Philips took up the post of Head of Composition at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 2004 transforming the Guildhall Composition Department while also establishing a series of flag-ship projects, most notably a Doctoral Composer-in-Residence scheme,[3] and an MA in Opera-Making & Writing,[4] both in association with the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. For over a decade, Philips has led the Wigmore Study Group an innovative adult education group which he established for the Wigmore Hall,[5] and has enjoyed a particular association with the Orchestra of the Swan, both through a series of commissions and education projects. In 2007, Philips was presented with an Honorary Fellowship from the Guildhall School, and subsequently conferred with a Professorship.[6]
Works
Philips held the Glyndebourne's first Composer in Residence.[7] He is published by Edition Peters.
In 2003, Philips collaborated with British choreographer Michael Corder on a new full-length ballet based on Les Liaisons Dangereuses for English National Ballet, collaborating again with Corder on a Prokofiev-based score for The Snow Queen, again for English National Ballet.[8] In 2012, Philips worked with French choreographer Mikaël 'Marso' Rivière on a hybrid dance-concerto for violist Maximillian Baillie and the Aurora Orchestra, which premiered at the 2012 Deal Festival.[11] His has been featured on BBC radio.[12]
In 2018 Philips is working on a new viola concerto for violist Virginia Slater, a large-scale choral work with a text by Stephen Plaice commissioned by InterOpera,[13] and a new oboe quintet for the Wigmore Hall.
Operas
Henny Penny (2022), a primary school opera bringing together music and modern language learning, with a libretto by Stephen Plaice in English, French (Coquotte Chocotte). Scored for mezzo-soprano, baritone and children's chorus, with violin, clarinet and piano. Duration: 25 minutes.[14]
How the Whale Became (2013), family chamber opera after Ted Hughes for five singers and five players, with a libretto by Edward Kemp, commissioned by the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Duration: 80 minutes.[16]
Good Intentions (2012), children's opera with a libretto by Simon Christmas, commissioned by W11 Opera. Duration: 80 minutes.[17][18]
Save the Diva (2011), street opera scene for soprano, trombone and accordion, with a libretto by Simon Christmas, commissioned by The Opera Group. Duration: 15 minutes.
Varjak Paw (2008), family chamber opera, after the novels by SF Said, with a libretto by Kit Hesketh-Harvey, commissioned by The Opera Group. Duration: 1 hour, 50 minutes.[21]
Followers (2006–11), site-specific promenade opera with a libretto by Simon Christmas, commissioned by Glyndebourne Festival Opera. Duration: 1 hour.[22]
Of Water and Tears (2007), opera fantasy for chorus & small orchestra, based on O Waly, Waly, devised for Glyndebourne's Jerwood Chorus Development scheme with director Claire Whistler. Duration: 15 minutes.
Looking West (2022) for soprano, mezzo-soprano, actor, mixed ensemble (8 players) and field recordings, with a libretto by Rebecca Hurst. Commissioned to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Vaughan Williams, the work explores an ancient Cumbrian pilgrimage route, the Saint Bega Way, interwoven with the experiences of a contemporary pilgrim and the paintings of Winifred Nicholson.[23]
Dance
Maxamorphosis (2012), hybrid dance-concerto for viola, dancers and chamber orchestra. Created with choreographer Mikael Marso Riviére for violist Max Baillie and the Aurora Orchestra.[24][25]
The Snow Queen (2005), full-length ballet based on Prokofiev's Tale of the Stone Flower commissioned by English National Ballet for choreographer Michael Corder.[26]
Ballades Concertantes (2017) for solo viola, double bass & chamber orchestra, commissioned by the Orchestra of the Swan. Duration: 25 minutes.
All that remains (2014) for large orchestra, commissioned by the National Orchestra of Belgium marking the centenary of the opening of the First World War. Duration: 13 minutes.[27]
Come forth to play (2013) for brass, percussion and organ, commissioned by the Guildhall School of Music and Drama to mark the opening of Milton Court. Duration: 6 minutes.
Maxamorphosis (2012), hybrid dance-concerto for viola, dancers and chamber orchestra. Created with choreographer Mikael Marso Riviére for violist Max Baillie and the Aurora Orchestra. Duration: 27 minutes.[25]
Divertissement (2004), suite for chamber orchestra, drawn from the ballet Les Liaisons Dangereuses. Duration: 25 minutes.
So gently darkness falls (2014) to a poem by John Masefield, for solo treble, choir and small orchestra, commissioned by Warwick School. Duration: 11 minutes.
Sea and Stars (2012) to a text by Simon Christmas, for solo soprano, baritone, chorus and orchestra, commissioned by Ealing Choral Society. Duration: 33 minutes.[28]
Body of Water (2012) to a text by Simon Christmas, for solo tenor, choir, organ and brass quintet, commissioned by the John Armitage Memorial. Duration: 15 minutes.
Songs for voice and piano
Love Songs for Mary Joyce (2016) to poems by John Clare, for tenor & piano, commissioned by the Wigmore Hall for James Gilchrist and Anna Tillbrook. Duration: 20 minutes.[29]
Love Songs of Amy Lowell (2011) to poems by Amy Lowell, for soprano & piano, commissioned by the Presteigne Festival. Duration: 16 minutes.
Blist's Hill (2009) to a poem by Simon Christmas, for baritone & piano, commissioned by NMC Recordings, for the NMC Songbook. Duration: 3 minutes.
