published by Chester Music Ltd, London:

published by Chester Music Ltd, London:


ORCHESTRA

One Hundred Frames (1991) 20'

3(pic)2(ca)2(Ebcl)2(cbn)/4231/2perc/hp.pf(cel)/str
commissioned by the Ulster Orchestra Society with funds from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Gallaher Ltd
First performance: 6 December 1991, Ulster Hall, Belfast
Ulster Orchestra / Yan Pascal Tortelier, conductor

 

Concerto for Double Orchestra (2001) 20'

444(bcl)4/433/2perc/pf/hp/88884
Commissioned by the BBC Symphony Orchestra
First Performance: 9th February 2002, Barbican, London

Strip-Weave for Orchestra (2002, rev. 2003, rev. 2005) 11'

3(pic)22(bcl)2(cb)/4231/2perc/str
First Performance: 27th September 2002 Waterfront Hall, Belfast
First performance revised version: 13th August 2003
BBC Proms, Albert Hall, London
Commissioned by the Ulster Orchestra with funds from the Lottery
Unit of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland

Symphony: Daar Kom die Alibama (2010) 23'

chamber orchestra: 2222/22/86442 

Commissioned by The Edinburgh International Festival Society

First performance: 27th August 2010, Usher Hall Edinburgh

Scottish Chamber Orchestra, cond. Robyn Ticciati  

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SOLOISTS PLUS ORCHESTRA

Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments (1995) 21'

Solo Instrument: Piano
3(2pic)33(Ebcl)2+cbn/4231/2perc/3db
commissioned by the BBC for Peter Donohoe and the Netherlands Wind Ensemble
First performance: 18 October 1995, De Doelen Rotterdam
Peter Donohoe, piano / Netherlands Wind Ensemble / Daniel Harding, conductor

Cello Concerto (1997) 22'

2(pic)2(ca)2(1Ebcl)2(cbn)/4220/hp/str
commissioned by the Bayerische Rundfunk/musica viva with financial support from the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society
First performance: 12 December 1997, Munich
Wenn-Sin Yang, cello / Bavarian Radio Orchestra / Marek Janowski, conductor

Trio Concerto (2005) 20'

Vln, Vcl, Pno and Orchestra
3(pic)33(2bcl)3(cb)/4231/2perc/hp/str
First Performance: 22nd October, 2005 Groningen, 
Co-commissioned by the North Netherlands Symphony Orchestra and 
City of Groningen (Netherlands), Royal Flemish Philharmonic Orchestra,
RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra (Ireland) and the Storioni Trio


Piano Concerto no. 2 'Atlantic Crossing' (2006) 23'

Piano and Orchestra 4(2pic.)33bcl 3(cd)/4441/2perc/str

First performance: 17th November, San Francisco

Marc-Andre Hamelin (piano) Michael Tillson Thomas (cond.)
Commissioned by the San Francisco Symphony through the 
generosity of the Ralph I. Dorfman commissioning fund

 

 

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DRAMATIC WORKS

Correspondences (1990) 75'

Bharatha Natyam dance opera based on the life and work of Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan (1887-1920)
Str 4tet and Baritone
commissioned by Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company
First performance: 16 October 1990, The Palace Theatre, London
Llewellyn Rayappen, baritone / Smith Quartet

The Man With Footsoles of Wind (1988-1993) 90'

chamber opera, originally conceived by Bruce Chatwin; based on the life and works of Arthur Rimbaud
Text: libretto by Roger Clarke
1(pic)02(Ebcl:bc)/210+btbn.0/2perc/pf(cel)hp/str
commissioned by Dancelines Productions and the English National Opera Contemporary Opera Studio, with assistance from the Arts Council of Great Britain
First performance: 2 July 1993, Almeida Theatre
Almeida Opera, Almeida Ensemble, Brindisi Quartet / cast including Thomas Randle, Meurig Davies, Susan Bisatt

Zeno at 4 am (2000-2001) ca. 40’

Theatre piece conceived by William Kentridge
Libretto by Jane Taylor
For shadow puppets, actors, bass, string quartet and chorus
Commissioned by the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art
First performance: 18th May, Lunar Theatre, Brussels
As part of Kunsten Festival des Arts

