The Trans-Atlantic Ensemble was founded in 2025 by composers Michael Small and Philip Dutton to explore international and inter-style dialogues in concerts. They have performed in a flexible lineup as a “Pierrot” ensemble at the Royal Over-Seas League, and as a “Quartet for the End of Time” ensemble at the National Liberal Club and the Holywell Music Room in Oxford. In our 2025-26 season we performed music by Copland, Saariaho, Messiaen, Grime, Takemitsu, and Kurtág.
Our regular players include Eleanor Corr, violin, Alexander Ullman, piano, Cecilia Bignall, cello, Anna Hashimoto, clarinet, Dominic Stokes, viola, Rosie Bowker, flute, and Joan Subirà, double bass.
Performance Videos
Aaron Copland: Sextet (1937)
Written originally as the “Short Symphony” (1931-32), Copland arranged this exciting piece for sextet of piano, clarinet, and string quartet in the hope that it might get more performances. Now it is a beloved piece of American chamber music, and Copland maintained until the end of his life that it was probably the best thing he ever wrote.
Performers:
Eleanor Corr, Violin I
Anna Brown, Violin II
Dominic Stokes, Viola
Cecilia Bignall, Cello
Anna Hashimoto, Clarinet
Alexander Ullman, Piano
Michael Small, Conductor
Performed at our launch concert at the Royal Over-Seas League, September 26th, 2025
Messiaen: Quatuor pour la fin du temps
VI - Danse de la fureur, pour le sept trompettes
Messiaen’s famous Quartet for the End of Time features many extraordinary passages of highly original music, such as this obsessive unison dance for all four instruments playing together.
Performers:
Eleanor Corr, Violin
Anna Hashimoto, Clarinet
Cecilia Bignall, Cello
Alexander Ullman, Piano
The Messiaen was performed in our second program at the National Liberal Club and Oxford’s Holywell Music Room (shown here) on May 3rd, 2026.
Philip Dutton: Ring Out!
for String Trio (2021)
Philip wrote Ring Out for the Creative Dialogues France in 2021. Inspired by Alfred Lord Tennyson’s famous Ring Out, Wild Bells, the work is an exhilarating exploration of bell sounds and instrumental color.
Performers:
Laura Custodio Sabas, Violin
Dominic Stokes, Viola
Cecilia Bignall, Cello
Performed at 1901 Arts Club, Waterloo, on 12th June 2026.
Season 1, 2025-26
Launch Concert
Royal Over-Seas League, September 26th, 2025
Repertoire:
Helen Grime: Selections from Seven Pierrot Miniatures (The Clouds, Decor, Absinthe)
Philip Dutton: Itadori (2018) for seven instruments - World Premiere
Michael Small: For Years Now (2021, rev. 25) for six players
Aaron Copland: Sextet (1937)
Performers:
Eleanor Corr, Violin, Anna Brown, Violin, Dominic Stokes, Viola, Cecilia Bignall, Cello, Joana Subirà, Double Bass, Joshua Gearing, Percussion, Rosie Bowker, Flute, Anna Hashimoto, Clarinet, Alexander Ullman, Piano, Michael Small, Conductor
Messiaen: Quartet for the End of Time
at the National Liberal Club & Oxford’s Holywell Music Room, 1st & 3rd of May 2026
In association with Kettner Concerts
Repertoire:
Kaija Saariaho: Nocturne for violin (1994)
Magnus Lindberg: Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1990) for clarinet and cello
Takemitsu: Between Tides (1993) for piano trio
Messiaen: Quatuor pour la fin du temps (1940-41)
Performers: Eleanor Corr, Violin, Anna Hashimoto, Clarinet, Cecilia Bignall, Cello, Alexander Ullman, Piano
Signs, Games, and Messages
at 1901 Arts Club, 12th June, 2026
Repertoire:
György Kurtág: Signs, Games, and Messages (1989-2005)
Imogen Holst: First String Trio (1944)
Philip Dutton: Ring Out (2021)
Sándor Veress: String Trio: (1954)
Performers:
Laura Custodio Sabas, Violin, Dominic Stokes, Viola, Cecilia Bignall, Cello
About the Founders
Michael Small is an Anglo-American composer based near London. His music is energetic, often transparent and alive with imagery, and explores themes of memory and narrative. His works have been performed by some of the finest soloists and ensembles, including the London Sinfonietta, and recorded by 3-time BBC Music Magazine award winner Fenella Humphreys, and Grammy winner Gloria Cheng.
In 2020, Michael was awarded the first Royal Over-Seas League Composition Award, which resulted in a commission for the London Sinfonietta. The resulting piece “For Years Now” was premiered in 2021. Current projects include a triptych of viola pieces for Chilean-American violist Georgina Rossi, and a new String Quartet for Trans-Atlantic Ensemble.
Philip Dutton is a British-Czech composer whose music is increasingly in demand internationally. Between 2022 and 2023 Dutton was a Britten Pears Young Artist, a London Philharmonic Orchestra Young Artist, and a Royal Philharmonic Society Composer. He was nominated for the Prince Pierre Foundation de Monaco Musical Springboard Award 2025 for his orchestral work Etched, and in 2025 complete a commission for the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra title There, where I call home, conducted by Ryan Wigglesworth and premiered at City Halls, Glasgow in February 2026. In 2025 he co-founded the Trans-Atlantic Ensemble with fellow composer Michael Small. Dutton’s music expresses his love for storytelling and curiosity, in music that is often colourful, vivid, and direct, frequently drawing upon his rich cultural heritage for inspiration.
Performers of Dutton’s music include the London Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, ORA Singers, Britten Pears Contemporary Ensemble, Engegård Quartet, EXAUDI, the Trans-Atlantic Ensemble, conductors Ryan Wigglesworth Jonathan Berman and Brett Dean, pianists Cristian Sandrin and Tyler Hay, mezzo-soprano Katie Macdonald, flautist Daniel Shao and clarinettist Scott Lygate. The Engegård Quartet have recorded two of Dutton’s works, Fanfare and Carillon, for release on the LAWO label. His works have been performed at venues across the UK and Europe, including Wigmore Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, St Martin-in-the-Fields, the Barbican Centre, Brucknerhaus Linz, Lille Opera, St John’s Smith Square and Cadogan Hall; at festivals such as the Aldeburgh International Festival and the Lofoten International Chamber Music Festival; and have been broadcast on BBC Radio 3.
