Compositional highlights
greu m’es a durar - medieval ensemble (2019 - ongoing)
subtilior beats - harp, celtic harp, drums, keyboard, electronics (2018 - ongoing)
se vous n’estes - soprano, mixed ensemble, electronics (2017)
bel m’es qu’eu chant - medieval ensemble (2016)
pentagon study - frame drum, ocean drum, udu drum (2016)
tintinnabulation - tubular bells, electronics (2013)
de souffle - 2 alto flutes, 2 bass flutes, percussion (2015)
arrwomb - tenor, bass clarinet, electric guitar, and vibraphone (2015)
the shadow of my soul - cello, piano (2015)
... par fumée ... - six voices (2015)
music for dancers - alto flute, bass flute, clarinet, percussion (2015)
representation of Capigliolo - marimba, electronics (2014)
Istar’s descent - 8 voices (2014)
recorder concerto - recorder, chamber orchestra (2014)
representation of nasa’s space sounds - vibraphone, electronics (2014)
the regent’s bridges - large orchestra (2014)
tintinnabulation - 2 vibraphones, electronics (2013)
inspirs - string quartet (2013)
mbube - choir (2013)
cinq inspirs - wind quintet (2012)
survol nocturne, Barbican - chamber orchestra (2012)
Eleevation - bass voice, harp (2011)
on the pavements - bass recorder, tenor recorder (2011)
nueeageuses - percussion quartet (2011)
halfway to st james - viola (2011)
Thomas Fournil
Thomas Fournil (b. 1990) is a Corsican composer and researcher working at the intersections of technology, politics and musicology. He founded the Idrîsî Ensemble and works as an artistic director, hurdy-gurdy and portative organ player towards the performance of medieval Mediterranean repertoire and new commissions. He specialises in Occitan and Old Roman chant, and investigates the practical outcomes of recent advances in musicology, archeology and medieval literature towards an understanding of ornamentation, micro-intervals, voice placement, concepts of mouvance and heterophony in resonance with living traditions. His PhD as a medievalist composer helps him develop teaching solutions for the inclusion of diverse people, skills and learning practices, as well as postcolonial, non-modern, feminocentric and queer identity investigations.
Thomas became a fellow at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama after completing the Guildhall Artist Masters course (distinction) under James Weeks. His current doctoral research is concerned with practical applications of postcolonial medievalism in music making/pedagogy, with a unique conflation of spectral techniques and queer spectrality. He is ultimately interested in the possibility of decolonising conservatoire practices through medievalism, and is excited to share new potential pathways with other classical and non-classical musicians. Thomas is supervised by James Weeks, Julian Anderson, Marcel Pérès and Nye Parry.
His interests often revolve around aspects of historical performance, time travel, identity, fragility, silence and transcendence. Previous collaborations include the Plus Minus Ensemble, Exaudi, the Calder Quartet, members of the Aurora Orchestra, Clavecin en Corse, soloists such as Caoimhe de Paor, James Leveridge, Jack Michael Welch, and artists such as choreographer Yanaëlle Thiran. His first sound installation for The London Festival of Contemporary Church Music introduced original techniques to analyse and materialise the sonic frequencies of a church. He teaches at Brockwood Park School, and at the Guildhall School of Music as a doctoral lecturer. His studies are kindly supported by the City of London Corporation and The Guildhall School Trust.
LISTEN
Tintinnabulation for tubular bells & live electronics
Percussion . Peter Rayner
The electronics emphasise partials from the live sound following a tintinnabulation technique. This creates a very subtle cloud of resonance, gradually shifting towards upper partials. A second layer brings the highest, imperceptible partials down two octaves and slowed down, creating a raw chiming texture. The quasi-hidden use of Tintinnabuli, and the rather meditative quality of this composition present an intimate homage to Arvo Pärt. Poetically, the use of bells links back to Pärt’s interest in early music, while the instrument recalls “actual” tintinnabulation.
de souffle
Flutes . Jack Michael Welch, Toni Berg
Percussion . Peter Ashwell
Materials composed for choreographer Yanaëlle Thiran in "Dessus de Souffle", and re-organised to expand their gestural and meditative qualities. In this piece we first explore the song of the Common Grackle before giving it a rhythmic flow. Various multiphonics follow the spectrum of a Tibetan bowl. Strong gestural sounds confront the soundscape, and create a different sense of flow for the listener.
Concerto For Recorder . IIIrd movement (Chamber Orchestra)
Recorders . Caoimhe de Paor
Conductor . James Weeks
This work has been inspired by three Haiku, and several aspects of the poems influenced the form and content of the music. Each movement starts with a very short section aiming to recreate the spoken rhythm of its correspondent Haiku, and is then articulated following its particular structure and colouration. In this piece we explore a concerto aesthetic at the limits of anti-concerto writing, playing with the focus of attention towards the recorder to explore the softest, subtlest colours of the instrument.
tsuru no asobi
kumoi ni kanau
hatsu hi kana
it's play for the cranes
flying up to the clouds
the year's first sunrise
Chiyo-ni (1703-1775)
…par fumée…
Conductor . James Weeks
6 voices . EXAUDI
...par fumée... is a re-imagining of 14th century rondeau ‘Fumeux fume’ by Solage, in which smoke and smoking is a recurrent theme. I derived my pitches from the harmonic series of D, creating subtle microtonal harmonies and melodies. Like the original, the singing dissolves into hazy colours and elusive harmonies all within an extremely low register. Additionally the score follows the tradition of Ars Subtilior repertoire, with flowing rhythms and colourful notation.
TEXT
Fumeux fume par fumée
Fumeuse spéculation
Qu'antre fumet sa pensée
Tant qu'il ait son entencion
Fumeux fume par fumée
Fumeuse spéculation
TRANSLATION
A smoker smolders smokily
In smoky speculation
Thus he steeps his thoughts in smoke
Until he gets his way
A smoker smolders smokily
In smoky speculation
Representation of NASA's Space Sounds: Earth
Vibraphone: James Leveridge
This piece was written in collaboration with electronic musician Christian Czornyj for a Nico Mulhy curated event: 'Electronic music Pioneers', as part of his new music festival 'A Scream and an Outrage' at the Barbican Centre. It is a stylised representation of different recordings of Earth by NASA space probes.