University of Aberdeen
MacRobert Building
Aberdeen
AB24 5UA

Dr Geoffrey Palmer

Part-time Lecturer in Music and Instrumental Tutor

PhD (Musical Composition) University of Bristol 1997

Personal Details

Telephone:	+44 (0)1224 274613
E-mail:	g.palmer@abdn.ac.uk
Personal website:	www.geoffpalmercomposer.com
Address:	Room 123 MacRobert Building Department of Music University of Aberdeen AB24 5AU

Biography

Geoff Palmer is an established composer and cellist who�is�employed�part-time�at the University of Aberdeen as a�Lecturer�in�Music�and Instrumental Tutor�of Cello.

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Research Interests

Composition. Contemporary music. Music of the 20thC. Microtonality as applied to world music and western art music. Music for cello.

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Current Research

Current research activities:

�

Splitting the Semitone - Paper given as Research Seminar at University of Aberdeen, Department of Music, October 5^th 2007 (appears in PDF at www.geoffpalmercomposer/Works/News.htm)
Microtonality - Research Seminar presented to 3^rd Year BMus students at University of Middlesex, October 13^th 2008
"Out of Tune": Writing Microtonally for Conventionally Constituted Ensembles - Paper given as Research Seminar at University of Aberdeen, Department of Music, February 13^th 2009
As above -� Paper given at Conference on Microtonality (UK MicroFest 3) at Walton-on-Thames, March 8^th, 2009. See www.microtonalprojects.co.uk/PDF/prog.pdf
New Wine in Old Bottles? The Use of Period Instruments for Contemporary Music- Paper given as Research Seminar at University of Aberdeen, Department of Music, October 2^nd 2009
Celebrating Haydn: Presentation of a New String Quartet � Extended illustrated talk at the Celebrating Haydn conference, York University, Toronto, 9^th August 2009. See www.brocku.ca/haydnconferenceyork/

The string quartet clearly has a future, with people writing music like that for it

(Letter from Prof Julian Rushton, following the Conference)

New Wine in Old Bottles? The Use of Period Ensembles for Contemporary Music- Paper given as Research Seminar at University of Aberdeen, Department of Music, October 2^nd 2009

Recent research-related composition projects:

Concerto for Bassoon, Seven Solo Strings and Small Orchestra � 3 movements, 25 minutes First performance by the bassoonist Antal Mojzer, The Chamber Orchestra of Lapland (conducted by John Storgards) at Rovaniemi, Finland, on 5^th May 2008. See www.geoffpalmercomposer.com for press comment

Research context: the presentation of functional quartertonal harmony within music of a conventional genre performed by a conventionally-constituted ensemble.

Chansons � a revision, completion and compilation of four pieces for solo violin and piano, 12 minutes. See www.kingsplace.co.uk/music/london-chamber-music-society-on-sundays/ruth-palmer-and-alexei-grynyuk

Research context: The unification of contrasting musical styles through identified idiomatic melodic and harmonic traits

String Quartet No. 4 � 4 movements, 25 minutes. First performed in August 2009 by the Windermere String Quartet at the Port Milford Chamber Music Festival and at York University, Toronto. Written for the Celebrating Haydn Conference in Toronto, supported by The Wirth Institute for Austrian and Central European Studies, The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, and York University, Toronto. See www.brocku.ca/haydnconferenceyork/

Research context: An exploration of the use of period string instruments, at conventional authentic pitch, in microtonal combination with modern instruments, at conventional contemporary pitch

Flute Concerto: Cancri 55 � 5 simultaneous movements, 20 minutes. Commissioned by New Music Concerts, Toronto, for Robert Aitken, flute, and the New Music Concerts Ensemble. First performance scheduled for 6^th March 2011 at a concert co-promoted by New Music Concerts and University of Toronto.

Research context: The presentation of diverse soundworlds, whereby distinctive timbres, rhythms and other elements of musical organization are combined within a largely microtonal harmonic context

New works for cello �A series of works for solo cello systematically exploring quartertonal modes and harmonic fields. Work in progress. Performances by the composer at University of Aberdeen t.b.a.

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Composition

Creating music and music performance in orchestral, instrumental, vocal and educational contexts; developing the contemporary classical genre.

Performances of work at major UK festivals, including Cheltenham Festivals (1997 - 2003)
Performances of work at London venues including Wigmore Hall (2000), Purcell Room (2000, 2002 and 2004) and Kings Place (2009)
Performances overseas in Poland (2000), Finland (1998, 2008), Japan (1999), Canada (2002, 2009) and USA (1999);
Seven national BBC broadcasts since 1997. See www.geoffpalmercomposer.com/Works/List.htm for details.

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Performing

Playing and teaching cello�

Former student of Anders Gr�n and Ioan Davies
Professional experience including session work (BBC Bristol)
Cello tutor, University of Aberdeen
Recent recitals include:

May 2007 Bach Cello Suite No. 3 in C major (University of Aberdeen "Teatime Concert", MacRobert Lecture Theatre)
May 2007 Vivaldi Double Cello Concerto in G minor (Concertante Cello II) (University of Aberdeen, Marishall College)
December 2007 Bach Cello Suite No. 5 in C minor (St Andrew's Cathedral, Aberdeen)
July 2008 Brahms Cello Sonata No. 2 in F major (St Andrew's Cathedral, Aberdeen)
November 2008 Britten Suite for Cello No.1 (St Andrew's Cathedral, Aberdeen)
July 2009 Bach Cello Suite No. 4 in Eb major (St Andrew's Cathedral, Aberdeen)
November 2009 Tavener The Protecting Veil (St Andrew's Cathedral, Aberdeen, during sound 2009). See www.sound-scotland.co.uk/site/2009/artists/PalmerGeoff.htm