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Press

Recent coverage and reviews

Paraorchestra Musicians in Residence

October 2022

"A prolific collaborator, his vast artistic output ranges from contemporary classical to ferocious avant-garde metal.


Read on for a short-ish interview on his experience of the residency and ambitious next steps."

Rylan Gleave: Requiem | BRAW Bursary

July 2022

"The piece critically examines the idea of a “protagonist” by re- and de- contextualising ancient religious text, and by exploring forgiveness, Queer reverence in relationships, and the abuse of patriarchal power."

Read the full article at Sharper/Caper

Reinventing the Orchestra With Charles Hazlewood - Sky Arts

July 2022

'This week’s key pieces are two tracks from Scott Walker’s supposedly inaccessible 2006 album The Drift. Rylan Gleave’s spectral vocals help to illuminate the work.'

View the article at The Guardian

Presteigne Festival

2022

to Gelert, the Royal Philharmonic Society Composer’s Programme commission for violoncellist Gemma Rosefield, is premiered at Presteigne Festival, alongside works by Tom Hyde, Judith Weir, and JS Bach.

View the festival programme at Presteigne Festival

Paraorchestra Musicians in Residence

May 2022

Rylan has been appointed one of two Musicians in Residence posts with the Paraorchestra for 2022-2023. Speaking of Rylan, Charles Hazlewood has said:


'Rylan Gleave is an extraordinary composer and singer. His voracious appetite for new horizons will see him looking at all manner of contours, such as queering the classical, graphic scores, and developing a body of work which is trauma-informed.'

Read the full article at Paraorchestra

Reflections on the British Council Unlimited Micro Awards Rounds 1 and 2

March 2022

"Composer and vocalist Rylan Gleave used his Micro award to forge a partnership with a group of musicians in a refugee camp in Bangladesh – ‘Cox’s Bazar Rohingya Refugee Musicians’."

Read the full article at Unlimited

Boom - Simone Seales and Rylan Gleave

2022

'Boom is OCM’s annual professional development scheme for music / sound artists / musicians and producers who are interested in creating and presenting inspiring contemporary music or sound based work outside of the concert hall and gallery.'

Read more about Boom at Oxford Contemporary Music

EP review: Rylan Gleave – Lawn Crypt

February 2022

'Recorded live in 2021, Lawn Crypt explores the incredible vocal range of Leith-based composer and vocalist Rylan Gleave. His late breaking trans-masc voice goes from sonorous plainsong in the opening ‘Woo’d’ to a yearning falsetto reminiscent of Tilt-era Scott Walker via a strangled breathy rattle.'

Read the full review at Snack

Lawn Crypt - Rylan Gleave

January 2022

"Rory and I were welcomed warmly, fed, and drunk with, and chatted long into the night on too many occasions to count. I think being met with such openness and willingness to share allowed us to relax in our writing, and for me, to allow music quite different to what I usually write to spill out."

Read the full article at Sàimh Sounds

Shortlist - RMA Tippett Medal

January 2022

'The winner of the inaugural 2020 Tippett Medal is John Casken for The Shackled King, drama for bass, mezzo-soprano and ensemble based on Shakespeare’s King Lear.

The shortlist selected by the jury included a further six finalists as follows:

  • Jasper Dommett, Night Music, nocturne for orchestra

  • Colin Riley, People Need People      

  • Rylan Gleave, in waves for string quartet

  • The Keeling Curve (Rhiannon Bedford and Will Frampton), Mersey Beat

  • Robin Haigh, No One for harp

  • Edward Nesbit and Thomas Hodgson, Aenigmata for soprano and piano'

The Cromarty Arts Trust Student Residency Prize

November 2021

We are delighted to be able to offer two Student Residency Prizes this year (many thanks to Lucy Fergusson for continued financial support with this!).  With a strong field of talent among the submissions, the judging panel opted to take a different tack for the Trust this time, with sound/music featuring highly amongst the work of recipients Rory Green and Rylan Gleave.

Sound and Music; New Voices 2021

September 2021

Rylan talks about musical influences and recent work ahead of the New Voices programme.

Piazza del Mondo - Contra Covid Call for Scores

September 2021

'We selected the following works:

  • Jean-Patrick Besingrand,  Désirs inassouvis

  • Fabio De Sanctis De Benedictis,  Balaenoptera

  • Rylan Gleave,  winding through seaweed                                  

  • Thomas Kim,  2020

  • Norberto Oldrini,  Tema

The winning works will be performed in Rovereto (Sala Filarmonica) on the 3rd of November 2021, in a concert dedicated to them, by Agorart Ensemble: Davide Baldo (flute); Emanuele Dalmaso (clarinet); Mattia Grott (sax).'

National Theatre of Scotland - Neurostages

September 2021

'NEUROSTAGES is a neurodivergent-led platform and space for artists, creatives, communities and industry professionals to find out more about neurodiversity in performance.'

'Rylan Gleave, Simone Seales, Hannah Yayha Hassan and Andrew Gallagher are the four mentees who successfully applied for a development opportunity with the festival and will be sharing the outcomes of their mentorship at NEUROSTAGES.'

