experimental performer/composer

still alive

update 

  • still alive

  • life happened, life changes

  • making less

  • hoping to make more

  • phd writing up

  • looking forward to sharing the work from that

  • thank you stan’s cafe

  • any questions about this blog please ask

  • piece for viola piano and clarinet releasing in september

  • excited about future

  • let down by the present

  • i’ve given out so many bouncy balls

  • artefact closed

  • i miss having a music community

  • artefact will come back soon

  • was involved in two mammoth projects by alexander kaniewski

  • i got to dress up

  • and make instruments for with kids

  • big into education now as a result

  • enjoying teaching 

  • my partner zahrah is very lovely and is making cool things

  • i’ve done some wassailing

  • made a bad piece for four bass drums

  • i was part of an ensemble that performed some music for pairs

  • danced on some stairs to some music

  • i’ve been away

  • travelling is weird and difficult 

  • i enjoyed going fast on a motorbike

  • whereever you go there you are

  • i still have kidney stonoes

  • still alive

  • hoping to make more

  • my biggest accomplishment in 2025 is putting up two shelves

  • my brother is a wonderful beautiful human being and more people should know him

  • i want to be good at so many things

  • i think im good at a couple of things

  • i’m craving external validation, attempting to accept internal validation instead

  • i have no idea how to look after a garden

  • writing a phd is the most difficult thing i’ve dne

  • my keyboard broke

  • i need to take more pictures

  • i brew kombucha now

  • happy to give away scobys 

  • i went on tour with flxnflx and james m creed

  • beautiful time he makes beautiful music

  • i play badminton every monday

  • i’m obsessed with guiness

  • i’m sorry for ghosting you in public

  • i really like american football now sorry

  • i’m going to darmstadt this summer

  • doing some things with acoustic objects

  • excited and scared

  • still alive

  • trying to make more

  • sam underwood has lent me a feedback pedal

  • i like it alot

  • i played a set before the bohman brothers

  • i like those guys

  • i went to hcmf and paul scullys piece made me weep

  • i’m not irish, i cannot claim to be, its not my culture

  • i’m not english i cannot claim to be its not my culture

  • i like making work with people

  • darragh kelly where are you

  • trying to learn vamos in as many languages as possible

  • i can say vamos in about 5 languages

  • trying to make me meet myself

  • don’t talk to me about my travels

  • i’m so anxious about music making, how do you do it?

  • i’m not on instagram so much now

  • but hoping to come back

  • my grandfather died and i miss him

  • my dog died and i miss him

  • go listen to caroline’s when i get home

  • i’m anxious to talk to friends that i admire

  • replying to texts is difficult

  • i;m doing very well somedays

  • the new wes anderson is very bad

  • ive been updating the website

  • sorry its different

  • sorry in general

  • if you are reading this and we haven’t talked in awhile, please reach out

  • i miss my friends

  • i’ve got too many notebooks

  • coma westmidlands is now up and running

  • join us

  • oh yeah i released an album

  • you can buy it on tape

  • think i realised somethings about my work

  • im working on a piece for four pianos

  • thank you for reading and/or caring about my music

  • still alive

  • hoping to make more

James McIlwrath