Since September 2023, the last academic year has seen further developments, and some significant landmarks, in Rob’s musical activities.

Rob has composed several new works in 2024, most significantly in fulfilling a long-held ambition by setting Christina Rossetti’s classic poem ‘Love Came Down at Christmas’, in 3 unaccompanied choral versions: for SATB choir; SA choir; and for unison voices (or solo voice). Then followed the witty piano miniature ‘Minute Bagatelle’, designed to be performable within one minute, and the more extended and hypnotic ‘Vigil’ for solo organ.

Meanwhile, Rob continues his long-term project of revising (and typesetting) his early compositions. In the last year these have included a range of important student pieces from 1996/7; ‘May You Always be Joyful’ for mezzo-soprano, in 2 versions with either piano, or piano plus wind quintet, as well as chamber works ‘Mirage Sextet’, ‘Dances of the Dead’, ‘In Memoriam’ for chamber orchestra, and ‘New Notes from an Old Castle’ for wind ensemble, piano and percussion. Note that scores, including the aforementioned new pieces and revisions, all continue to be available for download and purchase at Sheet Music Plus.

Rob’s sacred choral repertoire remains popular and in regular use in worship, with Prescot Parish Church Choir (where he has been Acting Director of Music for the year 2023/4), among many others, singing Bread of the World, God So Loved the World (in its solo version with soprano Laura Hudson), I Gave You Love (The Good Friday Reproaches) and Glory, Love, and Praise, and Honour (twice). Tenor soloist David Kernick gave a remarkable solo performance of Rob’s 2022 anthem Praise the Lord at the Mayor of Prescot’s Charity Christmas Concert in December 2023, to an audience of over 400. Into 2024, a special first SATB & organ performance of Rob’s 2022 setting of the Ave Maria was given by the 100-strong Prescot Festival Chorus on the second night of the 20th Prescot Festival in June.

Meanwhile, Rob’s 2016 anthem Jubilate Deo continues to be his most-performed choral piece. A stunning massed choral performance was given by students of St. Edward’s College (Choir School to Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral) in October 2023 at the University of Liverpool’s Tung Auditorium. College students, alongside the Choir of Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, had already performed the work at the Cathedral as part of Mass for the Feast of St. Edward in September 2023.

In 2024, Rob’s Jubilate Deo has already received performances twice each by the Choirs of both of Liverpool’s Cathedrals. These were as part of worship and in concert, with over 150 students from St. Edward’s College performing it in the Crypt of Liverpool’s Metropolitan Cathedral in their House Choir Competition in February.

Liverpool Cathedral Choir gave a further performance of the Jubilate Deo, accompanied by Prof. Ian Tracey on organ, at June’s Prescot Festival.

Nevertheless, Rob’s instrumental music continues to receive various outings. In December 2023 the composer gave the first public performance of Lauda (2022) at All Hallows’ Church, Allerton. Then, into 2024, the composer performed his two 2006 piano pieces ‘Rocking (Sketch)’ and the extended version of ‘Rocking’ twice; first at All Hallows’ Church, Allerton, Liverpool, in May, and then on the opening night of the Prescot Festival, in June.

20th Prescot Festival Breaks Records

In its 20th anniversary year, the 2024 Prescot Festival of Music & the Arts in June (of which Rob has been Artistic Director since its inception) showcased a wide range of remarkable artistic performances, and broke previous audience records, with over 2000 people in attendance. As well as seeing performances of his own works on the 20th annual programme, Rob conducted his South Liverpool Orchestra in a stunning opening night of orchestral favourites.

The 10-day schedule was the occasion for festival debut performances from operatic soprano Laura Hudson, and from actor/playwright Emily Parr, at Shakespeare North Playhouse. Other highlights included Liverpool Cathedral Choir, Prescot Festival Chorus, Liverpool Bach Collective, Wingates Brass Band, local historian Ken Pye, musical theatre group BOST, and Phil Shotton’s Maghull Wind Orchestra, as well as a community barn dance, a film night, and schools’ performances. Other significant concerts at Prescot Parish Church included the Mayor of Prescot’s Charity Christmas Concert in December 2023 (raising over £400) and Trinity Girls’ Brass Band in March 2024 (raising over £130 for the festival, after costs).

At St. Edward’s College

In his post as Assistant Head of Music Faculty at St Edward’s College, Liverpool, Rob continues to successfully vary, develop and expand music provision. As conductor of the College’s Junior, Senior and Chamber orchestras, Rob has wielded the baton for an extraordinary full-house College performance alongside Liverpool Mozart Orchestra at the University of Liverpool’s Tung Auditorium in November 2023, as well as packed performances at the College’s Founders Evening, Christmas Concert, Cathedral House Choir Competition, two nights of the Spring Concerts ‘In My Dreams’, a Leavers’ Concert, and a Summer Concert in July. In November 2023, Rob handed over the baton of the College Senior Orchestra to Domingo Hindoyan, Principal Conductor of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, in a remarkable workshop on orchestral technique.

Most notably, the St. Edward’s College Tour Choir gave 3 excellent performances in Italy in July 2024, singing at Mass in St. Mark’s Basilica Venice, in concert at San Giorgio Maggiore Venice, and at Mass in St. Anthony’s at Padua.

Performing and Conducting

Despite College commitments, Rob had still found time for regular performances as Principal Bassoonist of Liverpool Mozart Orchestra and Liverpool Bach Collective, ongoing conducting engagements with Prescot Parish Church Choir, and high-standard, sell-out performances conducting Phoenix Concert Orchestra in British and US Light Music in concert at St Ann’s Church Aigburth, and South Liverpool Orchestra at All Hallows’ Allerton, and at the Prescot Festival in June.

A particularly unforgettable career highlight came in February 2024, when Rob performed as Principal Bassoonist, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, in Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 10 at Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, with the Liverpool Philharmonic Youth (MYO) Reunion Orchestra.