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, is a public university, public research university and a constituent college, member institution of the federal University of London. It ...

and at

City University London City, University of London was a public university from 1966 to 2024 in London, England. It merged with St George's, University of London to form City St George's, University of London in August 2024. The names "City, University of London" and ...

where he obtained a PhD titled "Formal Strategies in Composition" in 1994. Further studies include composition with

at the Dartington Summer School and privately with Jonathan Harvey, Analysis with Jonathan Cross at the University of Bristol, and Conducting with Alan Hazeldine at the

Guildhall School of Music And Drama The Guildhall School of Music and Drama is a music school, music and drama school located in the City of London, England. Established in 1880, the school offers undergraduate and postgraduate training in all aspects of classical music and jazz al ...

in London. Since 1987 Palmer has written more than 130 compositions for opera, music theatre, orchestral, instrumental, vocal, chamber music, and electroacoustic music. Several of Palmer’s early compositions have been archived in the British Music Collection, a national database of British composers established in the 20th century. Palmer has taught at th
University of Oxford, Department of External Studies
(1990-1995
The University of Hertfordshire
(1995-2000) and is Professor of Listening Education at the

State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart The State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart is a professional school for musicians and performing artists in Stuttgart, Germany. Founded in 1857, it is one of the oldest schools of its kind in Germany. It is one of the oldest and ...

Music

In the 1980s, the music of John Cage and free-jazz influenced the aleatoric aesthetic of Palmer’s early chamber works, an approach which he later rejected. In the early 1990s, Palmer delved into the European avant-garde and electroacoustic music, two directions that will have a profound impact on his future musical output. By the end of the 1980s Palmer developed a distinctive musical language including techniques of spectral music and a sensitivity for sonic spaces often articulated on the threshold of silence. Many of his works from this period bear references to Eastern cultures, such as Zen, (''Koan'' (1999), ''Satori'' (1999), ''Still'' (2001), and ''Waka'' (2003)) and Tibetan Buddhism (''Hinayana'' (1999), ''Shambhala'' (1993)). However, the meditative nature of this influences often intertwines with the virtuosity of 20th-century European modernism, characterising a kind of lyricism that reflects a strong search for communication. This feature is apparent in many instrumental and chamber music works, such as the ''Second String Quartet'' (1997), ''Transitions'' (2000), ''Over'' (2006), ''Transparence'' (2015), and the opera ''Re di Donne'' (2019) where instrumental virtuosity is reinforced by electronics. The fusion of acousmatic music and instrumental virtuosity can be heard in works like ''Epitaph'' (1997), ''Encounter'' (1998), ''Transfiguration'' (2006), ''Transient'' (2008), ''Thereafter'' (2013), ''Transparence'' (2015).

Selected works

Opera

*''Re di Donne'' (2019) Chamber Opera in One Act, for 4 singers and ensemble with electronics

Orchestra

*''Omen'' (1991) for orchestra and choir *''There'' (1992, rev. 2019) for string orchestra with string quartet *''Concertino'' (1994) *''Hypothetical Questions'' (1992 rev. 2011) *''Piano Concerto'' (2005) for piano (tuned microtonally), orchestra and choir *''Double Concerto for Violin and Cello'' (2016) *''Not Two'' (2017) for orchestra

Ensemble

*''Asgard'' (1987- rev. 2001) for 2 speakers and ensemble (fl, cl, vl, vla, vc, pno, electronics) *''Koan'' (1999) for shakuhachi and ensemble (fl, ob, clar, perc, pno, vl, vla, vc) *''Waka'' (2003) for percussion and ensemble (fl, ob, cl, pno, vl, vla, vc) *''Legend'' (2008) for harp and ensemble *''You'' (2008) for trombone and ensemble *''Transparence'' (2015) for viola and ensemble with electronics *''Blurring definitions'' (2016) fl, cl, bs, perc, 2 vl, vla, vc, db

Music Theatre

*''Utopia'' (1989-rev. 2019) for mezzosoprano, wind quartet and electronics

Chamber music

*''First String Quartet'' (1986) *''Hellawes'' (1991) flute trio *''Theorem'' (1995) violin, cello, piano *''Second String Quartet'' (1996) *''Encounter'' (1998) harpsichord, world percussion, electronics *''Between'' (2000) violin and harpsichord *''Transitions'' (2000) violin, clarinet, cello, piano *''Still'' (2001) bass flute, 6 & 12-string guitar, viola *''Nowhere'' (2003) clarinet, piano, electronics *''Afterglow'' (2006) alto flute, piano, electronics *''Transference'' (2010) flute, clarinet, violin, cello and piano *''Crossing dialogues'' (2013) violin, cello, vibraphone and piano *''Of Shadows Unveiled'' (2013) flute, bass clarinet and piano *''Towards the soul'' (2015) trombone quartet *''Conditional action'' (2016) two flutes *''Alba'' (2016) violin, viola, cello, piano *''Transgression'' (2011, rev. 2023) solo cello, violin, flute,piano