Royal Philharmonic Society Composers' Programme

August 2021

'We are pleased to announce the seven composers newly joining the 2021-22 RPS Composers programme, representing some of the brightest, most exciting voices in the UK.
Over the course of the coming year each will work with and write a new composition for one of our valued partner organisations: Cheltenham Music Festival, Music in the Round, Presteigne Festival and Wigmore Hall with whom we've collaborated for a number of years, and also newly this year Manchester Camerata, Riot Ensemble and the Chorus of the Royal Northern Sinfonia. Alongside this, we will be supporting the composers with a programme of sessions and activities to develop the vital skills, confidence and contacts they need to establish their careers. In this, we are hugely grateful to Schott Music and our guest session leaders, who will be sharing their expertise.'

Forecast Nominee

August 2021

'Composer and performer Rylan Gleave is nominated in the category Sound as Organized Time, mentored by Sofia Jernberg. He will work on a new music-theater piece exploring the changing timbres of his late-breaking voice, three years into artificial testosterone treatments.'

Remote_CTRL Artist Residency

July - September 2021

'Of the many fantastic applications and innovative proposals we received, we've thrilled to announce our 5 Resident Artists for Summer 2021. They are: Andrea Spisto, Venus Ex Machina, Rylan Gleave, Amble Skuse, and Ben Lunn.'

CRIPtic Arts Showcase

Autumn 2021

One of the delights of CRIPtic is bringing together the work of a range of artists, in compositions, commissions, and collaborations, to bring to our audiences at the Barbican, and, hopefully, online.

Scotsman review: The Sound Festival, various venues, Aberdeen

June 2021

'...there were similarities in sound, intimacy and fragile beauty with Rylan Gleave’s carefully orchestrated UNSUNG II; even from a loved one. Here, however, despite eloquent singing lines for violin and cello, his material was much more nervy, voices cracking as the music seemed on the verge of disintegrating – in line with its themes of voicelessness and broken trust. Though brief, it was immensely powerful, and it trod a carefully balanced line between joy and despair.'

UNBOUNDSOUND, ABERDEEN, Vox Carnyx

June 2021

'Rylan Gleave’s UNSUNG II; even from a loved one, is an extract from a longer, personal work which utilises the classic combination of flute and harp over a rocking two-note bass figure.'

Touretteshero Young Artist Development Programme

May-July, 2021

'We’ve chosen artists who use a range of different practices, and who cover different ground in terms of their subject matter. Experimentation is a big part of the YADP, and we’re excited to see the different techniques that will be used in each artist’s project. This is a brand-new programme for us, and we’re really looking forward to seeing the work it helps create.'

No Divide KC; Come As You Are

May 2021

Composers for Come As You Are; Vulnerability in the Concert Space announced.

Twelve new musicians join Paraorchestra

April, 2021

'...the musicians and creatives we work with are the lifeblood of our organisation, and there’s nothing more satisfying than finding new talent and creating opportunities to showcase them.'

PRXLUDES interview

April 2021

Rylan Gleave (b.1997) is a Glasgow-based composer and vocalist whose music addresses intersectional identity, re-contextualised natural situations, and quiet, furious resistance. Named ‘One to Watch’ 2021 by The Scotsman, Rylan’s work has been performed across the UK and USA by ensembles such as Jack Quartet NYCBritish Paraorchestra, and Red Note Ensemble, and his work was recently shortlisted for ISCM World Music Days 2021 in Shanghai and Nanning; Rylan is also the vocalist of Scottish black metal outfit Ashenspire. Rylan spoke to PRXLUDES about the development of his compositional voice, authenticity in art, and the influence of his trans and autistic identities on his work.

Trans Day of Visibility – Music and projects we think you should hear

March 2021

'Rylan Gleave is a Glasgow based composer who is growing in renown – his work explores ‘intersectional identity, re-contextualised natural situations, and quiet, furious resistance’. His work is both personal and political, with a huge range of influences and approaches – and he has won many awards and accolades in his work already.'

International Society of Contemporary Music; Scottish Section

March 2021

'The Scottish Music Centre and New Music Scotland are pleased to announce the composers and works selected by the Scottish Section of the ISCM (International Society of Contemporary Music) to represent Scotland at the ISCM World Music Days 2021, taking place in Shanghai and Nanning in September this year.'

soundfestival; VoxCarnyx review

February 2021

'It’s highly impressive what soundfestival has done to counter the limitations impacted on it by the pandemic restrictions...Gleave's moody and deep-thinking Permanent Address...'

Composer Spotlight Q&A; soundfestival

January 2021

'Rylan Gleave is a young composer and musician currently undertaking an MMus degree at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. In 2020 sound commissioned Rylan to write a new work, 'before, and after', which was performed by musicians from Aberdeen-based ensemble Any Enemy in separate locations over Zoom as part of our lockdown composing project...'

One to Watch, 2021, The Scotsman

January 2021

'One of the brightest lights in Scotland’s new music scene, Rylan Gleave has been especially prolific during the pandemic, he tells David Kettle.'

