Philips held the
Glyndebourne's first Composer in Residence. He is published by Edition Peters. Whilst at Glyndebourne, Philips completed two chamber operas in 2006-2009,
Followers with
libretto by Simon Christmas and
The Yellow Sofa with a libretto by
Edward Kemp. He then went on to write his youth opera
Knight Crew for
Glyndebourne with a libretto by Nicky Singer; the opera subsequently featured in a BBC 2 documentary. In 2017, Philips' opera
The Tale of Januarie received its premiere at the
Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, based on Chaucer's ''
The Merchant's Tale'' with a
Middle English libretto by writer
Stephen Plaice. In 2003, Philips collaborated with British choreographer
Michael Corder on a new full-length ballet based on
Les Liaisons Dangereuses for
English National Ballet, collaborating again with Corder on a Prokofiev-based score for
The Snow Queen, again for
English National Ballet. His has been featured on BBC radio. In 2018 Philips is working on a new viola concerto for violist Virginia Slater, a large-scale choral work with a text by
Stephen Plaice commissioned by InterOpera, and a new oboe quintet for the
Wigmore Hall.
Operas •
Henny Penny (2022), a primary school opera bringing together music and modern language learning, with a libretto by
Stephen Plaice in English, French (Coquotte Chocotte). Scored for mezzo-soprano, baritone and children's chorus, with violin, clarinet and piano. Duration: 25 minutes. •
The Tale of Januarie (2016–17), full-length Opera after
Geoffrey Chaucer, with a libretto by
Stephen Plaice, commissioned by the
Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Duration: 2 hours, 15 minutes. •
How the Whale Became (2013), family chamber opera after
Ted Hughes for five singers and five players, with a libretto by
Edward Kemp, commissioned by the
Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Duration: 80 minutes. •
Good Intentions (2012), children's opera with a libretto by Simon Christmas, commissioned by
W11 Opera. Duration: 80 minutes. •
Save the Diva (2011), street opera scene for soprano, trombone and accordion, with a libretto by Simon Christmas, commissioned by The Opera Group. Duration: 15 minutes. •
Knight Crew (2010), full-length youth opera, with a libretto by Nicky Singer, commissioned by
Glyndebourne Festival Opera. Duration: 2 hours. •
The Yellow Sofa (2009), chamber opera based on the novella
Alves & Co. by
Eça de Queiros, with a libretto by
Edward Kemp, commissioned by
Glyndebourne Festival Opera. Duration: 80 minutes. •
Varjak Paw (2008), family chamber opera, after the novels by
SF Said, with a libretto by
Kit Hesketh-Harvey, commissioned by The Opera Group. Duration: 1 hour, 50 minutes. •
Followers (2006–11), site-specific promenade opera with a libretto by Simon Christmas, commissioned by
Glyndebourne Festival Opera. Duration: 1 hour. •
Of Water and Tears (2007), opera fantasy for chorus & small orchestra, based on
O Waly, Waly, devised for Glyndebourne's Jerwood Chorus Development scheme with director Claire Whistler. Duration: 15 minutes. •
Wild Cat (2006), children's opera with a libretto by
Berlie Doherty, commissioned by
Welsh National Opera. Duration: 30 minutes. •
Dolffin (2005), children's opera with a libretto by
Gwyneth Lewis, commissioned by
Welsh National Opera. Duration: 30 minutes.
Theatrical Concert Work •
Looking West (2022) for soprano, mezzo-soprano, actor, mixed ensemble (8 players) and field recordings, with a libretto by Rebecca Hurst. Commissioned to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of
Vaughan Williams, the work explores an ancient Cumbrian pilgrimage route, the
Saint Bega Way, interwoven with the experiences of a contemporary pilgrim and the paintings of
Winifred Nicholson.
Dance •
Maxamorphosis (2012), hybrid dance-concerto for viola, dancers and chamber orchestra. Created with choreographer Mikael Marso Riviére for violist Max Baillie and the
Aurora Orchestra. •
The Snow Queen (2005), full-length ballet based on Prokofiev's
Tale of the Stone Flower commissioned by
English National Ballet for choreographer
Michael Corder. •
Les Liaisons Dangereuses (2003), full-length ballet after the
Choderlos de Laclos novel, devised with choreographer
Michael Corder, commissioned by
English National Ballet.