Confessions of Zeno (2002) 45'

Theatre piece conceived by William Kentridge
Libretto by Jane Taylor
For shadow puppets, actors, bass, 2 sopranos, str 4tet, video projection
and tape
Commissioned by William Kentridge and the Handspring Puppet Company
First Performance: Kunsten Festival des Arts, Brussels, May 2002

 

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LARGER CHAMBER ENSEMBLE

Into Darkness (1987, rev. 1989) 12'

cl/tpt/perc(mba,vib 1 or 2 players)/pf/vn.vc
commissioned by SAMRO for London New Music
First performance: 28 January 1987, Purcell Room, London
London New Music

Chevron (1990) 25'

211+bcl.1/111+btbn.0/str4t
commissioned by the Rambert Dance Company with funds from the Arts Council of Great Britain. Dance entitled "Wild Translations"
First performance: 24 May 1990, Theatre Royal Brighton
The Mercury Ensemble / Roger Heaton, conductor
Choreographed by Siobhan Davies

Kneeling Dance (1992) 8'

6pf
commissioned by Piano Circus with financial assistance from the Southern Arts Board
First performance: 13 November 1992, Southampton
Piano Circus

L'isle Joyeuse (Debussy) (arr. 1995) 6'

3(pic)2+ca.3(bcl)2+cbn/4231/2perc/db
commissioned by the Netherlands Wind Ensemble
First performance: 18 October 1995, De Doelen, Rotterdam
Netherlands Wind Ensemble / Daniel Hardling, conductor

Double Violin Concerto (1999) 26'

Solo Instrument: 2 violins
1(pic)111/1110/perc/pf/str(0.0.1.1.1) - 5 stringed dbl bass needed
commissioned by the Sonorities Festival, Belfast
First performance: 4 May 1999, Queen's University
London Sinfonietta / Rebecca Hirsch and Joan Atherton, violins / James Wood, conductor

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WIND / BRASS

Leaping Dance (1984 arr. 1995) 8'

fl.ob.ca.2cl+2bthn.2bn/2hn
First performance: August 1996 for Chandos CD
Netherlands Wind Ensemble

This Is How It Is (arr. 1995) 10'

fl.ob.ca.2cl+2bthn.2bn/2hn
extract from The Man With Footsoles of Wind
First performance: August 1996 for Chandos CD
Netherlands Wind Ensemble / Wim Steinmann, conductor

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SMALL CHAMBER ENSEMBLE

Nine Beginnings (1976 rev.1985) 10'

two pianos
First performance: 1 June 1979, Beginner Studio, Köln
Gerald Barry and Kevin Volans

Matepe (1980) 10 - 20'

two harpsichords and rattles
First performance: Ostasiatische Museum, Koln
Kevin Volans and Paul Simmonds, harpsichords / Manos Tsangaris, rattles

White Man Sleeps (1982) 22'

2 hpsd, viola da gamba, percussion
First performance: Institute of Contemporary Arts, London
Kevin Volans and Paul Simmonds, hpsd / Margriet Tindemans, viola da gamba / Robyn Schulkowsky, percussion

Walking Song (1984) 6'

fl.hpsd/virginal or pno. four hand-clappers/finger clickers
sponsored by the Kulturamt, Köln
First performance: Durban Art Gallery
Alain Barker, flute / Kevin Volans, harpsichord / Matteo Fargion and Angela Impey, hand-clappers

Leaping Dance (1984) 6'

two pianos
First performance: 25 August 1985, Institute of Contemporary Arts, London
Gustave Fenyö and Peter Seivewright, pianos

Kneeling Dance (1984) 10'

two pianos
First performance: 25 August 1985, Institute of Contemporary Arts, London
Gustave Fenyö and Peter Seivewright, pianos

String Quartet No 1 - White Man Sleeps (1986) 24'

Str 4tet
First performance: 13 July 1986, Institute of Contemporary Arts, London
Kronos Quartet

Movement for String Quartet (1987) 8'

Str 4tet
commissioned by Jill Addleson and Durban Arts
First performance: 8 April 1987, Durban Art Gallery