Instrumental

*''Hieroglyphs'' (1985–86) piano *Three Preludes (1987) piano *''Poem for the Absurd'' (1987) piano *''Musica Reservata'' (1989) piano *''Shambhala'' (1990) piano *''Satori'' (1999) harpsichord *''Hinayana'' (1999) oboe *''Mosaic'' (1998) harpsichord *''Drang'' (1999) accordion *''Without'' (2004) violin *''Almost'' (2006) cello *''Over'' (2006) violin *''En avant'' (2006) piano *''Se potessi'' (2011) piano *''Eulogy'' (2013) piano *''Verso l’alto'' (2014) viola *''Three Haikus'' (2014) shakuhachi *''Hypothesis'' (2017) percussion *''Yahari'' (2017) guitar *''Lux Vivens'' (2022) cello *''Lux Ardens'' (2023) cello *''Lux Serena'' (2024) cello *''Lux Obscura'' (2025) cello

Electroacoustic (including acousmatic)

*''Beyond the bridge'' (1993) cello and electronics *''Renge-kyo'' (1993) piano and electronics *''Encounter'' (1998) harpsichord, world percussions, electronics *''...as it flies...'' (2001) tape *''Transfiguration'' (1999–2006) trombone and electronics *''I am'' (2002) tape *''After silence 1'' (2005) piano and electronics *''Inwards'' (2005–06) bass flute and electronics *''In the Temple'' (2006–07) tape *''Present Otherness'' (2008) tape *''Mémoires'' (2011) tape *''Woanders'' (2016) piano and electronics

Awards

*1990 - Cornelius Cardew Competition, England: special mention for ''In memory of a friend'', for soprano and piano. *1992 - City of Lucerne Cultural Prize, Switzerland: first prize winner with ''Omen'', for orchestra and choir. *1994 - Bourges International Competition for Electroacoustic Music, France: second prize winner with ''Beyond the Bridge'', for cello & electronics. *1995 - Surrey Sinfonietta Orchestral Competition Contest, England: first prize winner with ''Concertino'', for orchestra. *1995 - 1st Tokyo International Competition for Chamber Music Composition: second prize winner with ''Theorem'' (piano trio). *1996 - City of Klagenfurt International Composition Prize, Austria: second prize winner with ''Second String Quartet''. *2009 - Bourges International Competition for Electroacoustic Music, France: selection of ''Transient'' for soprano, prepared piano & electronics. *2010 - Città di Udine International Competition for Composers, Italy: Special Mention and Medal of the President of the Italian Republic for ''Transference'', for flute, clarinet, violin, cello and piano. *2011 - Presque Rien International Competition Prize, Paris: prize winner with ''Mémoires'', for electroacoustic sounds.

Recordings

*...as it flies...
Sargasso SCD 28053
*Between
Sargasso SCD 28038
*Beyond The Bridge
Sargasso SCD 28023
*Beyond The Bridge
mnemosyne label
Synthese 8, LD278058/59 *Drang
Sargasso SCD 28059
*Encounter
Sargasso SCD 28038
*Epitaph
Sargasso SCD 28038
*Epitaph

007 *Fado
Sargasso SCD 28059
*Koan
Sargasso SCD 28049
*Hinayana
Sargasso SCD 28038
*I Am - Animato Records ACD6143. *In the Temple - Animato Records ACD6144. *Inwards
Sargasso SCD 28059
* Mémoires in Presque Rien Competition Prize CD Label, Vol. I, Paris 2017. (Limited Edition) *Musica Reservata''

ACD6136 *Nowhere
Sargasso SCD 28053
* Nowhere to hide in Other Places
NEOS 12423
(2024)

*Phonai
Sargasso SCD 28023
*Phonai, Electroshock, 2 ELCD 00

*Present Otherness in Other Presences''
Sargasso SCD 28057
*Renge-Kyo
Sargasso SCD 28023
*Satori
Sargasso SCD 28049
* Shambhala in Other Places
NEOS 12423
(2024)

* Somewhere in Other Places
NEOS 12423
(2024)

*Spirits
Sargasso SCD 28023
*Still
Sargasso SCD 28049
*Theorem, Living Artists Recordings, Vol.3

* There in Other Places, NEOS 12423 (2024)

* Thereafter in Other Places
NEOS 12423
(2024)

*Transfiguration
Sargasso SCD 28059
*Transient
Sargasso SCD 28059
* Verso L’Alto in 20 Jahre Ensemble Plus,''
ORF Voralberg
ORF, 2016 (Limited Edition). * Verso L’Alto in Other Places
NEOS 12423
(2024)
Sargasso SCD 28023
*Waka
Sargasso SCD 28053
* Without, in Dots/Lines, [http://www.takaohyakutome.com/ Takao Hyakutome
(2015) * Woanders in Other Places, [https://en.neos-music.com/product/john-palmer-other-places/ NEOS 12423">Takao Hyakutome">Sargasso SCD 28053
* Without, in Dots/Lines
Takao Hyakutome
(2015) * Woanders in Other Places
NEOS 12423
(2024)
Bibliography

