Staff profile

James Weeks is a composer and conductor specialising in new music, based in the UK. His music is performed and broadcast worldwide and four portrait discs of his work have been released to date: Mala punica/Walled Garden (Winter&Winter, 2017), Signs of Occupation (Métier 2016), mural (confront 2015) and TIDE (Métier 2013). He has written for many leading ensembles and soloists including Plus-Minus, Quatuor Bozzini, London Sinfonietta, New London Chamber Choir, Phoenix Piano Trio, EXAUDI, Ekmeles, Mira Benjamin, Alison Balsom, Apartment House and Anton Lukoszevieze.

His work is typically focused on music for soloists or small ensembles, exploring pared-down, 'primary' musical syntaxes and systems, with particular interests in modality, microtonality, modularity and indeterminacy. Major works include Schilderkonst (mixed ensemble, 2003-4), TIDE (ensemble and electronics, 2007-10), the South London Harmonies series (various ensembles, 2008-11), Mala punica/Walled Garden (8 voices and ensemble, 2008-9/2015), The Freedom of the Earth (chorus and instruments, 2011), Three Trios (piano trio and tapes, 2010-11), Radical Road (voices with stones, 2014) and Primo Libro (6 voices, 2012-16).

Current projects (Autumn 2017) include an hour-long solo violin piece, windfell, for Mira Benjamin, works for the London-based ensemble Apartment House and Quatuor Bozzini, a choral installation for experimental vocal collective Musarc, and an ongoing series of pieces for CoMA (Contemporary Music for All), with whom he has been closely associated since 2014. He is also editing the CoMA Partsong Book, a volume of new experimental music for small vocal groups, to be published in 2018.

In 2002 he founded EXAUDI (www.exaudi.org.uk) with soprano Juliet Fraser, now regarded as one of the world’s leading vocal ensembles for new music. As well as maintaining a busy international touring and recording schedule with EXAUDI, he is in great demand as a guest conductor, working regularly with instrumental ensembles and orchestras such as Royal Northern Sinfonia, BBCSSO, London Sinfonietta, musikFabrik, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group and L’Instant Donné. He has also worked extensively with amateur musicians, both at CoMA and in early music fora and summer schools around the UK.

Previously Associate Head of Composition at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London, he took up the post of Associate Professor of Composition at Durham in October 2017.

www.jamesweeks.org

• Composition
• Contemporary music performance
• Contemporary vocal music
• Experimental music
• Microtonality
• New music aesthetics

Chapter in book

• Weeks, J. (2023). Landscape/Music. In S. Mahler Kraaz, & C. de Mille (Eds.), The Bloomsbury Handbook of Music and Art (293-299). Bloomsbury
• Weeks, J. (2019). Finnissy's Voices. In I. Pace, & N. McBride (Eds.), Critical perspectives on Michael Finnissy : bright futures, dark pasts. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351031547