Orchestral works •
Ballades Concertantes (2017) for solo viola, double bass & chamber orchestra, commissioned by the
Orchestra of the Swan. Duration: 25 minutes. •
All that remains (2014) for large orchestra, commissioned by the National Orchestra of Belgium marking the centenary of the opening of the First World War. Duration: 13 minutes. •
Come forth to play (2013) for brass, percussion and organ, commissioned by the
Guildhall School of Music and Drama to mark the opening of Milton Court. Duration: 6 minutes. •
Maxamorphosis (2012), hybrid dance-concerto for viola, dancers and chamber orchestra. Created with choreographer Mikael Marso Riviére for violist Max Baillie and the
Aurora Orchestra. Duration: 27 minutes. •
Body of Water (2012) to a text by Simon Christmas, for solo tenor, choir, organ and brass quintet, commissioned by the John Armitage Memorial. Duration: 15 minutes.
Songs for voice and piano •
Love Songs for Mary Joyce (2016) to poems by
John Clare, for tenor & piano, commissioned by the
Wigmore Hall for James Gilchrist and Anna Tillbrook. Duration: 20 minutes. •
Love Songs of Amy Lowell (2011) to poems by
Amy Lowell, for soprano & piano, commissioned by the
Presteigne Festival. Duration: 16 minutes. • ''Blist's Hill'' (2009) to a poem by Simon Christmas, for baritone & piano, commissioned by
NMC Recordings, for the NMC Songbook. Duration: 3 minutes. •
An American Songbook (2004) to poems by
Langston Hughes, for mezzo-soprano & piano, commissioned by the Ludlow English Song Weekend. Duration: 18 minutes. •
There is a morn by men unseen (2003) to a poem by
Emily Dickinson, for baritone & piano, commissioned by the
Wigmore Hall. Duration: 3.5 minutes. •
Life Lessens (2002) with text by Simon Christmas, for mezzo-soprano & piano, commissioned by Sue & Nicholas Nightingale. Duration: 25 minutes. •
Four Sonnets of John Clare (2002, rev. 2015) to poems by
John Clare, for baritone & piano, commissioned by the
Wigmore Hall. Duration: 10 minutes. •
Swift Partitions (1998) to poems by
Emily Dickinson, for baritone & piano, commissioned by Jeremy Huw Williams. Duration: 14 minutes. •
An Amherst Bestiary (1997) a songbook to poems by
Emily Dickinson, for voice & piano. Duration: 2–25 minutes. •
Der Jungling und der Tod (1997) to a poem by
Josef von Spaun, for tenor & piano, commissioned by
BBC Radio Three. Duration: 6 minutes. •
Eclogue (1996) to a poem by
A. E. Housman, for baritone & piano, commissioned by Bromsgrove Concerts. Duration: 10 minutes. •
Fern Hill (1996) to the poem by
Dylan Thomas, for baritone & piano, commissioned by Jeremy Huw Williams. Duration: 15 minutes. •
Dread of Starry Majesties (1995) to poems by
Ivor Gurney, commissioned by the Lichfield Festival. Duration: 20 minutes. •
now i lay me down to dream of spring (1991) to poems by
e e cummings, for tenor & piano. Duration: 25 minutes.
