The Project 40 Ensemble was founded by Dominic Nudd in 2019 in a transparently futile attempt to disguise an embarrassing round number birthday. The first concert included Showpiece by Robin Holloway and The Tempest Suite by Michael Tippett, neither work commercially recorded, and three new commissions, from Joshua Balance, Anna Semple and Jacob Churchyard.
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“thanks very much for last night--- a treat all-round--- the sort of programming we almost never get nowadays! All very best for your further endeavours!“
Robin Holloway (composer)
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“I just wanted to write to say thank you so much for the wonderful performance of my piece last night! Please do pass on my thanks to the players as they did a marvellous job!”
Anna Semple (composer)
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“I thought it a really lovely evening and an excellent programme. Congratulations too to the ensemble, who did a fab job in some very challenging repertoire!”
Joshua Balance (composer)
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“bravissimo for your enterprise, imagination and sheer hard work. The fact that the audience consisted not only of public folk, but of composers, performers and writers was a fine reflection of such a stimulating programme of rarities and music by up-and-comings. I particularly liked Robin’s piece – a great opener which really came over, and Anna Semple’s telltale heart was beautiful, and beautifully sung; Jacob Churchyard’s piece was really imaginative. The orchestra sounded excellent throughout.”
Audience member
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“Congratulations and taking on such a challenging but important work [Schreker]. It was a wonderful performance and I’m delighted and impressed.“
Audience member
Undaunted by the hiccup of Covid and Lockdown the Ensemble has developed a strand of positively provocative programming, concentrating on British composers, ranging from the almost familiar to the completely unknown, commissioning composers for each concert, marking anniversaries, seeking out the rare, unusual and neglected and reviving works unheard for many years.
refreshing the repertoire
since 2019