Career Chronology Highlights (bottom up)
1954-2022
2020 – 2022
The Welten Project formed in recognition of the growing body of work inspired by, re-imagining or setting poems from Welten, the 17-poem cycle by Gertrud Kolmar.
Runs a busy mentoring/Creative Coaching programme for songwriters, performers and composers in addition to his Teaching Fellow role at ICMP.
2018 (October)
Inaugural concerts given by The Rupa Ensemble – a flexibly sized ensemble of outstanding singers especially adept in singing Julian’s music. They have summer concerts featuring Julian’s Blake settings confirmed for Summer.
Kolmar cantatas (Out of the Darkness and The Angel in the Forest) published (spring 2018).
January 2016
Signed publishing contract with Novello and Co.
First publications include a series of Christmas carols on traditional texts including In the bleak midwinter, The holly and the ivy, and In Dulci Jubilo; and a collection of William Blake settings, Dark Disputes and Artful Teasing.
2015
Out of the Darkness premiered in Israel
2014
Appointed to faculty at ICMP, London. Now in role as a Teaching Fellow (as of 2022).
2011 – 2014
Appointed lecturer at Middlesex University.
From 2010 to 2015 he co-launched and was creative director of London Song Company, an organization for songwriters offering a range of training and opportunities across a wide stylistic brief.
2010
Composed music for the short film Still Life directed by Emma George, and the score for the play Shakespeare’s Will at Theatre Clwyd (2010) (produced by Emma Hands).
2009
Composed second Kolmar cantata, The Angel in the Forest, for mixed voices, six cellos and tenor. The work received its first full premiere at St James’s Church, Piccadilly in January 2010 with James Gilchrist (Tenor solo), a cello sextet led by Sophie Harris and the Schoolhouse 6 (vocal) Ensemble – conducted by Ian Belton. The work has also been performed at the Holt festival (Norfolk), summer 2012 and at North Western reform Synagogue January 2014.
2008
Wrote the first of the Kolmar Cantatas, Out of the Darkness, for mixed voices, 2 celli and mezzo-soprano. The work was premiered at Winchester Cathedral and was followed by a tour of eight performances that took place between 2009 and 2010 (in UK and Weimar, Germany), with grateful support from Atrs Council of Great Brittain. The tour featured soprano Melanie Pappenheim (for whom the work was written), cellists Sophie Harris and Lucy Railton and the eight-piece Schoolhouse 6 Ensemble. A CD of the work is available on the MMC label (MMC101) and on Spotify.
2007/8
Created ‘Songsmiths’ – a partnership between Goldsmith’s College and The Kids’ Company charity – where undergraduate song writers from Goldsmith’s College volunteered to teach songwriting and performance skills to Kids Company clients.
2000 – 2008
Teaching and lecturing in composition and related topics: at Dartington College of Arts, Plymouth University, Dartington International Summer School plus private music GCSE and A level courses.
Teaching song writing (one to one and in workshops) in Devon and London to a wide range of students (13 to post 50) with varied experience: including (in 2006 and 7) the ’12 Songs’ course (co-taught with US songwriter and performer Stuart Davies as part of the Totnes Festival; teaching the Singer Songwriter course at the 2007 and 2008 Dartington International Summer School of Music; 2002 Directing the Devon-wide song writing and fund raising event: ‘A Fountain Of Songs for Orphans of War’.
Private piano teaching (to post grade 8 standard ‘classical’ and post grade 5 (highest grade) ‘jazz’ to private students - at home and at King Edward V1 Community College, Totnes, Devon.
Private teaching in composition and related topics.
2007
Gave a series of improvised solo piano recitals in London and Totnes as well as performances in collaboration with dancer and physical performer Emma Roberts (under the name ‘Shaping the Invisible’). An Arts Council England grant in 2006/7 provided resources for Julian and Emma to develop work for which they received rave reviews in Brighton Festival Fringe Magazine and Total Theatre magazine.
2005/6
Appearing as ‘industry expert’ panel guest for two Dartington Plus Music industry education days (Dartington and Bristol).
2003
Began mentoring aspiring professional song-writers and performers. (Recently concluded a major management contract for a young client).