String Quartet No 2 - Hunting:Gathering (1987) 22'

Str 4tet
commissioned for the Kronos Quartet by Doris and Myron Beigler and the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
First performance: 11 December 1987, Herbst Theater, San Francisco
Kronos Quartet

String Quartet No 3 - The Songlines (1988 rev. 1993) 26'

Str 4tet
commissioned for the Kronos Quartet by the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and Viking Press Inc
First performance: 26 Novemeber 1988, Lincoln Center, New York
Kronos Quartet

String Quartet No 4 - The Ramanujan Notebooks (1990 rev. 1994) 26'

Str 4tet
First performance: 16 December 1990, Almeida Theatre, London
Smith Quartet

Wanting To Tell Stories (1993) 27'

pno.cl.vla.db
commissioned by the Siobhan Davies Dance Company
First performance: 13 May 1993, Brighton Festival
Siobhan Davies Dance Company / Andrew Ball, piano / Roger Heaton, clarinet / Bridget Carey, viola / Alan Taylor, double bass

String Quartet No 5 - Dancers on a Plane (1994) 30'

Str 4tet and taped natural sounds
jointly commissioned by BT Plc and the National Federation of Music Societies
First performance: 8 October 1994, Barnes Music Society
The Duke Quartet

Cicada (1994) 26'

two pianos
commissioned for the Double Edge Piano Duo by the Mary Carey Foundation
First performance: 25 April 1994, Los Angeles County Museum of Art

String Quartet No. 6 (2000) 24’

For double string quartet
Commissioned by the Arts Council of Ireland and the City Music Society (London)
For the Duke Quartet

White Man Sleeps (1986 arr.1995) 22’

three guitars
arr. By Bernd Goldau
[not published by Chester Music]

1000 bars (2002) 8'

piano duet, violin and cello
written for the Crash Ensemble
First performance: Up North! Festival, Dec 2002, Dublin

String Quartet no. 7 (2002) 9'

Str 4tet
Commissioned by the Crash Ensemble for the Cikada Quartet
With funds form the Arts Council of Ireland
First performance: Up North! Festival, Dec 2002, Dublin

String Quartet no. 9 [Shiva Dances] (2004) 24'

Str 4tet
Commissioned by the BBC for the Smith Quartet
First performance: Huddersfield Festival (2004)

String Quartet no. 10 (2006) 14'

Str 4tet
Commissioned by RTE forn the Vanburgh Quartet
First performance: 18 Feb 2006, Chapel, O'Reilly Theatre, Dublin

Trumpet and String Quartet 1 (2002) 6' 20"

Eflat Tpt, Str 4tet

Trumpet and String Quartet 2 (2002) 8'

Tpt, Str 4tet
Commissioned for the Tromp Muziek Biennale 2002 by the 
Eduard van Beinum Foundation
First performance: 19 October 2002, Philips Hall, Eindhoven

Piano Trio (2002 rev. 2005) 25'

Pno, vln, cel
written for the Osiris trio
commissioned by the West Cork Chamber Music Festival
with support from the Arts Council of Ireland
First Performance: 3rd July 2003, Bantry House, Co. Cork

Chakra (2003) 22'

percussion trio
commissioned by Sisu
First performance: 6th October 2003, Ultima Festival, Oslo

Desert Steps (2003) 20'

Viola, cello and 2 guitars
Commissioned by the International Guitar Festival
First performance: 10th October 2003, Purcell Room, South Bank, London

4 Guitars (2003) 6'

2 6-string and 2 Brahms guitars
written for the Dublin Guitar Quartet
commissioned by the Mermaid Arts Centre, Wicklow 
First Performance: Autumn 2004

double take (2004) 6' 40"

clarinet solo with accompaniment (unspecified) 

 

Joining Up the Dots (2006) 13'

2 Violins, viola, cello, bass, 2 pianos
Commissioned by the Arts Council of Ireland for the Crash Ensemble 
First performance Dublin National Concert Hall, 17th Feb 2007

violin:piano (2008) 26' 

Commissioned by Chris Alexander

viola:piano (2008) 20'

