Caroline Gilmour (born Liverpool, 1959) began composing in childhood and continued during the years at secondary school and Cambridge University, where she studied Maths and Physics and gained a PhD in theoretical particle physics. A long gap followed, with no composition but work experience ranging from the House of Commons Library to a chemist’s shop. She tentatively resumed composing in the 1990s, after coming to live in Sussex, and studied harmony, counterpoint, and composition at evening classes in London. Caroline joined New Music Brighton in 1998 and began to have her music performed in public for the first time, including the works listed below.
Piano Book 1: Five Notes in Search of a Composer (1998-99)
A cycle of six short piano pieces using only the five notes B C D E F.
Duration: 6 to 7 minutes.
First performed by Julian Broughton at St Nicholas Church, Brighton on 19 May 1999.
Piano Book 2: Hexplorations (1999)
A cycle of seven short piano pieces using only the notes A Bflat C Eflat E G.
Duration: 8 to 9 minutes.
First performed by Julian Broughton at St Nicholas Church, Brighton on 24 May 2000.
Piano Book 3: Fourtastes (2000-01)
A cycle of seven short piano pieces each using a different group of only four notes (including those representing BACH and DSCH).
Duration: about 10 minutes.
First performed by Glen Capra at St Michael’s Church, Lewes on 2 February 2002.
Three Pieces for Solo Clarinet (2003)
Duration: about 6 minutes.
First performed by Stephen Dummer at the Friends’ Meeting House, Brighton on 14 December 2003.