2001
Reformed Eye to Eye with former music partner Deborah Berg.
Clean Slate – an album of new songs co-produced with Roxy Music and Talking Heads producer Rhett Davies was released in the summer 2005.
Featured musicians include: Martin Ditcham, John Puttnam, Ivan Bodley, The Uptown Horns.
2000
Composed ‘The Clock of The Long Now’ (with text by Rose Cook) for The Plymouth Symphony Orchestra and several local school choirs. Commissioned by the Totnes Millennium committee as a part of the Totnes Millennium celebrations.
1990 - 2000
Extensive lecturing at Dartington College of Arts – including composition, piano, Music Access course, conducting college orchestra.
Private teaching plus occasional projects and workshops at Park School, Dartington and at Sands School, Ashburton.
Teaching private music GCSE and A level courses.
Governor and then Chair of Governors (called ‘Council’) at Park School, Dartington.
1998/9
Panel judge at Exeter Festival music competition.
1998
Following research on music and evolutionary psychology delivered a key-note address at the International Sound Colloquium conference, Colorado, USA.
1995 – 2001
Director of Music Access course at The Mansion adult education centre, Totnes.
1986 – 1988
Senior A&R executive, Polydor Records, London.
A&R consultant to Polygram Records, London.
1985
Signed as writer to Chrysalis Music Publishers, London.
Moved to Los Angeles to become A&R director for Boulevard Records.
(1982 – 5: Move to New York City and Los Angeles, USA)
1984
Wrote score for Orion Pictures feature film ‘Old Enough’ (directed by Marisa Silver).
Produced various recording projects, including an album for Philadelphia based singer songwriter Julie Davison, and co produced demos with Marc Cohn plus played sessions for Gary Katz.
1980 – 1985
Formed the group ‘Eye to Eye’ with American singer-songwriter Deborah Berg. Recorded two ‘cult classic’ albums for Warner Brothers records - ‘Eye to Eye’ and ‘Shakespeare Stole My Baby’ both albums produced by Steely Dan producer Gary Katz. Their first album featured the hit song ‘Nice Girls’.
Featured musicians include: Jeff Porcaro, Jim Keltner, Larry Carlton, Chuck Rainey, Jimmy Haslip, Rick Derringer, Ruth Underwood, Ian Underwood, Donald Fagan, Abraham Laboriel, Elliot Randall, Starz Vanderlocket, Dean Parks, Timothy B Schmit, Art Wood, Jerry Hey Horns, Martin Ditcham, Dominic Troiano, Steve Lukather, Frank Floyd, Zack Sanders….
1979
Following the demise of Marshall Hain, became member of the group The Flying Lizards – scoring top 5 hit with ‘Money’. ‘Money’ was featured in the soundtracks for ‘The Wedding Singer’ and ‘Charlie’s Angels’.
1978
First single release Dancing in the City’ – became major international hit. To date has sold approximately 2,000,000 copies. The song reached Number 1 in Australia and Germany, number 3 in the UK and top 5 in most European countries. As well as very extensive airplay of DITC, they gave many broadcasts on radio and television in person or with live band.
(Dancing in The City is still played frequently throughout Europe and beyond. An especially proud moment was when DITC was featured on BBC TV’s ‘Ashes to Ashes’ in 2010).
Also in 1978 released follow-up single ‘Coming Home’ and the album ‘Free Ride’. Toured UK and Europe with live band.
1977
Signed to EMI Records.
1976
Formed Marshall Hain with school friend and singer-songwriter Kit Hain.
1973 – 6
Royal College of Music: Studied piano with Ian Lake and violin with John Ludlow. In addition, led busy life outside college writing for and running own jazz bands – gigging regularly and recording for BBC Radio 3 ‘Jazz in Britain’ and on Capital Radio.
1957 – 1972
Dartington Hall School: Music always at center stage and within a year after leaving school had written, recorded and released an album of contemporary jazz music (‘Quincicasm’ – released on Saydisc Records), composed a rock opera for a local sixth form college and composed, performed and recorded a ‘Missa Brevis’ for the school choir.
March 1954
Born Exeter, Devon.