Professor Darren Sproston

Throughout his career Darren has taught across a wide range of areas at all levels. His undergraduate teaching includes composition/songwriting, twentieth century musicology (European and American), performance, music and the moving image, music technology, music and multimedia, popular music theory and popular music analysis. He has supervised dissertations across a range of areas including John Cage, Philip Glass operas, Steve Reich, film music, Joe Satriani, Dream Theatre and twentieth century performance practice. At postgraduate level he has taught composition (classical, jazz and studio composition), twentieth century analytical techniques, supervised dissertations across classical and popular music. He has supervised five postgraduate research students through to successful completion in original composition and musicology and has examined externally for three PhD candidates (University of Huddersfield and London College of Music).

Darren is a composer and musicologist.  He has fulfilled a number of commissions which have been performed as far afield as Moscow and by musicians such as Richard Ingham, Alan Cuckston, and Rhodri Davies.  Darren's principal area of musicological research has been the Anglo-Catalan composer Roberto Gerhard.  Other areas of interest include Stravinsky, analysis, and minimalism.

• It's All in Proportion: Tracing the Evolution of the Time-Aggregate in Roberto Gerhard's Music
  in Essays on Roberto Gerhard published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2017, pp. 183-201.
• Metamorphosing: The Construction and Deconstruction of Roberto Gerhard's Symphony No. 2 in Essays on Roberto Gerhard published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2017, pp.  202-221.
• The Serial Symphonist in The Roberto Gerhard Companion published by Ashgate, 2013, pp.  337-256.
• Serial Structures in Roberto Gerhard’s First and Second Symphonies published in Tempo no. 248, April 2009, pp. 21-34.
• Thematicism in Roberto Gerhard's Concerto for Orchestra published in Tempo no. 184, March 1993, pp.18-22.

• 2017    What makes Christmas Music Christmassy? At Storyhouse Theatre, Chester as part of its Christmas Lectures series.
• 2017    Order and Anti-order in the Musical Narrative of Peter Maxwell Davies’ Eight Songs for a Mad King at the Narratives and Alternative Stories Conference, University of Chester.
• 2015    It’s all in proportion: tracing the evolution of the time-aggregate in Roberto Gerhard’s music presented at Chester Centre for Research in Arts and Media, University of Chester.
• 2012    Persistent Memories and the (Un)Popular Music Dichotomy, professorial inaugural lecture at the University of Chester.
• 2012    Broken Structures in Roberto Gerhard’s Metamorphoses, paper presented at the Second International Roberto Gerhard Conference, Conservatori del Liceu, Barcelona.
• 2010    Serial Metamorphoses in the Music of Roberto Gerhard at the First International Roberto Gerhard Conference, University of Huddersfield.
• 2010    Water + Tango = H2angO; the compositional process as part of the Centre for Practice as Research in the Arts research seminar series, University of Chester.
• 2005    Serial Structures in Roberto Gerhard’s Second Symphony as part of the research seminar series, University of Wolverhampton.
• 2003    Sportively Spanish or Seriously Serial?  An introduction to the Music of Roberto Gerhard as part of the research seminar series, University of Wolverhampton.
• 1996    Paving the Way: an analysis of Song of the Paving Stones by David Harold Cox invited paper at the Cork International Choral Festival seminars on contemporary choral music, University College Cork.
• 1995    Roberto Gerhard’s Symphonies and Concerto for Orchestra, presented as part of the Music Department’s research seminar series, University College Cork.
• 1995    Stravinsky’s Variations, presented as part of the Music Department’s research seminar series, University College Cork.