Composition

• Weeks, J. (in press). Siro's Garden. [score]
• Weeks, J. Siciliano (2003) for solo piano
• Weeks, J. Stacking, Weaving, Building, Joining (2007) for any number of pitched instruments (at least 6)
• Weeks, J. (2022). Still here (2020) for violin and piano. [Score]
• Weeks, J. (2022). Düsseldorf. [score]
• Weeks, J. (2022). Summer. [score]
• Weeks, J. (2020). Weligwic (2019) for orchestra. [Score]
• Weeks, J. (2019). violute (2018) for viola and bass flute. [score]
• Weeks, J. (2019). ærc quartets (2016/18) for any four bowed string instruments. [score]
• Weeks, J. (2019). windfell (2017) for solo violin
• Weeks, J. (2018). violet. [score]
• Weeks, J. (2018). ærc duos. [score]. York
• Weeks, J. (2018). Venetian Sky
• Weeks, J. (2017). Primo Libro (2012-16) for six solo voices
• Weeks, J. (2017). Libro di fiammelle e ombre (2017/18) for six solo voices
• Weeks, J. (2017). Meadow (2016) for a large number of performers, singing or/and playing
• Weeks, J. (2017). Inscription (2011/12) for four voices and string quartet
• Weeks, J. (2017). Ave maris stella (2003/17) for mixed or upper voices, violin and organ
• Weeks, J. (2017). Bee Haven (2017) for large group of strings
• Weeks, J. (2016). Joy (2016) for 2 violins and percussion
• Weeks, J. (2016). Signs of Occupation (2014) for clarinet and speaking voice
• Weeks, J. (2016). common ground (2013-14) for string trio
• Weeks, J. (2016). ærc (2016) for any number of orchestral string instruments (at least 12)
• Weeks, J. (2015). Cornish String Music (2015) for any number of orchestral string instruments (at least 16)
• Weeks, J. (2015). Walled Garden (2015) for 2 alto flutes, bass flute, string trio
• Weeks, J. (2014). New Day (2006) for solo piano and ensemble
• Weeks, J. (2014). Digger (2010) for solo guitar
• Weeks, J. (2014). The Catford Harmony (2008/14) for oboe, clarinet, alto saxophone, violin, cello, piano
• Weeks, J. (2014). A tear (2014) for mixed-voice choir and organ
• Weeks, J. (2014). Sacred Muses (2005)
• Weeks, J. (2014). Two Perscriptions (2002-4) for solo piano
• Weeks, J. (2014). Matsushima (2005) for 1-4 pianos
• Weeks, J. (2014). Schilderkonst (2003-4) for ensemble
• Weeks, J. (2014). Softest Numbers (2014) - for violin and piano
• Weeks, J. (2014). Radical Road (2014) for 30 or more singers with stones
• Weeks, J. (2014). The Nunhead Harmony (2009) for clarinet, violin, viola, double bass
• Weeks, J. (2014). Olympic Frieze (2014) for any number of pitched instruments (at least 12)
• Weeks, J. (2014). mural (2012-13) for one or more vocal quartets
• Weeks, J. (2014). Come Away (2008) for soprano, violin, cello, piano
• Weeks, J. (2014). Looping Busker Music (2013) for violin, clarinet, accordion, guitar and tape
• Weeks, J. (2013). Narrow Path (2012) for solo flute
• Weeks, J. (2013). Freehand Etude (2012) for three performers
• Weeks, J. (2013). The World in tune (2013) for solo soprano
• Weeks, J. (2013). Sky (2010) for clarinet and electronics
• Weeks, J. (2013). Three Trios (2010-11) for piano trio and tape
• Weeks, J. (2013). Orlando Tenebrae (2010) for SATB choir
• Weeks, J. (2012). The Freedom of the Earth (2011) for chorus and ensemble
• Weeks, J. (2012). Tide (2007) for solo cello with BACH bow
• Weeks, J. (2012). Glossa (2010) for ATB choir
• Weeks, J. (2012). Burnham Air (2008-9) for oboe d'amore
• Weeks, J. (2012). Complainte (2007) for solo soprano
• Weeks, J. (2012). Nakedness (2012) for solo soprano
• Weeks, J. (2012). Honey Celebration (2005) for piano trio
• Weeks, J. (2012). Mala punica (2008-9) for 8 solo voices

Edited book

• Weeks, J. (Ed.). (2018). partsongs. CoMA

Journal Article

• Weeks, J. (2014). Along the Grain: the music of Cassandra Miller. Tempo, 68(269), 50-64. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0040298214000060
• Weeks, J. (2006). More heat, more light: Christopher Fox in conversation. Tempo, 60(236), 13-19. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0040298206000106

Other (Digital/Visual Media)

• Weeks, J., Fox, C., & EXAUDI. (2023). Christopher Fox: Trostlieder. [CD]
• Weeks, J., & EXAUDI. (2022). Book of Flames and Shadows. [CD]
• Weeks, J., & Explore Ensemble. (2021). James Weeks: Summer. [CD]
• Weeks, J., & EXAUDI. (2018). Michael Finnissy: Vocal Works 1974-2015
• Weeks, J., EXAUDI, recherche, E., Symphony Orchestra, B., & Brabbins, M. (2018). Brian Ferneyhough: La terre est un homme and other works
• Weeks, J., EXAUDI, & Ensemble, H. (2017). James Weeks: Mala punica
• Weeks, J., & EXAUDI. (2017). Laurence Crane: Pieces About Art
• Weeks, J., & Ensemble, P.-M. (2016). James Weeks: Signs of Occupation
• Weeks, J., & EXAUDI. (2016). James Weeks: mural
• Weeks, J., & EXAUDI. (2014). Passion Texts: vocal music by Rihm and Nono
• Weeks, J., & EXAUDI. (2013). EXPOSURE: works by Cassidy, Harrison, Glover, Bailie, Weeks, Chase, Molitor
• Weeks, J., EXAUDI, & Donné, L. (2013). Stefano Gervasoni: Dir - In Dir
• Weeks, J., & House, A. (2013). James Weeks: TIDE
• Weeks, J., & EXAUDI. (2012). Aaron Cassidy: A Painter of Figures in Rooms
• Weeks, J., EXAUDI, & Becker, D. (2010). Howard Skempton: Bolt from the Blue
• Weeks, J., & EXAUDI. (2009). Christopher Fox: Catalogue Irraisoné
• Weeks, J., EXAUDI, & BCMG. (2007). Howard Skempton: Ben Somewhen
• Weeks, J. (2006). Elizabeth Lutyens: Choral and chamber works
• Weeks, J., & EXAUDI. (2005). Michael Finnissy: Maldon and other choral works
• Weeks, J., & EXAUDI. (2005). Christopher Fox: A Glimpse of Sion's Glory