John Palmer (1959) is a British composer, pianist and musicologist.
John Palmer studied piano with Grazia Wendling and Eva Serman at the Lucerne School of Music (Musikhochschule Luzern), Switzerland, while attending courses in composition with Edison Denisov and Vinko Globokar. He continued his composition studies in London at Trinity College of Music, Royal Holloway, University of London and at City University London where he obtained a PhD in Composition in 1994. Further studies include composition with Vinko Globokar at the Dartington Summer School and privately with Jonathan Harvey, analysis with Jonathan Cross at the University of Bristol, and conducting with Alan Hazeldine at the Guildhall School of Music And Drama in London. From 1990 to 1995 he taught at the University of Oxford (Kellogg College). From 1995 to 2000 he was a Senior Lecturer in Composition and Director of Research at the University of Hertfordshire, England. In 2000 he was appointed Professor at the State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart, Germany. Since 1992 he has lectured at several universities and music colleges in Europe and given papers and talks at conferences in Europe and North America. Since 1987 Palmer's works has focused on orchestral, instrumental, vocal, chamber music, and electroacoustic composition.
Omen (1991) for orchestra and choirThere (1992) for string orchestraConcertino (1994)Hypothetical Questions (1992-2011)Piano Concerto (2005) for piano (tuned microtonally), orchestra and choirDouble Concerto for Violin, Cello and Orchestra (2016)Not Two (2017) for orchestraAsgard (1987- rev. 2001) for 2 speakers and ensemble (fl, cl, vl, vla, vc, pno, electronics)Koan (1999) for shakuhachi and ensemble (fl, ob, clar, perc, pno, vl, vla, vc)Waka (2003) for percussion and ensemble (fl, ob, cl, pno, vl, vla, vc)Legend (2008) for harp and ensembleYou (2008) for trombone and ensembleTransparence (2015) for viola and ensemble with electronicsBlurring definitions (2016) fl, cl, bs, perc, 2 vl, vla, vc, dbFirst String Quartet (1986)Utopia (1989) soprano and wind quartetHellawes (1991) flute trioTheorem (1995) violin, cello, pianoSecond String Quartet (dream) (1996)Encounter (1998) harpsichord, world percussion, electronicsBetween (2000) violin and harpsichordTransitions (2000) violin, clarinet, cello, pianoStill (2001) bass flute, 6 & 12-string guitar, violaNowhere (2003) clarinet, piano, electronicsAfterglow (2006) alto flute, piano, electronicsTransference (2010) flute, clarinet, violin, cello and pianoCrossing dialogues (2013) violin, cello, vibraphone and pianoOf Shadows Unveiled (2013) flute, bass clarinet and pianoTowards the soul (2015) trombone quartetConditional action (2016) two flutesAlba (2016) violin, viola, cello, pianoHieroglyphs (1985–86) pianoThree Preludes (1987) pianoPoem for the Absurd (1987) pianoMusica Reservata (1989) pianoShambhala (1990) pianoSatori (1999) harpsichordHinayana (1999) oboeMosaic (1998) harpsichordDrang (1999) accordionWithout (2004) violinAlmost (2006) celloOver (2006) violinEn avant (2006) pianoSe potessi (2011) pianoEulogy (2013) pianoVerso l'alto (2014) violaThree Haikus (2014) shakuhachiHypothesis (2017) percussionYahari (2017) guitarBeyond the bridge (1993) cello and electronicsRenge-kyo (1993) piano and electronicsEncounter (1998) harpsichord, world percussions, electronics'...as it flies...' (2001) tapeTransfiguration (1999–2006) trombone and electronicsI am (2002) tapeAfter silence 1 (2005) piano and electronicsInwards (2005–06) bass flute and electronicsIn the Temple (2006–07) tapePresent Otherness (2008) tapeMémoires (2011) tapeWoanders (2016) piano and electronics1990 - Cornelius Cardew Competition, England: special mention for in memory of a friend, for soprano and piano.1992 - City of Lucerne Cultural Prize, Switzerland: first prize winner with Omen, for orchestra and choir.1994 - Bourges International Competition for Electroacoustic Music, France: second prize winner with Beyond the Bridge, for cello & electronics.1995 - Surrey Sinfonietta Orchestral Competition Contest, England: first prize winner with Concertino, for orchestra.1995 - 1st Tokyo International Competition for Chamber Music Composition: second prize winner with Theorem (piano trio).1996 - City of Klagenfurt International Composition Prize, Austria: second prize winner with Second String Quartet (Dream).2009 - Bourges International Competition for Electroacoustic Music, France: selection of Transient for soprano, prepared piano & electronics.2010 - Citta' di Udine International Competition for Composers, Italy: Special Mention and Medal of the President of the Italian Republic for Transference, for flute, clarinet, violin, cello and piano.2011 - Presque Rien International Competition Prize, Paris: prize winner with mémoires, for electroacoustic sounds.In the Temple - Animato Records ACD6144.I Am - Animato Records ACD6143.musica reservata - Animato Records ACD6136. Animato Recordsbeyond the bridge in Edition Memnosyne, Synthese 8, LD278058/59. mnemosyne labelphonai in Electroshock, 2 ELCD 006. electroshock labelepitaph in Electroshock, 3 ELCD 007. electroshock labeltheorem in Living Artists Recordings, Vol.3. living artists labelpresent otherness in Sargasso SCD 28057beyond the bridge, phonai, renge-kyo, spirits, vision. Sargasso SCD 28023encounter, hinayana, epitaph, between. Sargasso SCD 28038koan, still, satori. Sargasso SCD 28049waka, '...as it flies...', nowhere. Sargasso SCD 28053inwards, Drang, transient, tranfiguration, fado. Sargasso SCD 28059without in Dots/Lines, Takao Hyakutome (2015)verso l'alto in 20 Jahre Ensemble Plus, ORF Voralberg CD Label, 2016. (Limited Edition).