Red Note's Christmas 2020 Newsletter

December 2020

'So, as always, we like to use this newsletter opportunity to look back on the best experiences from 2020 and to look ahead at the exciting projects coming up next for Red Note. I - personally, as CEO - would also like to use this opportunity to pay tribute not only to the players who have worked with us, and the composers who have written for us, but to the sometimes unsung but totally dedicated staff of Red Note, who have guided us through what could have been not only a traumatic, but also potentially catastrophic year with very steady nerves and calm consideration. Thank you, very much, to you all.'

Crossing Borders Music; Disabled Composers Around the World

October 2020

'Crossing Borders Music presents a unique, online chamber music program of composers with disabilities from Scotland, Haiti, Japan, Colombia, and the US, including four world premier works! The composers were selected from a competitive call for scores. UK autistic composer Rylan Gleave’s subtle sea soundscape “in waves” was commissioned by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland for the Edinburgh Quartet in collaboration with The University of Stirling, but, because of the coronavirus, will receive its premiere performance in this virtual program. The piece is inspired by three paintings by Scottish artist Kirstie Cohen and a poem by Beag Horn, with each artist depicting waves of the Atlantic lashing into rock formations on the shore.'

JACK Studio Artists 2020

October 2020

'JACK Studio is designed to expand our community of collaborative artists by offering composers opportunities to develop new work, hear their music performed by JACK, consult with mentors in the field, and receive recorded documentation. In its second year, JACK Studio has expanded to offer three distinct programs: commissions, workshops, and recording projects.'

sound profile 2020

October 2020

'Rylan Gleave is a composer and vocalist from the north of England, currently based in Glasgow, Scotland.'

Psappha Ensemble; Composing for...

September 2020

'Congratulations to our fantastic new cohort of composers. It was another spectacular set of submissions and we‘re sorry to have space for only 20% of the applicants. Thank you to everyone who applied.'

North-east music festival gives go-ahead to ‘hybrid’ events

August 2020

'A live online performance by ten musicians of Aberdeen’s New Music ensemble, Any Enemy, will take place, alongside compositions by Rufus Isabel Elliot, Rylan Gleave, Lisa Robertson and Aidan Teplitzky.'

Red Note Ensemble; Noisy Nights go Digital 10

August 2020

'As lockdown restrictions ease, we are happy to announce a third round of new music concerts with these outstanding Red Note musicians that you can enjoy from your own home every Friday at 3PM for the month of August!'

sound Commission; Flute and Electronics

July 2020

'Following a recent call for Scotland-based composers, five composers have been selected to develop new works for solo flute and electronics working alongside Ruth Morley (flute) from Red Note Ensemble and composer Alistair MacDonald. The new works will be performed during soundfestival 2020.'

Nevis Ensemble; Commission

May 2020

'Artistically-led by Holly Mathieson and Jon Hargreaves, Nevis Ensemble will commission 11 composers to write new works as part of its online activity whilst live orchestral performances are unable to take place.'

sound Commission; Lockdown Composing

May 2020

'Following our recent call for composers in response to the current COVID-19 lockdown and its impact on music creators, we are thrilled to announce that we have been able to offer four freelance Scottish-based composers who are not in regular employment a skills development opportunity and a small commission fee of £250.'

The ISM Prize for Collaboration

April 2020

'Diversions was the result of a unique collaboration between Drake Music Scotland, Hebrides Ensemble and the Queen’s Hall in Edinburgh, aimed at addressing some of the barriers facing autistic or neurodivergent people who want to attend live music events. The result was an exceptional programme of new music by disabled composers presented with adaptations that made the environment welcoming for all audiences. Curated by composer Ben Lunn, associate artist with Drake Music Scotland and trainee artistic director of Hebrides Ensemble, the event was inspired by the idea that autism-friendly programming should “change the space, not the content”, proving that artistic integrity and accessibility are not mutually exclusive.'

Red Note / Cottiers Herald review

February 2020

'5 stars. A SHOWCASE for three of the current Leverhulme Conducting Fellows at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, this programme of music was played by an edition of the Red Note Ensemble augmented by half a dozen students from the RCS MusicLab.'

Diversions; Queen's Hall

December 2019

'Diversions is a concert to celebrate Scotland’s creative diversity. Hebrides Ensemble and Drake Music Scotland’s Digital Orchestra have come together for a unique collaboration between acoustic and digital musicians.'

LMNS Commission

August 2019

'Live Music Now Scotland commissions young composer Rylan Gleave, recipient of the 2018/19 Kimie Composition Prize, to write music for children with additional support needs.'

Composing without a cure interview, with Ben Lunn

July 2018

The Autistic existence is a peculiar one, especially in 2018. Constant headlines of parents’ ‘struggling to live’ with their autistic child, combined with horrific attempts to cure their children through all various crackpot theories. How do we compose in this environment? How much does it affect or influence a composer’s mindset?

Musica in Extenso; Composer Portrait Series

December 2017

'For fans of contemporary music which, given the origins of this blog, likely includes many of our followers, finding the imagination to experience these pieces is made worthwhile by Rylan’s deeply personal compositions. If heavy dissonance is not your thing, perhaps less so.  Accordion players? Get ready to feel taken seriously at last.'

Press: In The Press
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