I’m currently developing the following pieces/projects:
– piece for chamber orchestra and improvisor – premiere 23.9.2022. with the LCO, St John’s Smith Square, London
– class-work – premiere at Leipziger Jazztage 25.10.2022.
– TEXTS with Stephanie Lamprea, Nick Dunston, Michaël Attias, Liz Kosack, Anna Webber – Digital/book release in 2023
– Duos for voice with gamba, bass and percussion (Cansu Tanrıkulu, Stephanie Lamprea, Liam Byrne, Evi Filippou) – release 2023
I work both with and without scores in all forms as well as aurally and collaboratively with composer-performers, using post-composition/production of improvisational processes to create acoustic and electroacoustic works for soloists and ensembles.
There is more work available on the videos page. Full scores for performance are available to download for free below – I would appreciate programme credits if you choose to use them for performance. If you’d like a copy of something that’s missing, individual parts or paper/PDF versions for performance, please contact me
alien space sound propellant
viola, double bass, electric bass, drums, electronics/samples, voices, toddlers (movement/voices)
commissioned by Northern Composers Collective / Arts Council England
Things my parents said about childhood
solo double bass (improvised work based on stories from my parents and the Black Country accent)
Commissioned for ION Shorts at Ideas of Noise Festival 2020 – Premiere 30.01.2020 at The Woodman, Birmingham
full info and programme notes
An August Midnight
harp/mezzo-soprano soloist or harp/mezzo-soprano duo
ca. 8 minutes
developed as part of The Arc Project’s for Songs On Thomas Hardy – Premiere 2022
Full score (HQ – 157,6 mb)
The Whitewashed Wall
miniature in 3 movements for solo soprano
1 minute 40 seconds
Premiere 22.10.2020 at Roulette, Brooklyn
developed as part of Stephanie Lamprea‘s Unaccompanied: Tiny Works for Quarantine Volume I
“By dividing The Whitewashed Wall into three distinct movements, James Banner gives the singer multiple opportunities to show off elements of her virtuosity. “Why does she turn…?” offers leaping contours and a climactic high note, while “Well, once…” imposes a strict, swift tempo onto the melody. “My brush goes one with a rush…”, frenetic and clearly meant to push the singer to the very upper limit of her range, comes off as a controlled detonation.” [Nicholas Stevens, ClevelandClassical, 21.5.2020]
”Despite of everything else, Quarantine has brought the best out of many creatives…Vocalist Stephanie Lamprea asked a number of composers to write her short pieces while stuck at home. The resulting album is a gem, but English composer James Banner brings a playful setting of three Thomas Hardy poems. These tunes are light, manic, virtuosic, and full of twists and turns. A delight from within this delightles time.” [John Paul Mayse, Composer, 23.4.2020]
Profile in The Boston Musical Intellingencer
Full Score
The Physics of Rebirth
solo soprano
2 minutes 30 seconds
developed as part of Stephanie Lamprea‘s Unaccompanied: Tiny Works for Quarantine – Premiere 11.6.2020 [online]
words by Rebecca Connors
VIDEO https://www.facebook.com/stephanie.lamprea/videos/10216010095995518/
Full Score
Piece for Solo Instrument
solo Bb clarinet
1 minute 30 seconds
developed for Vanguard Manchester – Premiere 2022
Scores for other instruments below – request one
Full Score – Clarinet in B flat // Performance Notes, Clarinet in B Flat
Full score – Trumpet in b flat
Full Score – Viola
Pizz Study 1 for Solo Viola
Le Poulailler
Miniature for Toy Piano
1 minute 5 seconds
Composed for George Xiaoyuan Fu – Premiered (on Piano) by Rolf Hind
Full Score
Two Movements for Three Guitars
Three guitars
7 minutes 20 seconds
developed for Dominic Matthews as part of The Arc Project for Digital Edition – Premiere online, 22.10.2020
Full score (concert pitch)
Full Score (transposed)
Trio for Viola, Bassoon and Percussion
viola, bassoon, percussion (snare, bass drum, vibraphone)
ca. 8 minutes
developed for Vanguard Manchester
unperformed
Duo for Contrabass Flute and Bass Clarinet
contrabass flute and bass clarinet [flexible/open scoring available for performances by other instruments]
ca. 7 minutes
unperformed
(premiere as Duo for Bass Flute and Bass Clarinet upcoming in 2022 by Chimera Ensemble)
Full score
Verre
double bass, double bass/cello, viola, violin, objects/glasses + optional electronics)
6 minutes 7 seconds
Full score
Exposure
SATB divisi + narrator
4 minutes
Full score
Concertino For Concert Band
concert band
18 minutes
composed as part of Adopt a Composer 2018-2019 – premiere 06.10.2019 at Salts Mill, Saltaire, broadcast on BBC Radio 3 09.01.2020
Full score
Journey On A Cloud
chamber ensemble + mixed children’s choir
6 minutes
Collaborative composition commissioned by Make The Paint Dance, for a project with a primary school in Cardiff
Full score
#BirdsongMashup
mixed electronic media + double bass
4 minutes 50 seconds
Collaborative community composition commissioned by Make The Paint Dance – premiere 31.5.2020
”It’s just a brilliant idea, I love it!” Nick Ahad – BBC Radio Leeds [31.5.2020]
James Banner 