GIANT
1998

Freshly graduated, I set out to create a piece that prioritised audience appeal over academic complexity. The result was Giant—a work interwoven with delicate rhythmic jazz elements, structured within a broad, evolving texture. As the composition took shape before my eyes, it began conjuring images of giants, shaping the music’s narrative. - The first section evokes a vast aerial perspective, imagining the sweeping stride of a fairy-tale giant moving through fields and forests. - The second section draws inspiration from Gulliver’s Travels, reflecting the moment when Gulliver is pinned down by tiny, relentless figures. - The third section unfolds in slow, resonant waves, reminiscent of the deep, sighing breaths of a slumbering giant. Scored for the De Montfort University Orchestra and incorporating an SATB saxophone quartet, Giant premiered on 9th June 1998 at the Church of St Mary de Castro, Leicester, under the direction of David Lawrence.