Commissioned by the Wigmore Hall

First performance London Wigmore Hall, Garth Knox (viola) and Kevin Volans 

 

Trumpet, Vibe, Cello, Piano (2009) 23'

Written for Crash Ensemble

First performance Dublin Pjroject Arts, Crash ensemble April 2009

 

Piano Trio no. 2 (2009) 22'Violin, cello and piano

First performance Klein Karoo Nationale Kunstefees, April 2009 

 Shiva Dances (2006) 29'

For Jill Richards

First performance London St' Luke's BBC live broadcast 2008
 

This Is How It Is (2009)[piano trio arr. of wind ens arr.]

For pf, vn, vc. First perf Kruisrivier (Klein Karoo Nationale Kunstefees), 2009,

Jill Richards, Waldo Malan, Maren du Plessis.

No Translation: Six Sketches after Juan Uslé (2009)

 For 2 vn, 2 vl, 2 vc, 3 perc. First perf Dublin IMMA, 4 July 2009.

 

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SOLOISTS PLUS INSTRUMENTS

Untitled (1996) 14'

for piano solo and offstage wind ensemble
fl.ob.ca.2cl.2bn/2hn
First performance: August 1996 for Chandos CD
Kevin Volans, piano / Netherlands Wind Ensemble / Wim Steinmann, conductor

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SOLO INSTRUMENTAL

March (1996) 5'

commissioned by the Guardian Dublin International Piano Competition with funds from the Arts Council of Ireland
First performance: May 1997, National Concert Hall, Dublin

Newer Music for Piano (1981, rev. 1992) 8'

Solo piano
First performance Theater Am Turm, Frankfurt (1981)
Kevin Volans pf

Walking Song (1984 trans 1986) 6'

Solo organ
First performance: 1986, Dublin
Gerald Barry, organ

She Who Sleeps with a Small Blanket (1985) 16'

percussion solo
First performance: 22 October 1985, Museum Carolino Augusteum, Salzburg
Robyn Schulkowsky, percussion

Striding Dance (1992) 3'

Piano solo
Volans transcribed by Yvar Mikhashoff; from Act II, The Man With Footsoles of Wind
First performance: 1 June 1992, Buffalo
Yvar Mikhashoff

Asanga (1997) 8'

Percussion
First performance: 30 September 1998, Fylkingen, Stockholm
Robyn Schulkowsky, percussion

Akrodha (1997/8) 27'

percussion
commissioned by the Swedish Concert Institute
First performance: 18 March 1999, Stockholm New Music Festival
Jonny Axelsson, percussion

3 rhythmic etudes (2003) 20'

piano solo
written for Jill Richards
commissioned by Tom Breslin
First Performance: University of Natal, Durban Sept 2003

3 structural etudes (2003) ca 20'

piano solo
written for Jill Richards
work in progress

passi leggieri (2003) 6'

for Hardanger fiddle
commissioned by the Ultima Festival, Oslo
First performance 12th October, 2003, Oslo

monkey music (1976, 1981, revised 2005) 6'

solo piano
first performance: Le Soloist Contemporaine, IRCAM, Paris 1976

double take (2004) 6' 40"

clarinet solo with accompaniment (unspecified) 

 

Shiva Dances (2006) 29'

For Jill Richards

First performance London St' Luke's BBC live broadcast 2008
 

This Is How It Is (2009)[piano trio arr. of wind ens arr.]

For pf, vn, vc. First perf Kruisrivier (KleinKaroo Nationale Kunstefees), 2009,

Jill Richards, Waldo Malan, Maren duPlessis.

No Translation: Six Sketches after Juan Uslé (2009)

 For 2 vn, 2 vl, 2 vc, 3 perc. First perf Dublin IMMA, 4 July 2009.

