My final choice, The Island , refers to a spectacular viewpoint in St. Ives, Cornwall. This site features in many paintings by Alfred Wallis and lies close to the Tate St. Ives. Though not completely surrounded by water, The Island is a hill with the tiny St. Nicholas Chapel at its peak. My piece takes Klee's notion of line as melody 'on a walk', representing the path which circles the base of The Island.
Monody occasionally diverges, or is harmonised before splitting into a contrapuntal texture.
This ascends in pitch, just as the walker makes their way up the hill to the chapel. The work concludes with the transformation of the opening line into a brass chorale and woodwind plainchant. He has performed, conducted and composed extensively for youth orchestras on Merseyside. Robert's piano music has won first prizes in music festivals throughout the country. Robert is currently studying PhD composition with Philip Cashian as well as teaching at Goldsmiths' College, University of London.