• Chorale Prelude: Lord for the Years for Organ. Commissioned by the University of Chester for its 175th Founders' Day Service, First performed at Chester Cathedral, MArch 2015 by Graham Eccles.
• Sevenfold Fugue for Organ. Commissioned by the University of Chester for its 175th Founders' Day Service, First performed at Chester Cathedral, March 2015 by Graham Eccles.
• H2angO for fixed media (quadraphonic). First performed at The Venue, Leeds College of Music April 2010.
• Seven for fixed media (quadraphonic). First performed at The Venue, Leeds College of Music commissioned as part of FuseLeeds, May 2009.
• After Syrinx for fixed media (stereo). First performed at The Venue, Leeds College of Music, diffused into 5.1 surround sound by Nick Bentley, September 2007.
• Opaline for fixed media (stereo). First performed at The Venue, Leeds College of Music, diffused into 5.1 surround sound by Dr Dale Perkins, March 2007.
• On the Edge for marimba and string trio. First performed by Debbie Childs (marimba), Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton, March 2006.
• The Persistence of Memory for drum kit and tape. First performed by John Evans, University of Wolverhampton, June 2005.
• All that Jag… for recorder, clarinet and piano. First performed by JAG, University of Wolverhampton, January 2005.
• Spiriti Spenti for violin and harp. First performed by Rhodri and Angharad Davies at the Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton, 2004.
• Invention In Momentum for woodwind quartet. First performed by the English Serenata at Wolverhampton University Theatre, June 2001. Also performed by Serenata Winds at the Arena Theatre Wolverhampton, October 2006. Short-listed for performance by the Society for the Promotion of New Music, 1999.
• The Night Will Never Stay for choir (SATB). First Performed by Lancaster University Chamber Choir at Lancaster University, September 2000.
• Canon For Lord Paul for organ commissioned by the University of Wolverhampton for the installation of the new Chancellor. First performed at St Peter’s Church, Wolverhampton, May 2000.
• Duel for oboe and tape. Commissioned by the University of Bradford for its ‘Science Week’ celebrations. First performed at Gallery II, Bradford, June 1996.
• Octarine II for soprano saxophone and piano. First performed at the Alhambra Studio Theatre, Bradford, March 1996 by Richard Ingham and Alan Cuckston.
• On The Edge of a Dream for flute/alto flute, viola, 'cello and harp. Short-listed for performance by the Society for the Promotion of New Music, 1995.
• Sonatina for trumpet and piano. First performed at the Alhambra Studio Theatre, Bradford, October 1995.
• Everyman incidental music for the medieval mystery play. First performed at the Theatre-in-the-Mill, Bradford, March 1995.
• Murder! Murder? Electronic (tape) incidental music for Stuart Blackburn's play. First performed at the Theatre-in-the-Mill, Bradford, March 1994 followed by a series of performances at the Moscow State Theatre of Nations, April 1994.
• Labyrinth for saxophone quartet. First performed at the Alhambra Studio Theatre, November 1994 by the Northern Saxophone Quartet.
• Sonata for oboe/cor anglais and piano. First performed at the Alhambra Studio Theatre, November 1994.
• La Métamorphose de Narcisse (In Memoriam Olivier Messiaen) for two pianos. First performed at Firth Hall, Sheffield, December 1993.
• Apocalypse for orchestra. First performed at Firth Hall, Sheffield, February 1993.
• Two pieces for string quartet. First performed at Sheffield University Music Department, January 1993 by Opus 20 String Quartet.
• Pan 86 259 for eight flutes. First performed at Sheffield University Drama Studio, Sheffield, November 1993.
• Gloria for choir and organ. Commissioned by the Parish of St John the Baptist, Stafford. First performed by Cantemus Chamber Choir at St John the Baptist Church, Stafford, June 1992.
• Nocturne for percussion ensemble. First performed at Firth Hall, Sheffield, June 1991.
• Three Quadrilaterals for organ. First performed at Firth Hall, Sheffield, June 1991.
• Zephyr for flute octet. First performed at Rotherham Arts Centre, March 1990.
• Reflected Images for flute and piano. First performed at Firth Hall, Sheffield, November 1990.
• Prelude, Incantation and Dance for oboe and piano. First performed at Firth Hall, Sheffield, June 1989.