Category: News

The Flight of Icarus received two performances by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Mark Wigglesworth, on 16, 17 April 2010. Read a review here

Tesserae, commissioned by John Grimshaw for the internationally renowned organist David Goode, will have its first performance on Monday 25 May at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford as part of the Royal College of Organists’ National Performance Festival for Young Organists.

Following the successful release of their all-Pickard orchestral disc, a second disc will be recorded in the spring of 2010 by BIS Records. Once again, the performers will be the Norrköping Symphony Orchestra conducted by Martyn Brabbins. The disc will feature Sea-Change, the Piano Concerto, with Fredrik Ullén as soloist, and a large-scale new work, Tenebrae, commissioned by the orchestra. The new piece… Continue reading Orchestral commission and recording plans for 2010

BIS Records’ recent release of John Pickard’s orchestral pieces has received rave reviews both in Europe and the U.S. The Flight of Icarus, Channel Firing and the Trombone Concerto:The Spindle of Necessity with Christian Lindberg as soloist are featured on this first disc of Pickard’s orchestral music (BIS CD1578). The Norrköping Symphony Orchestra is conducted by Martyn Brabbins. Buy it here The Flight… Continue reading New orchestral disc receives outstanding reviews

Within two months of each other, two major choral works received their first performances Agamemnon’s Tomb is a 52 minute oratorio, commissioned by Huddersfield Choral Society and setting part of a poem by Sacheverell Sitwell. It was composed between 2005 and 2007 and its first performance took place on 9 May 2008 in Huddersfield, conducted by Martyn… Continue reading Two choral premières

John has recently completed a new work commissioned to mark the 50th Anniversary of the founding of Finchley Children’s Music Group. Songs of Rain and Sea is a five movement work for children’s choir (or S.S.A adult choir) to words specially written by the Icelandic writer Sigrún Davídsdóttir. It will receive its first performance on 5 July 2008… Continue reading Commission for Finchley Children’s Music Group

John has completed a large-scale choral piece commissioned by Huddersfield Choral Society. Agamemnon’s Tomb sets part of a poem by Sacheverell Sitwell. It was composed between 2005 and 2007 and its first performance will take place on 9 May 2008 in Huddersfield Town Hall, conducted by Martyn Brabbins. Read a programme note for Agamemnon’s Tomb

Black Castles has been issued by BIS records (BIS CD1354) as part of an all-British disc by the virtuoso German brass ensemble brass partout, conducted by Hermann Bäumer. The disc also includes music by Elgar, Arthur Butterworth, Derek Bourgeois, John Tavener and Mark-Anthony Turnage. Buy it here Hear a clip here

On January 4, 6, 7, 8, 2006 The Flight of Icarus received its first performances in the United States by the San Francisco Symphony conducted by Mark Wigglesworth. All four performances played to packed houses and the San Francisco Chronicle described the work as ‘a serious contender for the most exciting premiere of 2006’. Read the… Continue reading The Flight of Icarus – U.S. première

Readers of the popular brass band website www.4barsrest.com voted Eden, John Pickard’s test piece for the 2005 final of the Besson National Brass Band Championship ‘test piece of the year’. Over 12,000 votes were logged and Eden received 36% of the poll.