ArtMuseLondon’s Karine Hetherington catches up with award-winning composer Dani Howard

Growing up in Hong Kong you played piano and the drums. In your large-scale compositions, the percussion certainly stands out. Does the sense of rhythm and energy in your orchestral works come from your early days drumming?

Absolutely – I definitely think that this early exposure to the drums plays a huge role in my work. I love listening to music that is rhythmically driven, and therefore it is certainly part of the core of my own writing. It is really exciting to explore percussion, because more so than other instruments, it truly is limitless. My most recent piece is a percussion concerto which has been a long time dream of mine to write this for Dame Evelyn Glennie.  She will give the premiere in Cardiff next month. 

You studied composition at the Royal College of Music – why did you decide you to take this path?

Until I was 16, I didn’t have any idea that you could study composition. So as soon as I became aware of this, it seemed really clear to me that that was what I wanted to do. For many years I felt I knew I wanted to be a musician, but didn’t exactly know what type of musician I would be, as I certainly didn’t feel I had the gift for performing in the way that many do. It was clear to me however that being a part of the music world was where I wanted to be. 

You broke through onto the classical music scene with your Trombone Concerto (2021) when you were winner of a Royal Philharmonic Society Award. What attracted you to the trombone as solo instrument? 

To be completely honest, it was because for several years I lived with two trombone players while I was a student at the RCM! It was during this time that I got a much deeper understanding of the instrument (and brass in general), as it was something I was (sometimes reluctantly) hearing every day! It was then through meeting with soloist Peter Moore, and wanting to collaborate with him as an artist that led me to want to write the trombone concerto. 

In your Trombone Concerto, there is a wonderful slow ascent into a musical landscape of euphoric warmth produced by the brass, strings, harp, timpani- a hopeful conclusion. Are you an optimist by nature or was it how you felt at the time of writing it?

I would definitely call myself an optimist. I have spent a lot of time (particularly during the pandemic) reflecting on why I write music, and what role music plays in our lives. I realised that (among the many other reasons,) I just want to be able to bring moments of joy, optimism and/or inspiration to people who experience it in that moment in time. If I can do that even for one person, I feel I’m doing my job. 

What gives you more satisfaction, hearing your music performed live (here and abroad – your Trombone Concerto goes to New York 19^th May this year) or having your orchestral works on disc which has just launched?

You can’t beat being at a live performance and interacting with the audience. Seeing how they have interacted with your work, and of course sharing that post-concert feeling with the musicians on stage. 

On the other hand, I have really loved being able to shape the album into something I truly envisaged for each of the pieces. I feel really proud to share those recordings, as something that will now be there forever. I am now really happy that orchestras and conductors will be able to hear these recordings as a reference of what I envisioned for the work, and then of course allow them to bring their own voices and ideas to the work into their performance. 

Do you intend to write a piano concerto? 

A piano concerto is certainly one of the more “Everest” of pieces for any composer, given the immense body of work we have for piano and orchestra.  Right now I am really enjoying exploring more piano writing in my chamber works, and with each piece I finish, I feel closer and closer to identifying my way of writing for the instrument.

What sort of music and artists are you listening to right now?
I’m always listening to such a wide range of music, its really hard to define exactly! Recent composers I have been enjoying include Judd Greenstein, Viet Cuong & Kevin Putts.

Ahead of writing my first piece for brass band at the end of last year, I have found myself continuing to listen to a lot of brass band music over the last few months, which has been really new to me! 

Outside of classical, I enjoy listening to folk, gospel, and a lot of the more mainstream pop music too. 

Evelyn Glennie and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales will give the world premiere of Howards’ Percussion Concerto on 18 April at Hoddinott Hall , Cardiff, available to listen to on Radio 3.  

KH

Dani Howard’s debut symphonic album released on the Rubicon label on Friday 22 March. Recorded by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Pablo Urbina and Michael Seal, the album includes the RPS award-winning Trombone Concerto for Peter Moore, which The Times described as “an instant classic”.