JAMES CLAY
Composer | Improviser
FELT COLLAGES I & II | 2026 | Chamber Ensemble | 15' | commissioned by Dr Adam Soper for Steve Reich 90th Birthday Concert, Newcastle upon Tyne
World premiere Wednesday 7 October 2026, The Literary & Philosophical Society of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK [forthcoming]
SOMNOLENCE | 2026 | Piano and Electronics | 13' | commissioned by Sound Stories Conference 2026
World premiere Thursday 18 June 2026, The Literary & Philosophical Society of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK [forthcoming]
NORTH RITUAL II | 2026 | Organ, Gamelan and Electronics | 20' | commissioned by Sensible Prices
World premiere Thursday 23 April 2026, King's Hall, Newcastle University, UK [forthcoming]
BUX | 2025 | Chamber Ensemble | 13' | commissioned by Sensible Prices
World premiere Thursday 4 December 2025, The Literary & Philosophical Society of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
NORTH RITUAL I | 2025 | String Quintet | 7' | commissioned by Pudding Chare Festival
World premiere Thursday 28 August 2025, The Literary & Philosophical Society of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
AFTERLAND | 2025 | Symphony Orchestra | 3' | commissioned by Capella Edina
World premiere Sunday 12 October 2025, Usher Hall, Edinburgh
TWELVE INSCRIPTIONS FOUND WHILE HIKING NEAR BLANCHLAND | 2025 | Chamber Ensemble | 11' | commissioned by Sensible Prices
World premiere Tuesday 20 May 2025, The Literary & Philosophical Society of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
MISSA PRIMA PRO CAMPANIS (ORBIS FACTOR) | 2024 | Carillon (two octaves, fully chromatic) | 23'
World premiere Friday 16 February 2026, Edith Adamson Memorial Carillon, Newcastle Civic Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne
(NEVER) ABANDON II | 2024 | Open-score Octet | Indeterminate duration
SOLSTICE | 2024 | Organ solo | 20'
Site-specific work for Newcastle Aubertin organ, King's Hall, Newcastle University
ORBIT / ADRIFT | 2024 | Symphony Orchestra | 12' | commissioned by Capella Edina
World premiere Thursday 16 January 2025, Usher Hall, Edinburgh
QUIET FORTRESS | 2024 | Organ solo | 45'
LE PASSAGE | 2024 | Organ solo | 30'
Site-specific work for Newcastle Aubertin organ, King's Hall, Newcastle University
BLOOM AND SPLINTER | 2023 | Flute, Viola and Harp | 5'
World premiere Thursday 5 January 2023, Trio Anima, RMA-BFE Conference 2023, Cardiff University
ORDINARY LIGHT | 2023 | Carillon with parallel quadraphonic sound installation | 30' per cycle
World premiere 13–19 November 2023, Edith Adamson Memorial Carillon, Newcastle Civic Centre, and The Arches, Newcastle University
IN THE AIR OF REMEMBERING | 2023 | Woodwind Duo | 8'
Presented at the 59th Annual Royal Musical Association Conference, rarescale, University of Nottingham
STILL EARTH, UNSTILL | 2023 | Classical Guitar | 15'
MONKCHESTER PRELUDE | 2023 | Carillon (two octaves, fully chromatic) | 5'
PRAYER WITHOUT WORDS | 2023 | Carillon (two octaves, fully chromatic) | 6'
CAST IN STONE, CAST IN WATER | 2023 | Carillon (two octaves, fully chromatic) | 4'
FANTASIA ON THE NAME OF THE CITY CARILLONNEUR | 2023 | Carillon (two octaves, fully chromatic) | 5'
THREE BIRDS OVER PENSHAW | 2023 | Carillon (two octaves, fully chromatic) | 3'
ABANDON I | 2023 | Acousmatic work based on Viola fragments from (NEVER) ABANDON | 10'
ABANDON II | 2023 | Acousmatic work based on Flugelhorn fragments from (NEVER) ABANDON | 10'
STRING QUARTET NO. 2, 'PARALYSED CITY' | 2023 | String Quartet | 30'
A BEAUTIFUL DISINTEGRATION | 2023 | Acousmatic | 20'
ALL THAT IS LOST | 2023 | Acousmatic | 8'
World premiere Friday 20 October 2023, Livestream concert from Argentina (ciclo de conciertos virtuales 2023. Quinto concierto, 20 de Octubre.), La Hora Acusmática
PALLIDUS | 2022 | Soprano solo, Alto solo, Violin and Viola | 11'
ALL ILLUSIONS, ALL AGAIN | 2022 | Acousmatic | 11'
CONSIDER THE WOUNDS | 2022 | Acousmatic | 30'
THE DYING EARTH PRAYERS | 2022 | String Trio | 5'
Presented at the RMA-BFE Conference, Thursday 12 January 2023, Trio Northumbria, Northumbria University
NOT COMING BACK III | 2021 | Soprano solo and Piano | 4'
(NEVER) ABANDON | 2021 | Open-score Trio (incl. Keyboard) | Indeterminate duration
REARRANGING FURNITURE | 2020 | Classical Guitar | 9'
NOT ONLY THE BIRDS HERALD THE NEW DAWN... | 2020 | Bass Flute, Tape and Live Electronics | 8'
A VIEW FROM HELVELLYN | 2020 | Symphony Orchestra | 30'
NIGHT JOURNALS | 2020 | Fl Ob Cl Bssn Hn Hp Pno 2Vln | 11'
TWO SONGS OF ISOLATED PEOPLE | 2020 | Tenor solo, Clarinet, Harp and Violoncello | 10'
Text by James Clay and Marie McHugh
STRING QUARTET NO. 1 | 2019 | String Quartet | 17'
FOUR RENDERINGS | 2019 | Prepared Piano | 11'
EVENING SERVICE IN G MINOR | 2019 | SATB and Organ | 13'
INSCRIPTIONS FOR A SILENT DAWN | 2019 | Symphony Orchestra | 5'