“Nothing defines the Orchestra of the Swan better than its commitment to new repertoire. While it is artistic director David Curtis's policy to commission works that complement classical pieces, it is his own enthusiasm in presenting them that sustains the exercise. More-over, his often imaginative programmes have a knack of making connections which are genuinely stimulating”. The Guardian
With Orchestra of the Swan and other orchestras and ensembles David has commissioned and premiered over 80 new works, most listed below. He has also developed collaborative partnerships with organisations such as Kyo Shin An Arts, The American Composers Orchestra and New Music USA to commission a number of Chinese and American composers including Douglas Cuomo and the Pulitzer prize winner Paul Moravec.
David's approach has been to commission new work from well-established composers, Douglas Cuomo, David Mathews, Paul Patterson and Alexander Goehr and to champion emerging talent and the new generation of composers such as Tom Coult, Joanna Lee and Deborah Pritchard.
ASMF - Academy of St Martin in the Fields
BC - Birmingham Conservatoire
CSO - Cheltenham Symphony Orchestra
ICE - Icelandic Caput Ensemble
LCO - Leamington Chamber Orchestra
MCO - Mikelli Chamber Orchestra – Finland
OOTS - Orchestra of the Swan
Alejandro Basulto Jig Variations 2016 (OOTS) Commissioned by Anglo Arts Mexico for Mexico tour Arnold Bax Piano concerto (OOTS) World premiere recording and performance – orchestrated and edited by Graham Parlett, recorded for SOMM
ICE - Icelandic Caput Ensemble
LCO - Leamington Chamber Orchestra
MCO - Mikelli Chamber Orchestra – Finland
OOTS - Orchestra of the Swan
Alejandro Basulto Jig Variations 2016 (OOTS) Commissioned by Anglo Arts Mexico for Mexico tour Arnold Bax Piano concerto (OOTS) World premiere recording and performance – orchestrated and edited by Graham Parlett, recorded for SOMM
Snorri Sigfús Birgisson Piano concerto (ICE) recorded for Icelandic radio
Oscar Colomina I Bosch The Blue Flask (OOTS)
Open the Curtains (OOTS)
Mervyn Byrch Horn concerto (LCO)
Andrew Chapman Cello concerto (CSO)
Three Movements for Orchestra (CSO)
Tom Coult Antic Rounds - 2014 (OOTS)
Joe Cutler Music for Sunflowers -2009 (OOTS)
Gonzalez (OOTS)
Douglas J Cuomo Black Diamond Express Train to Hell - 2010 (OOTS) UK premiere, in partnership with the American Composers Orchestra
Objects in Mirror - 2016 (OOTS) Commissioned for OOTS 21st anniversary
Objects in Mirror - 2016 (OOTS) Commissioned for OOTS 21st anniversary
Colin Decio Cheltenham Symphony (CSO)
Jessica Davies Morning Views of Spoleto (CSO)
Tansy Davies Residuum - 2005 (OOTS)
Joe Duddell Isolation - 2006 (OOTS)
David Finko Violin concerto (LCO) UK premiere
Charles Fitts Clarinet concerto (OOTS)
Hearts Celestial (OOTS)
Alexander Goehr The broken lute - 2000 (OOTS)
Daron Hagen Genji for koto and orchestra - 2010 (OOTS) In partnership with Kyo Sin An Arts, recorded for MSR
Sampo Haapamäki Fresh for Chamber orchestra (ICE) Recorded for Icelandic radio
