Year 8 Purcell student, Philip Theodorou, was shortlisted for the BBC Proms Inspire Young Composers scheme last summer. He recalled the moment he heard of his success saying ‘I scared my dog because I screamed so loudly’. As part of this experience, the shortlisted few – including Philip and last year’s Head Boy, Tom Sparkes – were invited to Maida Vale studios, the home of BBC Radio 3, to take part in a project to compose an original piece for the BBC Symphony Orchestra inspired by the works of Philip Glass.
The eleven young composers spent three days working in collaboration with the BBC musician and composer Fraser Trainer, and formed the Total Immersion Ensemble. The resulting piece, entitled Looking Glass, has been described by the BBC as ‘lyrical, tender and harmonically rich’ with ‘characteristically catchy Glass-like chord sequences’.
The first performance of Looking Glass took place at the Barbican Free Stage on 28th January 2017. Philip described the experience of performing as ‘…exciting! Each time you looked up from playing the audience had grown!’.
The full BBC Symphony Orchestra concert Total Immersion: Philip Glass at 80 was broadcast on BBC Radio 3. Click here to listen now.
