Ostrava Center for New Music

Philip Thomas specialises in performing new and experimental music, including both notated and improvised music. He places much emphasis on each solo concert being a unique event, often addressing an underlying theme or issue. His most recent solo projects have included a survey of the piano music of Christian Wolff, including the European premiere of his latest work for solo piano ‘Long Piano (Peace March 11)’ at the 2007 Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, alongside premieres of new works by Stephen Chase, Tim Parkinson and Michael Parsons; a series of concerts exploring the continuum between improvisation and composition, including premieres of specially composed works by Mick Beck, Chris Burn and Simon H Fell; premiere performances of major new works by Richard Emsley and Christopher Fox; a highly successful three-concert festival of the music of Morton Feldman, alongside three specially commissioned new works by British composers (this took place in October 2002 at the Mappin Art Gallery, Sheffield, and subsequently toured venues across the country); performances of solo music by Lachenmann, Zimmermann and others in Spring 2002; and a John Cage and contemporary British composers festival in February 2001, including a number of world and British premieres. Philip was also the pianist in residence for the 2008 International Computer Music Conference/Sonorities Festival in Belfast.

Future plans include further performances of the piano music of Christian Wolff, alongside recent British experimental music, in the USA in April 2009, and premiere performances of new works by Markus Trunk and Laurence Crane. Philip is also the director of a John Cage concert at the 2008 Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the famous 1958 New York Town Hall concert, culminating in a performance of Cage's Concert for piano and orchestra.

Philip’s debut solo CD ‘Comprovisation’ was released in 2007 on the Bruce’s Fingers label (BF66). Based upon his recent series of concerts featuring music exploring improvisation and notation, it features music by Mick Beck, Chris Burn, John Cage, Simon H Fell, Michael Finnissy and Paul Obermayer.

Philip is a regular pianist with leading experimental music group 'Apartment House'. Recent performances with them have included a concert and live broadcast at the WDR studios, Cologne; a fluxus concert at the2007 Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival; an appearance at the Høvikodden Festival, Oslo, Norway; a James Clarke portrait concert at Kettle’s Yard; a 70th birthday celebration of Christian Wolff’s music with the composer at Kettles Yard, Cambridge; a concert at the 2004 Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival.; a BBC invitation concert featuring the music of Christopher Fox and others; a Brian Ferneyhough workshop at the Huddersfield 2003 Festival; a ‘Fluxus-Defluxus' event in Berlin as part of the 'Maerz-musik' festival; a performance in Ghent, Belgium, as part of Ghent's contemporary music series; 2 concerts at the 2002 Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, including a major portrait of the music of Christian Wolff, featuring the composer himself in a rare visit to England; a Luc Ferrari/Sylvano Bussotti presentation at the 2002 Hoxton New Music Days; a world premiere by Christopher Fox, broacast on the German radio network WDR and subsequently released on CD, in April 2002, at the Witten Neue Musik Tage, Germany; and a portrait concert of Clarence Barlow at the Hoxton New Music Festival in June 2001, which included two solo works and was subsequently broadcast on BBC Radio 3. Future concerts with 'Apartment House' include an appearance at the ISCM New Music Days 2008 in Lithuania.

In 2005 Philip joined the renowned pianist Ian Pace in a programme of experimental music for two pianos. Other recent collaborations have been with Adrian Moore (electronics), improvisers Martin Archer and John Jasnoch, electronics improvising duo Transient v Resident, and Manchester-based Ensemble 11. In 2006 he formed a piano and electronics duo with composer James Saunders which performed at the 2007 Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival and was subsequently broadcast on BBC Radio 3.

Philip has premiered solo works by Richard Ayres, Mick Beck, Chris Burn, Stephen Chase, Laurence Crane, Richard Emsley, Simon H Fell, Christopher Fox, Bryn Harrison, John Lely, Michael Parsons, James Saunders and Christian Wolff. His repertoire also includes works by Thomas Ades, Clarence Barlow, Gerald Barry, Luciano Berio, John Cage, Cornelius Cardew, James Clarke, Aldo Clementi, John Croft, George Crumb, Morton Feldman, Michael Finnissy, Graham Fitkin, Charles Ives, György Kurtag, Helmut Lachenmann, John Lely, Alvin Lucier, Olivier Messiaen, James Macmillan, Per Nørgård, Katherine Norman, Paul Obermayer, Arvo Pärt, Wolfgang Rihm, Robert Saxton, Howard Skempton, Rodney Sharman, Linda C.Smith, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Mark R.Taylor, Michael Tippett, John White, Christian Wolff , and Walter Zimmermann.