Through Britten Sinfonia’s Magnum Opus composer development scheme, new music by 2026 RPS Composer George Stevenson and 2023 RPS Composer Michael Betteridge will feature in their 2025 showcase. 

George Stevenson presents the second of two new works for the ensemble -  his new piano concerto Bloodshift, which imagines the pianist as a swimmer plunging into an icy-cold ensemble. 

George says: 'It was an experiment to see how my music would change if I took long swims in local reservoirs to clear the head between composing sessions, rather than spending time in the hills as I’ve done in the past.

The piece captures sights, sounds, and extreme sensations of a winter wild swim. Tentative beginnings in murky waters are interrupted by waves of head-freeze, fading to strange ecstatic calm. Early attempts to find rhythm become too much to maintain. We float on our backs to recover, taking in the frozen landscape. Eventually the body finds its natural pace and the music of that strange initial ecstasy can be reimagined – now sustainably mobile, almost to the end.

Beneath the surface, musical machinery echoes strange mechanisms helping our bodies respond to cold water – instincts inherited from semi-aquatic ancestors. Among these reflexes, the particularly intriguing 'Bloodshift' gave the piece its title. Triggered by cold water on nerves of the nose, blood vessels in the arms and legs contract – forcing circulation inwards to vital organs. Oxygen and heat are preserved as the body braces for depth and cold.

Bloodshift is dedicated to its soloist, Clare Hammond, who swims in a flooded quarry near her home. It also reflects her preference for music in which the piano is constantly active, much like the sensation of total presence swimmers describe. For many, it’s this sense of complete and unavoidable engagement from first stroke to last that gives swimming such importance – as refuge, release and enduring ritual.'

bodies by Michael Betteridge is a collection of songs exploring how queer people experience themselves. Setting words by four living queer writers, the work reflects on contemporary perceptions of our own anatomy.

Michael says: 'Setting existing poetry to music is a distinct act: once music enters, the composer adds their own voice, interpretation, and perspective, whether they do this intentionally or not. In this work, I’ve sought to represent a range of queer experiences – some resonant with my own, such as Andrew’s reflections in the men are weeping in the gym, and others beyond my lived experience, such as the feeling of one’s body not aligning with one’s gender. Four texts cannot encompass all perspectives, and I acknowledge the notable absences, such as those of queers of colour.

I invite listeners – queer or not – to reflect on their own bodies as they encounter these words and sounds. While some experiences expressed here are specific to queer lives, many of the emotions and insights are not bound by identity and, hopefully, resonate more universally.

Though each song stands alone, I think of bodies as a song cycle. The ordering of the texts suggests a possible narrative arc, yet every movement maintains its own distinct character and sound world. I am deeply grateful to the writers who have so generously allowed me to set their work.'

The concert will also feature new music by fellow Britten Sinfonia Magnum Opus composer Leoni King.

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