We have a long and strong track record of commissioning and performing new work. Some of the most notable commissions to date have been Tippett’s Fifth String Quartet, György Orbán’s Third Quartet, Nat Stookey’s Double, Hugh Wood’s Fifth String Quartet and Overture for Piano Trio, Howard Skempton’s Eternity’s Sunrise and Huw Watkins' Broken Consort. The majority of these works have been premiered in Sheffield and, since 2003, many have gone on to have a life after their premiere through performances with our national network.

We are one of the few organisations in the country to have a Children’s Composer in Residence, Paul Rissmann. We work closely with Paul to produce a new piece for children aged 3+ each year, expanding the repertoire of works available for that age group.

We’re also committed to performing the work of living composers. Recent notable performances have included David Bruce’s Gumboots and Sally Beamish St Andrews Bones. For both of these we were delighted that the composer was able to be with us and talk to the audience about their work. 

Platform 4 Commissions 2017