ADULTHOOD

Piano and Percussion

7’ (2019)

Commissioned by Royal Philharmonic Society/Presteigne Festival Alan Horne Memorial Commission 2018, for George Barton and Siwan Rhys

Programme Note

ADULTHOOD is a piece about reflection and nostalgia; it draws its themes and structures from the re-contextualisation of childhood fantasies and memories through the eyes of my adult self–innocent games become drinking games, early mornings move from waking up full of energy to waking up tired and, sometimes, hungover, huge fairground rides become small and constricting. The piece was written at a time of my life when I had far too many grown-up things to think about–moving house, working nine to five, opening up emotionally to others–and so it felt natural to escape these pressures by writing a piece harking back to a simpler time, but perhaps not longing for those times to return.

The first performance of ADULTHOOD was programmed alongside a work by my old conducting teacher, Gregory Rose, in a festival that contained music that he taught me, alongside works that were completely new to me. The piece draws on my half remembrances, or complete reimaginingo f those conducting lessons and exams, whilst also pushing my own musical language in a new direction.

ADULTHOOD is the 2018 Presteigne Festival/Royal Philharmonic Society Alan Horne Memorial commission. It was premiered by George Barton (percussion) and Siwan Rhys (Piano) as part of the 2019 Presteigne Festival, at St. Andrew’sChurch,Presteigne on 26/08/2019.

Liam Mattison (London, July 2019)