2020+1 Programme

Morris Pert Recital

September date to follow

Recital of music for clarinet and piano/solo piano by award winning Arbroath born composer Morris Pert (1947-2010) whose double career as classical composer and session musician saw him recipient of Royal Philharmonic Society Gold Medal & several BBC commissions as well as renown in the jazz-rock field for work with Kate Bush, Mike Oldfield and Brand X.

Morris Pert

 Morris Pert (8 September 1947 – 27 April 2010) was a Scottish composer, born into a musical family and raised in Arbroath. A drummer/percussionist, and pianist who composed in the fields of both contemporary classical and jazz-rock music. His compositions include three symphonies, piano music, chamber and solo instrumental music, choral music and “sonic landscapes” for electronic media; a late major work is “Ankh” for Carnyx and electronics written for eminent trombonist John Kenny.

A live recital and lecture on the works for clarinet by Morris Pert rehearsed & performed by Angus based musician Mark Spalding on piano with leading Scottish clarinettist & BBCSSO principal Joanna Nicholson. The performance is planned to take place at St Vigean’s Church, where the Pictish stones , especially the Drosten Stone, are a direct inspiration of the music. Dates and times TBC.

Mark Spalding has performed Pert’s solo piano music throughout Scotland & in London since his funeral in 2010, and is preparing for a CD recording of Pert’s music. 

The Pert clarinet music seems to have been unperformed for about 40 years: reviving it will be in accord with my interest in reviving neglected music from the recent past, as well as celebrating the work one of Arbroath’s most productive artistic figures whose work as a session musician is esteemed globally. 

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