Since leaving Cardiff University with an M.Mus. in composition, and an early stint sessioning & arranging for Dave Stewart’s Anxious Records in London, John has subsequently enjoyed a long and successful career as a composer for concert platform, theatre, television, and film, whilst also pursuing his own interests in sound installation, and sound-art.
Selected Commissions
2010: Conducted John Cale's first live performance in Wales of the album Paris 1919. Commissioned by Soundtrack Film Festival. Performed in The Coal Exchange, Cardiff.
2012: Original score and sound design for theatre production 'To Live, To Love, To Be' – Sherman Theatre. Director: Phillip MacKenzie.
2012: 'Jerry The Troublesome Tyke: Composed and conducted live performances of original orchestral scores to picture for this 1920's animated film series by Cardiff animator Sid Griffiths. Swansea Festival of Arts.
2012-13: Creative Wales Award research grant to develop the multi-disciplinary work Atgyfodi. The Arts Council of Wales.
2013: Crowds & Power: Sherman Theatre – Original Music and Sound Design. Director: Phillip Mackenzie.
2013: Maudie's Rooms - Original music and sound design for site-specific theatre work in Cardiff’s Exchange building. Director: Louise Osborn.
2014: Bedazzled – A Welshman In New York – Composition, and sound desing based on field recordings for an installation & performance work. Co-devised with David Drake, Ben Gwalchmai, and Ffotogallery. A Dylan Thomas 100 commission.
2014: Song Cycle Commission Bore Oes: A collaboration with poet Mererid Hopwood. Commissioned by Pontio, and premiered by Elin Manahan Thomas and Jeffrey Howard. A Dylan Thomas 100 commission.
2014: Music and sound design for The Institute, a performance/physical theatre feature film by choreographer Sean Tuan John.
2015: Original music for BAFTA nominated documentary feature film Fog Of Sex, a film investigation into sex workers in Education. Directed by Chris Morris.
2015: Musical Director, and composer for Ar Waith, Ar Daith in collaboration with The Wales Millennium Centre, and theatre/events producyion company Walk The Plank.
2016: 'The Phoenix In The Stone': Original music for projection mapping event for Leeds Light Night, commissioned by Rob & Matt Vale of Illuminos.
2017: Concrète – An immersive sound installation and performance work celebrating the introduction of noise into music by Luigi Russolo and the Futurists. A collaboration with Ffotogallery, as part of Diffusion Festival, 2017.
2018: Atgyfodi - Creation of a large scale installation and multi-media performance piece, in collaboration with the St Fagans National Museum of History’s sound and photographic archives, and BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Performed site-specific in the Museum in October, 2018. Production grant from the Arts Council of Wales, The PRS Foundation, and Ty Cerdd.
2018: Chapter Readings: Ambient surround-sound design and music for Chapter Readings, featuring authors reading original work. Chapter Arts Centre Peilot Scheme. Directed by Phillip MacKenzie.
2018-2019: My Grandfather, The Spy: Original score for drama documentary feature film. Shoot From The Hip Films. Directors: Dave Evans, and Martin Scanlan.
2018-2019: PARADE: A multi-disciplinary installation, and digital work, commissioned by Maindee Library’s Finding Maindee, part of the Arts Council of Wales’ Ideas, People, Places community based initiative.
2019: Y Brain/Kalgalar - Original music and sound design for theatre production based on the writings of Meltem Arikan for Be Aware Productions. Director: Memet Ali Alabora.
2019: Y Tywysog a'r Bomiwr/The Prince and the Bomber - Original score for documentary, commissioned by BBC/S4C. Director: Marc Evans.
2019: Atgyfodi screened as part of the Green Man Festival.
2020: 'The Matthew Purnell Show': Original score for short film featuring a cast of 31 learning-disabled and/or autistic actors. Commissioned by inclusive theatre company Hijinx. Directed by Dan MacGowan.
2020: Creation of original soundscapes for a series of observational audio journals in collaboration with writer Sarah Featherstone for online streaming, a response to the Coronavirus crisis. Self Published & streamed as part of The Wales Arts Review 'Digithon' online festival.
2020: Beyond The Label: Creation of soundscapes/musical responses to poetry and prose recorded by people with lived experience of mental health conditions. Breathe Creative & Ty Canna.
2020: Peal.Hum: Research and development of an immersive soundscape and performance project in collabroation with percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie. The Arts Council of Wales.