Robert Campion Dream Forest for large orchestra 2 fl (2nd doubling picc), a-fl, 2 ob, ca, eb cl, 2 cl (2nd doubling b-cl), 2 bn (2nd doubling cbn), 4 hn, 3 trp, 2 t-trb, b-trb, tba, timp, hp, strings duration: 10 minutes Dream Forest The inspiration for this piece comes from an event in my childhood. I have an image of being driven late at night along a narrow, empty country road. The road is lined with tall trees. The headlights of our car are shining up into the trees, which reflect the light back. Yet beyond the reach of the headlights, behind the front line of trees, there is pitch darkness, which makes me uneasy. The memory has a dream-like quality for me and although the event in itself is not very remarkable, its image is closely linked in my mind with a musical fragment. I have tried to reproduce the texture and instrumentation of this music memory and develop the ideas within it. Robert Campion I studied music at Durham University and composition with John Casken. I graduated in 1987, and subsequently studied Javanese gamelan at the music academy, STSI, in Central Java and Ethnomusicology at Durham as a postgraduate. Since 1988, I have been a member of the South Bank Gamelan Players with whom I have performed regularly in Britain and elsewhere in Europe. I have also been an enthusiastic exponent of new music for gamelan, and have been involved in many projects performing other composers' works, including those of Salvatore Sciarrino, Lou Harrison, John Adams, Alec Roth and Philip Corner. I have had a number of works shortlisted by spnm including Troublous Wringing (1995), Hairy Rita (1997) and Dream Forest (1999). Performances for western ensemble include the following. Reciprocal (1997) for chamber ensemble was performed by Sounds Positive conducted by David Sutton-Anderson at St John's Smith Square, London. Dream Forest (1999) for orchestra was given a workshop performance by the Surrey Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Jonathan Butcher. I have had a number of compositions for gamelan performed by various groups including, most recently, My Mother's House (1998) written for western flute, two female vocalists and gamelan, performed by Mary King and the South Bank Gamelan Players at the ISCM World Music Days in Manchester. Since moving to Cambridge two years ago, I have become Director of the Cambridge Gamelan Group. I have been instrumental in setting up links with schools in Cambridgeshire in order to provide gamelan workshops for children. I am trained as a social worker. In 1996, however, I gave up my job in order to look after my son and compose. I have subsequently divided my time between these. Back to shortlist.