 

 
 

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MUSIC FOR DANCE

Duets (1995) [with co-composer Matteo Fargion] 45'

tape
Alternative Orchestration: piano and tape
commissioned by the Jonathan Burrows Group, dance title "The Stop Quartet"
First performance: 7 May 1996, Vooruit, Gent, Belgium
Kevin Volans, piano

5:4 (1996) 18'

percussion and tape
commissioned by Frankfurt Ballet, dance entitled "Walking Music"
First performance: 31 January 1997, Schauspielhaus, Frankfurt
Robyn Schulkowsky, percussion

Things I Don't Know (1997/8) 30'

tape
Commissioned by the Jonathan Burrows Group
First performance: 29 April 1998, Laban Centre, London

Wild Air (1998) 60'

commissioned by the Siobhan Davies Dance Company with funds provided by the Arts Council of Ireland / An Chomhairle Ealaion and the Arts Council of Great Britain
First performance: 7 May 1999, Oxford Playhouse

Surface (1999) [with Juergen Simpson, electronics] 28'

harpsichord and tape
commissioned by the Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company, dance entitled"Surface Tension"
First performance: 1 February 2000, Nottingham Playhouse
Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company / Carole Cerasi, harpsichord

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ELECTRONIC MUSIC

Studies in Zulu History (1977-1979) 34'

electronic tape (stereo - originally quadrophonic)
First performance: 1982, Institute of Contemporary Arts, London

Kwazulu Summer Landscape (1979) 64'

tape of natural sounds (stereo - originally quadrophonic)
First performance: 10 May 1979, Experimental Intermedia Foundation, New York

Cover Him With Grass (1982) 17'

tape of natural sounds (stereo)
First performance: 1982, Institute of Contemporary Arts, London

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CHORAL MUSIC

One Day Fine (2000) 4 min.

1 large and 2 smaller choirs
commissioned by Grahamstown New Music Festival
[suitable only for Xhosa speakers]

Glosa a lo Divino (2006) 23'

7 live and 7 taped voices (2 sopranos alto contertenor 2 tenors bass)

text:San Juan de la Cruz

Commissioned by the East Neuk Festival, Scotland

First performance 30th June 2006

Canciones del Alma (2009) 11'

in 12 parts SSATTB and solo piano

text: San Juan de la Cruz 

Commissioned by Elizabeth Chatwin, in memoriam Bruce Chatwin 

First performance NCH Dublin, National Chamber Choir 17 July 2010 

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WORKS FOR TV

Blue, Yellow (1995) 12'

part of String Quartet No 4
Str 4tet
commissioned by Tall Stories for BBC2
First Broadcast: 28 December 1995, BBC2

Plane-Song (1994) 30'

specially commissioned music for a BBC / Arts Council television film, directed by Deborah May, MJW Productions
Str 4tet and taped natural sounds (recorded by Volans in Southern Africa)
commissioned by BBC / Arts Council
First performance: 11 April 1995, Sound on Film, BBC2
The Duke Quartet

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Unpublished Work

UNPUBLISHED WORK

2 Songs (1970)

soprano and pf (text ee cummings)
[unperformed]

Grafik indeterminate length (1971)

graphic score, realised 1974 by Richard Toop
2pf.(4 players) fl vl vcl
First performance: Universiteit Koeln 1974

Module indeterminate length (1973)

graphic score with instructions, 4 players
[unperformed]

Monkey Music (1976 rev. 1981) ca. 10'

Solo piano written for Herbert Henck for the opening series of concerts of IRCAM, Pompidou Centre, Paris
Second version with speaker premiered at the ICA London

Delay in Glass (1979) 20'

2 singers, irish harp, 2 pf., tape
First performance by Barbara Thornton, Ben Bagby, Gerald Barry and Kevin Volans
Beginner Studio, Koeln 1 June 1979

Renewed Music/Reviewed Music ca. 12'(1979)

6 percussionists
premiered at the WDR Cologne
conductor Bernard Kontarsky
Feedback Verlag

Mbira indeterminate length min. 10' (1980)

2 re-tuned harpsichords and rattles
First performance at the Ostasiatische Museum Koeln
Kevin Volans, Paul Simmonds hpschd and Michael Ranta perc.
[withdrawn]

Journal (Walking Song) ca. 16' (1984)

Chamber ensemble 12 players
First performance: Kevin Volans and Isabella Stengel (solo pianos)
members of the Durban Symphony Orchestra and Michael Hankinson (cond)
[withdrawn]

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