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 choir
There (1992) for string orchestra
Concertino (1994)
Hypothetical Questions (1992-2011)
Piano Concerto (2005) for piano (tuned microtonally), orchestra and choir
Double Concerto for Violin, Cello and Orchestra (2016)
Not Two (2017) for orchestra
Asgard (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 ensemble
You (2008) for trombone and ensemble
Transparence (2015) for viola and ensemble with electronics
Blurring definitions (2016) fl, cl, bs, perc, 2 vl, vla, vc, db
First String Quartet (1986)
Utopia (1989) soprano and wind quartet
Hellawes (1991) flute trio
Theorem (1995) violin, cello, piano
Second String Quartet (dream) (1996)
Encounter (1998) harpsichord, world percussion, electronics
Between (2000) violin and harpsichord
Transitions (2000) violin, clarinet, cello, piano
Still (2001) bass flute, 6 & 12-string guitar, viola
Nowhere (2003) clarinet, piano, electronics
Afterglow (2006) alto flute, piano, electronics
Transference (2010) flute, clarinet, violin, cello and piano
Crossing dialogues (2013) violin, cello, vibraphone and piano
Of Shadows Unveiled (2013) flute, bass clarinet and piano
Towards the soul (2015) trombone quartet
Conditional action (2016) two flutes
Alba (2016) violin, viola, cello, piano
Hieroglyphs (1985–86) piano
Three Preludes (1987) piano
Poem for the Absurd (1987) piano
Musica Reservata (1989) piano
Shambhala (1990) piano
Satori (1999) harpsichord
Hinayana (1999) oboe
Mosaic (1998) harpsichord
Drang (1999) accordion
Without (2004) violin
Almost (2006) cello
Over (2006) violin
En avant (2006) piano
Se potessi (2011) piano
Eulogy (2013) piano
Verso l'alto (2014) viola
Three Haikus (2014) shakuhachi
Hypothesis (2017) percussion
Yahari (2017) guitar
Beyond the bridge (1993) cello and electronics
Renge-kyo (1993) piano and electronics
Encounter (1998) harpsichord, world percussions, electronics
'...as it flies...' (2001) tape
Transfiguration (1999–2006) trombone and electronics
I am (2002) tape
After silence 1 (2005) piano and electronics
Inwards (2005–06) bass flute and electronics
In the Temple (2006–07) tape
Present Otherness (2008) tape
Mémoires (2011) tape
Woanders (2016) piano and electronics
1990 - 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 Records
beyond the bridge in Edition Memnosyne, Synthese 8, LD278058/59. mnemosyne label
phonai in Electroshock, 2 ELCD 006. electroshock label
epitaph in Electroshock, 3 ELCD 007. electroshock label
theorem in Living Artists Recordings, Vol.3. living artists label
present otherness in Sargasso SCD 28057
beyond the bridge, phonai, renge-kyo, spirits, vision. Sargasso SCD 28023
encounter, hinayana, epitaph, between. Sargasso SCD 28038
koan, still, satori. Sargasso SCD 28049
waka, '...as it flies...', nowhere. Sargasso SCD 28053
inwards, Drang, transient, tranfiguration, fado. Sargasso SCD 28059
without in Dots/Lines, Takao Hyakutome (2015)
verso l'alto in 20 Jahre Ensemble Plus, ORF Voralberg CD Label, 2016. (Limited Edition).
