Commission a work

Music sometimes comes first. On Île Noire, ten pieces were written from a hundred still photographs, and the film was edited to them afterwards. That order is available to any project that wants it.

More often the music is written into an existing structure — a choreography, an installation, a cut. Either way, the work starts with a conversation about what the music needs to do, not what it should sound like.

Composition — Original scores written for the specific work. Core practice is in contemporary classical and post-classical forms, extending into contemporary and experimental music, electronics and sound design as the work requires. Strings, piano, organ, synthesis and noise sit at the centre of the palette, with orchestral and electronic resources available as the piece calls for them.

Recording — Performed by a standing ensemble of players in Tokyo, working in a European and American performance idiom developed over several years of international collaboration.

Mixing and delivery — Final masters prepared to your specification, in the formats your production requires.

Master and publishing rights are held in one place, which means licensing is settled in a single conversation. Synchronisation licences for film, advertising, installation and broadcast are issued directly, without third-party clearance.

Terms are agreed per project, including territory, term and media.

Not every project needs a new score. Pieces from the albums are available for licence, and are already in use in short films made in London, Berlin and Lagos. Master and publishing rights are held in one place, so a licence can be issued directly.

If you have heard something that fits your work, say which piece in your enquiry.

1. 1. Enquiry — Tell us about the work, its scale, timeline and the budget available.
2. 2. Conversation — A call to understand the piece and what the music needs to do.
3. 3. Proposal — A written outline of scope, schedule, deliverables and fee.
4. 4. Composition — Sketches first, then revisions, then the score.
5. 5. Recording and delivery — Recorded in Tokyo, mixed and delivered.

Commissions are taken on a wide range of schedules. Larger works — evening-length dance, feature film, permanent installation — are usually planned three to six months ahead. Short deadlines are also workable, and often have been: if you need music quickly, say so in your enquiry and you’ll get a straight answer about what’s possible.

Enquiries about work further out are equally welcome.

Every commission is quoted individually, based on scope, scale and the rights required. Fees are agreed before work begins.