Biography
Phillip was born in Penrith, Cumbria in 1980, spending the first 18 years of his life in the Lake District. He studied composition with Paul Archbold in Durham, John Casken in Manchester and for a PhD with Anthony Powers in Cardiff. He has had works played across the country by many of the country’s top choirs and ensembles. He was artistic director of the London Contemporary Music Group (LCMG) from 2004-10, and wrote five works for them, most recently In memoriam performed in November 2007. New works in 2010 were featured in the London Festival of Contemporary Church Music, Lake District Summer Music Festival (LDSM), Tete -a-Tete Opera Festival and by the Temple Church Choir, Choir of Gloucester Cathedral and the Warehouse Ensemble. New works for 2011 will feature in St Paul’s, Lichfield and Liverpool Cathedrals, the LDSM the London Festival of Contemporary Church Music and the John Armitage Memorial Concerts. As of 2011 some of his choral works will be published by Novello.
He is strongly influenced by his native Lake District and by history. His musical influences range from Britten to Schnittke and Gubaidulina; he has written articles on the Liturgical music of James MacMillan and the canticles of Herbert Howells. He is currently co-editing a book of essays on Howells. He is married with one daughter, lives in Oxfordshire and supports Everton. From 2007 – 08 he was a Career Development Fellow at the Faculty of Music, Oxford University and a Junior Research Fellow (2007 – 10) at The Queen’s College, Oxford University. He is currently Head of Composition at Eton College.
There is a gallery of pictures of Phillip here.
For more information email info@phillipcooke.com