‘I love the music, it’s a massive highlight: the mood shifts, rhythm and brass are extraordinary, melodies beautiful and this year’s devil’s stomp makes my hairs stand on end’

Recorded and produced with James Towler at Steve Winwood’s Studio, Wincraft Studios, for limited edition signed CDs please get in touch

The music for this show started to emerge when I had a power-cut. Throughout the day I sat at the piano and wrote undisturbed by any phone or internet and I continued through the night by candlelight inspired by the world of war and peace and early 19^th century Russia. The main themes for this show began to take shape.

The process of writing for a project such as this has involved burying myself in the extraordinary world of Tolstoy’s War and Peace, researching  Russian music, in particular discovering the ‘circus’ in the work of Shostakovich,  canvassing for new, dynamic musicians to join the band,  many hours at the piano, studying the circus acts and structuring the music to work with and celebrate them, collaborating with Nell, Fleur, Kit and above all Irina whose direction, dedication and devotion to this piece was a constant incentive and stimulus.

One of the most key factors in writing for the Giffords band is to write both challenging and enjoyable music to play and to be able to write specifically for the individuals within the ensemble. The score is composed for and developed with these talented, energetic and committed players and I’ve been so lucky to have worked with them. Special thanks to Karen Hutt and James Keay for all their input and invention they have contributed to the music.