Reviews
Joe Duddell caused quite a stir and so should Ruby his percussion concerto for Colin Currie and the Bournemouth
Symphony Orchestra. A very English, understated and slightly droll piece, repetitive and pulsing, spiced with harmonic
and orchestral touches of Stravinsky. Each movement has a clear mood – quizzical, basking, quietly joyous – and the most
fulfilled premiere of the week’s premieres comes to a neatly timed end. Currie, outstandingly, played from memory. (More)
Programme Notes
Ruby forms the final part of a triptych of works written for the percussionist Colin Currie. The first, Parallel Lines, for
percussion and piano, was written in 1999, followed by Snowblind, for percussion and strings, written in 2002. While the
first two works are almost exclusively for tuned percussion, Ruby incorporates an un-tuned kit set-up, but the emphasis is
still on the tuned instruments. In fact, the contrast between the rhythmic and colouristic properties of the un-tuned and the
melodic and harmonic possibilities of the tuned is one of the underlying ‘arguments’ of the work. (More)
Key Performances
World Premiere - BBC Proms 2003
25.07.03
Venue: Royal Albert Hall, London, UK
Performance - BBC Young Musician of the Year 2004
02.05.04
Venue: Usher Hall, Edinburgh, UK
National Premiere
02.05.04
Venue: Dewan Filharmonic Petronas, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
National Premiere
27.05.04
Finale 12. Eurovisionswettbewerb junger Musiker