Jan Foote is a Dutch/English composer who is interested in cultivating immersive environments with his music.

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He focusses on detail in sound wherein material repeats, distorts and shifts gradually over time, and enjoys exploring the intricacies of resonance by experimenting with amplification in his compositions. More recently, he has begun to incorporate recording and production techniques into his music, which he combines with live performance.

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His pieces have been performed globally by ensembles and soloists such as: Ensemble Klang, Rohan de Saram, 9x13, The Hebrides Ensemble, The Glasgow Percussion Collective, The Glasgow Clarinet Quartet, Attica! Ensamble, Ensemble Thing, Catchpenny Ensemble, Daan van Koppen (Kluster 5), and The Allegri Quartet; in festivals including: The Holland Festival, Festival Classique, Dag in de Branding, PLUG Festival, Cross-linx, and Le tout petit festival musical de Saint Germain-de-Calberte.

 

Jan obtained his bachelor’s degree in composition from Middlesex University, London. After studying in London, he wanted a change of music scene, and so he moved to The Netherlands. In 2016, he completed a master's degree in composition at The Royal Conservatoire of The Hague. It was here that he became interested in repetition and cycles in music, which gave his work the structures that are still present in his music today.  It is also where he first used amplification in concert music, especially the electric guitar, which he has played since he was a young boy.

 

He is currently pursuing a PhD at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, supervised by David Fennessy, John de Simone and Matthew Wright. His research focuses on the construction and perception of immersive musical environments. Now, he has fully embraced amplification and sampling as a vital part of music composition.  He is exploring how to best utilise this equipment to create the immersive environments that he is searching for.