Skip to main content
A photograph of Timothy recording audio outdoors. He is kneeling by the edge of a body of water, surrounded by rocks, seaweed and grass. He's holding a large, furry mic down towards the water, and is wearing headphones

The Tippett Medal has been awarded to ECA specialist technician Timothy Cooper, for his composition Labyrinth. Timothy is a composer and performer of electroacoustic music, and in addition to his work at ECA, teaches music technology at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Labyrinth is a piece for baroque cello and electronics, written in collaboration with Lucia Capellaro. It was composed for Timothy’s extended project ‘shadows that in darkness dwell’, exploring the music and life of the English Renaissance composer John Dowland. 

The project is a cycle of works composed for period instruments and electronics created collaboratively by Timothy and Ensemble 1604. 

Timothy says: “‘I imagine the character of John Dowland, an emotional, volatile and private man with a mysterious past; as a musician working in the court of the Danish King, Dowland was also as an English spy. Much of his music is dark, shadowy and melancholic and my pieces explore and exaggerate this. The pieces are not about subterfuge but explore the very darkest depths present in Dowland’s work and life.

“I'm really delighted that this particular work has been recognised in this way, it was the final piece I made in a cycle of works composed across 2019-2023 with my fellow members of Ensemble 1604, and it really was the culmination of working with those amazing colleagues who are very generous musicians. In this piece I worked really closely with the amazing cellist Lucia Capellaro and I'd really like to thank her for her amazing musicianship.”

The Tippett Medal for composition is awarded annually by the Royal Musical Assocation in memory of composer Michael Tippett, who was a passionate believer in social equality and musical education. The RSA named the award after Tippett to reinforce its commitment to music education, the vital importance of live performance, and contemporary composition of all kinds.

The judges were impressed with the “arresting and accomplished writing” of this “strikingly focused and assured” piece. They commented on the writing for both baroque cello and electronics as “finely controlled, with the dynamic and dramatic cello part surrounded by a wealth of fantastical granular and spectral resonances”. They also expressed the hope that the award of the Tippett Medal will mean that Labyrinth receives many more performances.

Their wish will be swiftly granted – Labyrinth is among the pieces due to be performance at the Reid Concert Hall tomorrow (Thursday 16 January, 7pm) by Timothy and Ensemble 1604. Entrance is free - find out more on the link below.

Meet our staff