In July 1990 I was staying at the conductor Norman Del Mar's house in Millook on the north coast of Cornwall, finishing my large orchestral piece The Music of Dawn. Each evening there were spectacular sunsets, and I used to go up on the cliff to paint them in watercolours.

The Music of Dawn is concerned with the sun in all its aspects, and I am sure that these paintings assisted the compositional process: the one above was painted on 15th July, and next morning I wrote the music you can see and hear, in its final orchestral form, on the website introduction page.

Recent and Forthcoming Performances

27/01/2010  --  Concerto in Azzurro

Guy Johnson, cello | Conducted by Jac Van Steen | Hoddinott Hall, Cardiff

Related works: Op.87 - Concerto in Azzurro

26/02/2010, 6pm  --  CD Launch Concert: Complete String Quartets, Volume One

Launch of Volume One of Toccata Classics' recording of David's complete string quartets. Introduced by David. Free, no booking required.

Kreutzer Quartet | David Josefowitz Recital Hall, Royal Academy of Music

28/02/2010, 6pm  --  The Flaying of Marsyas

Pre-concert talk at 5.30pm.

Christopher Redgate, oboe | Kreutzer Quartet | Wilton's Music Hall

Related works: Op.42 - The Flaying of Marsyas

07/03/2010, 11.30am  --  The Story of Babar, Poulenc arr. Matthews

Eleanor Bron, narrator | Nash Ensemble | Wigmore Hall

Related works: The Story of Babar (Francis Poulenc)

24/04/2010  --  World premiere: Symphony No.7

Full news item details

BBC Philharmonic Orchestra | Conducted by Gianandrea Noseda | Bridgewater Hall, Manchester

04/05/2010, 1pm  --  World Premiere: Actaeon

Eleanor Bron, narrator | Counterpoise | Pavilion Theatre, Brighton

Other news

30/10/2009  --  Review: 'The Rest is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century'

Read David's review of Alex Ross' book

15/12/2009  --  Photos from The St Petersburg British Music Festival

Full news item details

David talking about his symphonies during a seminar, and introducing the world premiere of his Russian settings of Pushkin's Winter Passions text at the Sheremetev Palace.

18/02/2010  --  Forthcoming CD: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 6

Performed by BBC NOW under Jac van Steen. Available on the Dutton record label from the end of February 2010..

Full details of Dutton recording of Symphonies Nos. 1, 3 & 5 (new recording details to follow shortly)

Related works: Op.17 - Symphony No.2 | Op.100 - Symphony No.6

18/02/2010  --  Forthcoming CD: David Matthews - Complete String Quartets, Vol. One

This Toccata Classics release includes quartets Nos. 4, 6 & 10 played by The Kreutzer Quartet. Available from the end of February 2010

Related works: Op.27 - String Quartet No.4 | Op.75 - String Quartet No.8 | Op.84 - String Quartet No.10

22/02/2010, 2pm  --  BBC Radio3 Broadcast of Concerto in Azzurro and Symphony No.6

The broadcast will be introduced by David.

Guy Johnston, cello | BBC NOW | Conducted by Jac van Steen

Related works: Op.87 - Concerto in Azzurro | Op.100 - Symphony No.6

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