Personal profile

Biography

Tom David Wilson was born in Manchester in 1957. In the 1970’s he was a student at the Birmingham Conservatoire where he studied composition with Andrew Downs. In the 1980’s he was a student at Goldsmiths College, London University where he spent five years studying composition with Melanie Dakin and Edward Gregson. For ten years he was Head of Woodwind and Tutor for Academic Music at Uppingham School in Rutland but since 1989 he has lived in Glasgow where he teaches composition at the R.C. S. and at St. Mary’s Music School in Edinburgh.

Professional highlights

Working quietly and unobtrusively, Tom has amassed over 100 compositions in many genres from chamber music to several works for full symphony orchestra, including three symphonies and four concerti. His fourth Chamber Symphony was performed by the RSNO. in 1994 and his second Brass Quintet, played by the BBC Brass Quintet, was broadcast by the BBC in 1996. His Symphonic Thirds for Brass Band was commissioned by the Lothian Region Brass Band and was premiered by them in Aberdeen in 1993.

More recently his Symphonic Thirds Three was premiered by the group Wind and Fire in Edinburgh (2010) as well as his Jig for solo Saxophone written for Richard Ingham. His Nonet for Clarinets received its Scottish premiere at the RSAMD (2011).

His miniatures for piano, Notice Board Gestures (2004), have been performed by Kate Dixon at the RNCM and are posted on the internet. His extraordinary work for 15 pianos, 32 hands, the Quindecatet (2001), enjoyed its second outing at the RSAMD piano day in April 2007. It has been multi-track recorded by the pianist Simon Smith and has had further live performances in Verona (2011), Gothenburg (2012) and Glasgow (2012).

2011 saw premieres of his Piano Sonata Three (Simon Smith), his song cycle Blutenblatter (Elizabeth McCormack and Julia Lynch), Symphonic Thirds Four for Saxophones (RichardIngham Saxophone Choir) as well as a Piano Trio and a Piano Quartet.

In 2012 there were performances of Kernel for the Meadows Chamber Orchestra and Estrif for the New Edinburgh Orchestra and ECME. There were performances of Flute TrioCourantePiano Miniatures and Locus Tertius and a recording of Jig by Richard Ingham.

2013 saw a second performance of Estrif by ECME, first performances of Horn QuartetFlute Quartet (Red Note Ensemble), Musette for solo ‘cello (Duncan Strachan), Piano Sonat One (Simon Smith), Locus Quartus and Locus Sextus (Ensemble 3hree 9ine), Clarinet Trio and Trio in Eb (The Newtown Ensemble). As part of his Six New Pieces – Six Orchestras project, two more short pieces for armature orchestras will be performed in the autumn of 2013; James Jumps for the St. James Orchestra, and Latino Slow for the Amicus Orchestra.

Selected works are deposited in the RCS library and at the Scottish Music Information Centre. Enquiries can be made via the composer at the RCS.