Colin Riley

Colin Riley’s music is difficult to categorise, drawing on a range of elements including new technologies, improvisation, song-writing and large-scale classical form. His recent albums include Shenanigans (NMC) and In Place (Squeaky Kate). Other works include Warp and Weft a concerto for 2 cellos (Gabriella Swallow / Guy Johnston), Rock Paper Scissors (Ensemble Bash), Stream-Shine (Philippa Mo) and Earth Voices (Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra, Sweden). Hearing Places, his large-scale multi-media piece was premiered earlier this year by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales to excellent reviews. The Daily Telegraphy described it as ‘Witty, inventive music of ear-tickling inventiveness’ and Colin as ‘An atavistic soul and a composer of amiable eccentricity.’ Colin is currently developing a new project Ludic Inventions for Sound Festival Scotland, a new string quartet for the RIOT Ensemble harnessing AI and the song of the blackbird, as well as a new album for Melanie Pappenheim. He is also scoring the music for two films to come out later this year. He is Reader in Composition at Brunel University, a mentor for Making Music’s Adopt a Music-Creator Scheme, runs his own label Squeaky Kate and writes a regular blog about composing called Riley Notes.