Colin Riley’s music draws on a range of elements including new technologies, improvisation, songwriting and large-scale classical form. His recent compositions include a double cello concerto Warp and Weft (Gabriella Swallow/Guy Johnston), In Place (Melanie Pappenheim), Rock Paper Scissors (Ensemble Bash), plus orchestral works Earth Voices (Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra) and Hearing Places (BBC National Orchestra of Wales).
As well as releases on NMC, Metier and Naxos, Colin also runs his own label Squeaky Kate. The most recent release Isolated Pieces features 27 musicians including performance poet Benjamin Zephaniah and rock guitarist Steve Hackett. He has also collaborated with diverse artists such as drummer Bill Bruford and poet Michael Rosen.
He is Reader in Music at Brunel University London, and has been a mentor for the Making Music’s Adopt A Composer Scheme since 2001. He writes a regular blog about composing called Riley Notes and his music is published by Composers Edition.
‘Riley is that rarest of birds, a genuine original.’
- London Jazz Blog
‘Beautiful, clever and direct’
- Classical Music Magazine
‘He doffs his cap to the contemporary classical genre but also manages to stand alone in that genre as a unique indie voice.’
- BBC