Books: '
Im Inneren: Die Musik von John Palmer – Gespräche und Essays
'', edited by Sunny Knable, German Foreword by Egbert Hiller (2025). Vision Edition. ISBN 978-1-0687122-3-4. '
Harpsichord Reimagined - Resonances in Contemporary Music
'', edited by John Palmer and Jane Chapman (2025). . '
Looking Within: The Music of John Palmer - Dialogues and Essays
'', edited by Sunny Knable (2021)
Vision Edition
. [https://www.visionedition.com/publication/conversations/ Conversations
'' (2015, 2024 second edition), [http://www.visionedition.com Vision Edition
023-MC. . [https://mellenpress.com/book/Jonathan-Harveys-Bhakti-for-Chamber-Ensemble-and-Electronics-Serialism-Electronics-and-Spirituality/4543/ Mortuos Plango, Vivos Voco by Jonathan Harvey. An aural score, analysis and discussion">Vision Edition">Vision Edition
. '
Conversations
'' (2015, 2024 second edition)
Vision Edition
023-MC. . '
Mortuos Plango, Vivos Voco by Jonathan Harvey. An aural score, analysis and discussion
'' (2018), 008-MA, 009-MP, 0010-MP [https://www.visionedition.com/publication/mortuos-plango-vivos-voco-by-jonathan-harvey-an-aural-score-analysis-and-discussion-2/ Vision Edition
. ISMN: 979-0-9002315-4-3, 979-0-9002315-5-0. [https://www.visionedition.com/publication/rhythm-to-go/ Rhythm to go
'' (2013), [http://www.visionedition.com Vision Edition
002-MP. 2013. Fourth edition 2016. ISMN 979-0-9002315-1-2. [https://mellenpress.com/book/Jonathan-Harveys-Bhakti-for-Chamber-Ensemble-and-Electronics-Serialism-Electronics-and-Spirituality/4543/ Jonathan Harvey's Bhakti for chamber ensemble and electronics">Vision Edition">Mortuos Plango, Vivos Voco by Jonathan Harvey. An aural score, analysis and discussion
'' (2018), 008-MA, 009-MP, 0010-M
Vision Edition
. ISMN: 979-0-9002315-4-3, 979-0-9002315-5-0. '
Rhythm to go
'' (2013)
Vision Edition
002-MP. 2013. Fourth edition 2016. ISMN 979-0-9002315-1-2. '
Jonathan Harvey's Bhakti for chamber ensemble and electronics
'' (2001), Edwin Mellen Press, Studies in History and Interpretation of Music. ;
mellenpress
'
Formal Strategies in Composition
''. PhD Thesis, City University, London, 1994. Articles and Papers: Introduction to ‘Images of the mind' (1997). Paper given at the 1997 KlangArt International Congress ‘New Music & Technology’ in Osnabrück, Germany. Published in ‘Musik und Neue Technologie 3, Musik im virtuellen Raum’ (edited by Bernd Enders
), Universitätsverlag Rasch, Osnabrück (2000). . Conceptual models of interaction: towards a perceptual analysis of interactive composition (1997-8) Paper given at the 1997 Sonic Arts Network Conference, University of Birmingham, UK, 10–12 January 1998. Published in the Seamus Journal, USA, Vol. XIV no. 1, Summer 1999. Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States, SEAMUS
, Sonic Arts Network
Perceptual Abstraction and Electroacoustic Composition (1998) Paper given at the 1998 Seamus Conference, Dartmouth College, NH, USA, 16–18 April 1998 (1997–98). Published in the Seamus Journal, USA, Vol. XIII, No. 2, Fall 1998. Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States, SEAMUS
Listening: towards a new awareness of a neglected skill (1997) Paper for the Stockholm Hey Listen! International Conference on Acoustic Ecology, 9–13 June 1998 Published by the Royal Swedish Academy of Music, June 1998. Which Global Music? (1999) Paper given at the 1999 Klangart Congress, Osnabrueck, Germany, June 1999. Published in ‘Musik und Neue Technologie 4’ (edited by Bernd Enders), Epos music Universitätsverlag Osnabrück (2003). ,
epos music publisher read article
The lesson of freedom: Remembering Luc Ferrari (2005) Published in 'Soundscape - The Journal of Acoustic Ecology', Vol. 6, No. 1, Spring/Summer 2005. ISSN 1607-330

References

External links

*
Composers Edition

Vision Edition
{{DEFAULTSORT:Palmer, John 1959 births Living people Alumni of City, University of London 20th-century British classical composers 21st-century British classical composers English classical composers Academics of the University of Hertfordshire Academic staff of the State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart English male classical composers 20th-century English composers 20th-century British male musicians 20th-century British musicians 21st-century British male musicians