Lars-Petter Hagen Concept of Sorrow and Dangers (ICE) Recorded for Icelandic radio
Philip Herbert A dream of ‘Peace in our time’ (OOTS)
Jennifer Higdon Oboe concerto (OOTS) UK premiere
John Joubert Oboe concerto - 2008 (OOTS)
Thuridur Jónsdottir Ballada frá Ónundarfirdi (ICE) recorded for Icelandic radio
Tom Kane Horn concerto (CSO)
Joanna Lee Chansons Innocentes - 2008 (OOTS)
The Chronicles of Archy - 2012 (OOTS)
Blue Blaze – Dance Suite - 2016 (OOTS) Commissioned for OOTS 21st anniversary
Blue Blaze – Dance Suite - 2016 (OOTS) Commissioned for OOTS 21st anniversary
Peter Lieuwen River of Crystal Light - 1999 (LCO)
Heartland - 2018 (MSO)
Heartland - 2018 (MSO)
David Matthews Skies are now Skies (orchestral version) - 2013 (OOTS)
John McCabe Les Martinets noirs - 2003 (OOTS) UK Premiere
Trumpet concerto ‘Primavera’ - 2013 (OOTS) recorded for Signum Classics
Ivor McGregor Symphony no2 - 2007 (OOTS)
Paul Moravec Shakuhachi concerto - 2013 (OOTS) In partnership with Kyo Sin An Arts, recorded for MSR
Nocturne - 2017 (OOTS)
Nocturne - 2017 (OOTS)
Roxanna Panufnik Spring in Japan - 2008 (OOTS)
Tibetan Winter - 2009 (OOTS)
Indian Summer - 2010 (OOTS) broadcast on The South Bank Show
The Generation of Love (orchestral) - 2014 (OOTS)
Paul Patterson Allusions - 2007 (OOTS)
Sinfonia for strings (OOTS)
Joseph Phibbs Clarinet concerto - 2007 (OOTS)
The Dawn Breakers
Julian Philips Dance Fragment no1 - 2002 (OOTS)
Les liaisons dangereux - 2005 (OOTS)
Swift Partitions - 2006 (OOTS)
Masque for Caliban - 2008 (OOTS)
Ballades Concertantes - 2017 (OOTS)
Ballades Concertantes - 2017 (OOTS)
Deborah Pritchard Skyspace - 2013 (OOTS) recorded for Signum Classics
Guto Puw Violin concerto - 2014 (OOTS)
Robert Ramskill Piano concerto (LCO)
Mike Revell The Poem of Change (OOTS)
Aizia Sadikova Sapphire (BC)
Robert Saxton Shakespeare Scenes - 2013 (OOTS)
Aki Yli Salomäki Chamber symphony no1 (MCO)
Marie Samuelson Sorgarstígur/Sorgestråk (ICE) recorded for Icelandic radio
Albert Schnelzer Violin concerto ‘Coupled Airs’ - 2012 (OOTS)
James Schlefer Shakuhachi concerto - 2009
Concertante - 2011 (OOTS) recorded for MSR
Roger Steptoe Four Shakespeare Songs - 2014 (OOTS)
Pedro da Silva Concerto for Portuguese Guitar - 2017 (OOTS)
Pedro da Silva Concerto for Portuguese Guitar - 2017 (OOTS)
Dobrinka Tabakova Belltower in the Clouds - 2004 (OOTS)
Sonnets to Sundry notes of music - 2006 (OOTS)
Centuries of Meditations - 2012 (OOTS)
High Line for solo violin & flugel horn - 2015 (OOTS)
Immortal Shakespeare - 2016 (OOTS) broadcast on BBC Radio 3
Greg Tearnan Concerto for orchestra (LCO)
Param Vir Spread of Dreams - 2007 (OOTS)
Andrew Waggoner My Penelope - 2008 (ASMF)
Errollyn Wallen Photography - 2006 (OOTS)
Cello Concerto - 2007 (OOTS)
Concerto Grosso - 2008 (OOTS)
Shu Wang Dian - 2006 (OOTS)
Huw Watkins Little Symphony - 2013 (OOTS) broadcast on BBC Radio 3
A cradle song - 2014 (OOTS)
Remember for soprano and strings - 2014 (OOTS)
Envoi - 2015 (OOTS)
John Woolrich The Street of Crocodiles - 2005 (OOTS)
Pete Wyer Four Shakespeare Sonnets - 2010 (OOTS)
Pete Wyer Four Shakespeare Sonnets - 2010 (OOTS)