Works for voice and instruments •
The Country of Larks (2021) setting text from
Robert Louis Stevenson's essay
An Autumn Effect (1875), for tenor, horn and piano. Commissioned by the
Oxford International Song Festival. Duration: 9 minutes. •
Turning Fifty (2019) setting five poems by Australian poet
Judith Wright, for baritone, harp & cello. Duration: 20 minutes. Premiered by James Newby (baritone), with Oliver Wass (harp) and Leo Popplewell (cello) at the Milton Court Concert Hall in London, 25 November 2019. •
Cantos de Sonho (2013) to poems by Alexander Search (
Fernando Pessoa) for soprano, tenor & piano trio, commissioned by the Ludlow English Song Weekend. Duration: 35 minutes. •
Sweet Love Remembered (2005) to poems by
Amy Lowell,
Amy Levy,
Byron,
May Swenson,
James Merrill and
Muriel Rukeyser, for baritone & string quartet. Commissioned by Sir Nicholas Goodison and the
Wigmore Hall for baritone
Gerald Finley and the Vertavo Quartet. Duration: 25 minutes. •
Swift Partitions (2003) to poems by
Emily Dickinson, for baritone & chamber ensemble. Duration: 14 minutes. •
Love is more thicker than forget (1997) to a poem by
e e cummings, for soprano, trumpet & organ. Duration: 3 minutes. •
Coronach (1995) to a poem by Oliver Fraser, for mezzo-soprano & viola, commissioned by
BBC Radio 3. Duration: 9 minutes.
Chamber music •
A Series of Strange Encounters (2023) for marimba & wind quintet. Premiered by
Evelyn Glennie and the
New London Chamber Ensemble at the Lake District Summer Music Festival in July 2023. Duration: 15 minutes. •
Melodys of Earth and Sky (2022) for violin and clarinet. A series of creative transcriptions based on traditional folk tunes collected by the poet,
John Clare. Recorded on
NMC Recordings by Kate Romano (clarinet) and Ionel Manciu (violin), with John Clare poems and prose read by actor
Toby Jones. Duration: 3-60 minutes. •
Barcarola (2019) for solo piano. Duration: 15 minutes. •
Winter Music (2016) for solo harp, commissioned by the Tanza Trust for harpist Oliver Wass. Duration: 10 minutes. •
Ricochets Between (2010) for clarinet, bassoon, horn, two violins, viola and piano, commissioned by the
Britten Sinfonia and the
Wigmore Hall for
BBC Radio 3. Duration: 12 minutes. •
Four Characters (2003) for viola and piano, commissioned by
BBC Radio 3 for violist
Laurence Power. Duration: 12 minutes. •
Sextet (1999) for piano and wind quintet, commissioned by the 1999 Warwick & Leamington Festival. Duration: 16 minutes.
Unaccompanied voices •
I Sing of a Maiden (2012) a setting of the medieval lyric, for unaccompanied choir, commissioned for the Choir of
Truro Cathedral. Duration: 3 minutes. •
Sorrowfull Songes (2012) to poems by Thomas Wyatt, for vocal ensemble, commissioned for
The Proms 2012, broadcast live on
BBC Radio 3. Duration: 15 minutes. •
Invocazione (2004) to a poem by
Joseph Addison, for vocal ensemble, commissioned by the National Chamber Choir of Ireland. Duration: 11 minutes •
Reach for Andromeda (1995) to a poem by Olive Fraser, for vocal ensemble, commissioned by the Finzi Singers. Duration: 6 minutes.
Choir and organ •
The Promised Child (2018) to a text by
Stephen Plaice, commissioned by InterOpera. Duration: 5.5 minutes. •
Church Music (2011) to a poem by
George Herbert, commissioned for the
Choirbook for the Queen. Duration: 6 minutes. • ''Song's Eternity'' (2002) to a poem by
John Clare, commissioned by the Musicians' Benevolent Fund for the combined choirs of
Westminster Abbey,
Westminster Cathedral and
St Paul's Cathedral. Duration: 7 minutes. •
Vertue (1988) to a poem by
George Herbert, commissioned for the choir of
Clare College Cambridge. Duration: 7 minutes.
Choir and piano •
The Promised Child (2018) to a text by
Stephen Plaice, commissioned by InterOpera. Duration: 5.5 minutes.
Works for children's voices •
Fern Hill (2014) to the poem by
Dylan Thomas, for children's choir, flute, viola and harp, commissioned by
Welsh National Opera and broadcast live on
BBC Radio 3. Duration: 18 minutes. •
Two Carols and a curse (1999) on medieval lyrics, for children's choir and string orchestra, commissioned by the
New London Children's Choir. Duration: 8 minutes.
Works in progress •
Through Silence (2024), for oboe and string quartet. Duration: 25 minutes. ==References==