(b. 1954)
John Woolrich was born in 1954 in Cirencester. A much commissioned and frequently performed composer, a creative teacher and an original programmer, he is an important figure in British musical life. Woolrich has a practical approach to music making: he has founded a group, the Composers Ensemble and a festival, Hoxton New Music Days. In 1994 he was appointed the first Composer in Association to the Orchestra of St John’s, a post he held until 2000. His successful collaborations with Birmingham Contemporary Music Group led to his appointment in the 2002/3 season as an Artistic Associate. He was Guest Artistic Director of the Aldeburgh Festival in 2004 and Associate Artistic Director of the festival 2005–2010. In 2010 Woolrich was appointed the Artistic Director at Dartington International Summer School, and Professor of Music at Brunel University.
John Woolrich Composition Timpani and Percussion Requirements
A Capriccio to Calliope Herself
Timpani + 2 percussion
Tam tam, suspended cymbal, rattle, tin cans, sleighbells, taiko, hi hat
__________________________________________________________________________________
Bitter Fruit
No Timpani + 2 percussion
2 snare drum, military drum, log drum, 2 orchestral bass drum, 5 tuned gongs, 2 Chinese opera gongs, 2 tam tam, thunder sheet, 2 suspended cymbal, sizzle cymbal, hi hat, clash cymbals, tambourine, claves, 3 wood blocks, sleigh bells, mark tree, bell tree, 10 tin cans, dustbin, football rattle, 2 whistle, waterphone, cuica, anvil, spring coil, scaffold tubes, scaffold feet, triangle, 2 whip, ratchet, flexatone, sandpaper blocks
__________________________________________________________________________________
Falling Down
2 Timpani + 2 percussion
Suspended cymbal, hi hat, clash cymbals, lion's roar, orchestral bass drum
__________________________________________________________________________________
In the House of Crossed Desires
No Timpani + 2 percussion + celeste
Snare drum, orchestral bass drum, pedal bass drum, 10 tin cans, hi hat, suspended cymbal, 2 temple bells, wood block, coconuts, claves, whip, 4 antique cymbals, 4 whistles, 3 sets of chains, 4 handbells, tuned gongs, tam tam, 2 octaves crotales, guiro, vibraslap, log drum, waterphone, mark tree, 3 scaffold bars, 1 scaffold foot, flexatone, celeste
__________________________________________________________________________________
Oboe Concerto
Timpani + 4 percussion
Metal claves, waterphone, suspended cymbal, 10 tin cans, brake drum, 2 tam tams, triangle, anvil, lion’s roar, 5 scaffold bars, hammer, pedal bass drum, orchestral bass drum, 2 scaffold feet, 4 car wheels, Verdi bass drum, hi hat, 2 spring coils, oxygen cylinder, 2 octaves crotales
__________________________________________________________________________________
Tales of Transformation
Timpani (doubling jingles) + 2 percussion
Glockenspiel, guiro, hi hat, suspended cymbal, tambourine, orchestral bass drum, log drum, tam tam, 2 wood blocks, 2 rattles, 2 jingles
__________________________________________________________________________________
The Barber’s Timepiece
Timpani + 3 percussion
Claves, vibraslap, 3 hi hat, 2 orchestral bass drums, tambourine, 4 wood blocks, 4 cowbell, tam tam, whip, cabassa, 2 log drums, snare drum, 6 temple bells, sleigh bells
__________________________________________________________________________________
The Elephant from Celebes
Timpani + 2 percussion
Piccolo snae drum, xylophone, hi hat, 2 sleigh bells, clash cymbals, cabasa, vibraslap, 2 bongos, 2 splash cymbal, orchestral bass drum, tam tam, guiro, snare drum, Chinese opera gong, 8 tom toms, sandpaper blocks
__________________________________________________________________________________
The Ghost in the Machine
Timpani + 4 percussion
Sleighbells, claves, 4 spring coils, 4 bongos, 2 tam tams, orchestral bass drum with clash cymbals attached, 2 log drums, 2 hi hats, boo bams, 4 temple bells, orchestral bass drum, 2 pedal bass drums, congas
__________________________________________________________________________________