An American Songbook (2004) to poems by Langston Hughes, for mezzo-soprano & piano, commissioned by the Ludlow English Song Weekend. Duration: 18 minutes.
There is a morn by men unseen (2003) to a poem by Emily Dickinson, for baritone & piano, commissioned by the Wigmore Hall. Duration: 3.5 minutes.
Life Lessens (2002) with text by Simon Christmas, for mezzo-soprano & piano, commissioned by Sue & Nicholas Nightingale. Duration: 25 minutes.
Four Sonnets of John Clare (2002, rev. 2015) to poems by John Clare, for baritone & piano, commissioned by the Wigmore Hall. Duration: 10 minutes.
Swift Partitions (1998) to poems by Emily Dickinson, for baritone & piano, commissioned by Jeremy Huw Williams. Duration: 14 minutes.
An Amherst Bestiary (1997) a songbook to poems by Emily Dickinson, for voice & piano. Duration: 2–25 minutes.
Der Jungling und der Tod (1997) to a poem by Josef von Spaun, for tenor & piano, commissioned by BBC Radio Three. Duration: 6 minutes.
Eclogue (1996) to a poem by A. E. Housman, for baritone & piano, commissioned by Bromsgrove Concerts. Duration: 10 minutes.
Fern Hill (1996) to the poem by Dylan Thomas, for baritone & piano, commissioned by Jeremy Huw Williams. Duration: 15 minutes.
Dread of Starry Majesties (1995) to poems by Ivor Gurney, commissioned by the Lichfield Festival. Duration: 20 minutes.
now i lay me down to dream of spring (1991) to poems by e e cummings, for tenor & piano. Duration: 25 minutes.
Turning Fifty (2019) setting five poems by Australian poet Judith Wright, for baritone, harp & cello. Duration: 20 minutes. Premiered by James Newby (baritone), with Oliver Wass (harp) and Leo Popplewell (cello) at the Milton Court Concert Hall in London, 25 November 2019.
Cantos de Sonho (2013) to poems by Alexander Search (Fernando Pessoa) for soprano, tenor & piano trio, commissioned by the Ludlow English Song Weekend. Duration: 35 minutes.[31]
Swift Partitions (2003) to poems by Emily Dickinson, for baritone & chamber ensemble. Duration: 14 minutes.
Love is more thicker than forget (1997) to a poem by e e cummings, for soprano, trumpet & organ. Duration: 3 minutes.
Coronach (1995) to a poem by Oliver Fraser, for mezzo-soprano & viola, commissioned by BBC Radio 3. Duration: 9 minutes.
Chamber music
A Series of Strange Encounters (2023) for marimba & wind quintet. Premiered by Evelyn Glennie and the New London Chamber Ensemble at the Lake District Summer Music Festival in July 2023. Duration: 15 minutes.[33]
Melodys of Earth and Sky (2022) for violin and clarinet. A series of creative transcriptions based on traditional folk tunes collected by the poet, John Clare. Recorded on NMC Recordings by Kate Romano (clarinet) and Ionel Manciu (violin), with John Clare poems and prose read by actor Toby Jones.[34] Duration: 3-60 minutes.
Barcarola (2019) for solo piano. Duration: 15 minutes.[35]
Winter Music (2016) for solo harp, commissioned by the Tanza Trust for harpist Oliver Wass. Duration: 10 minutes.[36]
Ricochets Between (2010) for clarinet, bassoon, horn, two violins, viola and piano, commissioned by the Britten Sinfonia and the Wigmore Hall for BBC Radio 3. Duration: 12 minutes.[37]
Four Characters (2003) for viola and piano, commissioned by BBC Radio 3 for violist Laurence Power. Duration: 12 minutes.[38]
Sextet (1999) for piano and wind quintet, commissioned by the 1999 Warwick & Leamington Festival. Duration: 16 minutes.[39]
Unaccompanied voices
I Sing of a Maiden (2012) a setting of the medieval lyric, for unaccompanied choir, commissioned for the Choir of Truro Cathedral. Duration: 3 minutes.
Sorrowfull Songes (2012) to poems by Thomas Wyatt, for vocal ensemble, commissioned for The Proms 2012, broadcast live on BBC Radio 3. Duration: 15 minutes.[40]
Invocazione (2004) to a poem by Joseph Addison, for vocal ensemble, commissioned by the National Chamber Choir of Ireland. Duration: 11 minutes
Reach for Andromeda (1995) to a poem by Olive Fraser, for vocal ensemble, commissioned by the Finzi Singers. Duration: 6 minutes.
Choir and organ
The Promised Child (2018) to a text by Stephen Plaice, commissioned by InterOpera. Duration: 5.5 minutes.[41]
Church Music (2011) to a poem by George Herbert, commissioned for the Choirbook for the Queen. Duration: 6 minutes.
Vertue (1988) to a poem by George Herbert, commissioned for the choir of Clare College Cambridge. Duration: 7 minutes.
Choir and piano
The Promised Child (2018) to a text by Stephen Plaice, commissioned by InterOpera.[41] Duration: 5.5 minutes.
Works for children's voices
Fern Hill (2014) to the poem by Dylan Thomas, for children's choir, flute, viola and harp, commissioned by Welsh National Opera and broadcast live on BBC Radio 3. Duration: 18 minutes.
Two Carols and a curse (1999) on medieval lyrics, for children's choir and string orchestra, commissioned by the New London Children's Choir. Duration: 8 minutes.
Works in progress
Through Silence (2024), for oboe and string quartet. Duration: 25 minutes.
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