Elliot Simpson in Dover
The DOVER Urban Room
On Monday April 27th 2026 guitarist Elliot Simpson played to 38 guests in the Urban room.
The Musical Programme started at 7pm and lasted approx an hour, guests were invited to stay for some talk and refreshment after the concert.
PROGRAMME
Ellen C. Covito
Composed improvisation G (2011)
Walter Zimmermann
15 Zwiefache (1980)
evoL (2001/2023)
Est-ce-Mars 16 Chaconnes (1998/2016)
Tre Stanze (2017)
Sentenzen (2005)
Bridget Riley’s Circles (2024)
Philip Corner
MU (1978 )
Guitarist Elliot Simpson (1987) has given premieres of works by such iconic figures as Sofia Gubaidulina, Alvin Lucier, Michael Finnissy and Larry Polansky, and has worked closely with many other prominent young composers in the creation of new pieces. He has appeared in many of the arts capitals of the world, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City, Mexico City, Santiago de Chile, Buenos Aires, São Paulo, London, Amsterdam, Cologne, Berlin, Salzburg, and Shanghai, in master classes, workshops, and performances ranging from early music to free improvisation. His recordings can be found on the Microfest, XI, Brilliant Classics, ECM, New World, Infrequent Seams, Soundset, and Hermes record labels. Originally from New Mexico, USA, Elliot studied with David Tanenbaum at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and with Zoran Dukić at the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague, where he was a recipient of the prestigious Huygens Grant from the Netherlands Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. His Master’s degree in The Hague, as both soloist and chamber musician, was awarded “with distinction for his extraordinary contribution to new music.” He holds a doctoral degree in music from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid.
Walter Zimmermann, born in Schwabach (Middle Franconia) in 1949; 1970-73 studied with Mauricio Kagel (Cologne Courses for New Music) and at the Institute for Sonology in Utrecht; 1974 computer music, Hamilton, NY; 1975 tour of the USA; book publication “Desert Plants” (Vancouver 1976); 1993-2014 Professor of Composition at the Berlin University of the Arts; 1996 Lecturer at “June in Buffalo” (USA); 2003 Visiting Professor at ESMUC Barcelona; 2005 Lecturer at the Juilliard School, Columbia University, NYC; 2006 Member of the Academy of Arts; 2007 Composer in Residence at the New England Conservatory, Boston; 2013 Composer in Residence at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY; 2013 John Cage “Empty Mind” (Suhrkamp-Verlag); 2013 Transcription and edition of John Cage’s piano work “Sixteen Dances,” discovered in the NYPL; 2016–18 Novalis ABC Book, (Matthes &; Seitz); 2019/20 “Ludwig Wittgenstein Reflections on Music (Suhrkamp Verlag).”
A truly zen evening at Dover Arts Development The Urban Room Dover last night. Thank you !
Thankyou so much for a lovely evening in your beautiful home .. some great people there too.. the girls who are staying in your home .. a woman called Helen and lots of nice chit chat.. super 
.. and I very much liked the first part where he glued the music and played super haha !!…. ..
Thank you so much for inviting me to the concert yesterday. I found it demanding and rewarding. Think MU was really compelling but enigmatic – and tricky to fully grasp its mindful potential the first time around. It was very interesting to share thinking about it in the after-concert drinks – everyone had different views about their experience!
Thanks for a wonderful evening. I really enjoyed the session and the improvisation. I especially enjoyed the first piece with the ripped-up text and improv. It was great to meet some new people and have some interesting conversations.
