Music

List of works

2023

Ten Wee Devon Pints

Ten Wee Devon Pints is a project that brought together ten composers and ten Devon breweries to write ten brewery-themed pieces for solo clarinet.

Our aim was to commission clarinet pieces which were equally accessible and exciting, while celebrating the rich heritage of Devon's brewing industry. The pieces are of varying difficulty, and we hope that you will want to play and hear them over and over again. The composers took a range of approaches to their compositions, from musically representing the brewing process to celebrating the community spirit of the breweries. The result is a fun and varied collection of pieces that celebrate Devon, its people and its beers!

The complete collection was premiered by Sarah Watts at Bulletproof Brewing (Plymouth), Stannary Brewing Co. (Tavistock) and New Lion Brewery (Dartington) in March 2023. The project was organised by Núria Bonet and Sarah Watts with the support of the British Academy Early Career Researcher Network and the University of Plymouth.

Breweries: Bays Brewery Borrowed Parts Brew Co. Roman Brewing Co. Ivybridge Brewing Co. New Lion Brewery Bulletproof Brewing Co. Totnes Brewing Co. Holsworthy Ales Summerskills Brewery Stannary Brewing Co.

My contribution to the project is the piece Topsail, written for Bays Brewery in Paignton.

Nuria Bonet · Topsail

Documentary:

Full Concert

Album
Scores
In the news

2021

Ode to Sausage (Dog) - for basset horn and narrator - 4'

Performed by Jon Iles and Sarah Watts. Music and lyrics by Núria Bonet.

Back to Music - composition and performance project

The Back to Music project enabled disabled musicians to return to instrumental performance through technical and musical support. It grew out of Charlotte Storey's desire to play the saxophone again after her professional career was ended by an accident which left her without the use of her right shoulder. We built a saxophone stand and exoskeleton which enables Charlotte to play a comeback concert on 29 November 2020. A student band (Harriet Drury, William McCormack, James Uzzell, Sophie Corwood, Eleisha Milverton) supported Charlotte through the process of returning to playing while she also mentored them to professional standard.

Additionally, the project resulted in the build of a bespoke electronic keyboard for a musician with muscular dystrophy. This was built by a 3rd year student as part of their Music Technology dissertation.
Finally, I wrote two pieces for the ensemble. The piece 'Pain' used an interview with Charlotte on the topic of pain, which I used to write a piece for synthesiser and tape.

The project was documented in film by Louis Goldman. Technical support was provided by Andy Harman, Mel Le Bars, Rebecca Perkins, Arron Tyler and Naomi Green. Academic support was provided by Ed Braund.

Back to Music was generously supported by an Arts Council National Lottery Grant.

The project was mentioned in the Plymouth Herald.

Below, find the final performance and a Q&A with the participants.

2019-21

Radio Sunshine, all that is left - what is left of a soundtrack for a radio play - ca. 22'Initially written for a Kappkino play (co-produced by the Escher Theater and Openscreen ASBL), which was cancelled due to Covid-19. The music was saved and recorded in summer of 2020 and released on vinyl on 29 March 2021. Travel with Radio Sunshine, buy your copy: https://kappkino.bandcamp.com/album/radio-sunshine-all-that-is-left

The recording of the record received support from the Arts Council Emergency Support Fund.

Written for Accordion, Drums, Synthesizer, Piano, Clarinet and Voice

Reindeer - Keys, Accordion, Drums
Reise - Keys, Accordion, Drums
Cat Food Ballad (Schlager style) - Voice, Keys, Accordion, Drums
Cat Food Ballad (Punk style) - Voice, Guitar, Bass, Drums
Blomberg Drive - Guitar, Bass, Clarinet, Drums
New World - Piano
Krach - Clarinet, Accordion, Drums
Hirschpfiff - Clarinet, Accordion

Sunshine Breeze - Keys, Accordion, Drums

Recording

Keys, Clarinet, Voice: Núria Bonet
Accordion, Guitar: Julian Gaskell
Guitar, Bass, Voice: Harriet Drury

Drums: Tim Langsford

Live online performance - 29 March 2021

Keys, Clarinet, Voice: Núria Bonet
Guitar: Harriet Drury
Drums: Billy McCormack

Nuria Bonet · Radio Sunshine Promo

Nuria Bonet · Radio Sunshine Short Promo

RadioSunshine Promo

RadioSunshine Short Promo

2018

Queen Canute (The Seagull Piece) - for clarinet and seagulls - 10'

Commissioned for the Peninsula Arts Contemporary Music Festival 2018 Queen Canute is a 3-movement piece which explores the sound of seagulls and the musicality that can be extracted from it. Traditionally, instrumental duets with birds have concentrated on the use of songbirds, whose vocalisations are more obviously musical to our ears.

The first movement introduces a variety of sounds made by seagulls and the clarinet responds to them. The second movement explores the details of one call by sampling fragments of the call. The clarinet seeks to imitate it and blend in, it is not always clear which is which! The third movement explores the quieter seagull sounds which the clarinet imitates and renders musical. Called Lament, this movement is also a commentary on the misunderstandings around seagulls and thheir negative perception in society.

Queen Canute has been featured on i news and endorsed by the RSPB.

This is the score.

Queen Canute (The Seagull piece)