News

Michael made music for the documentary « Anaïs s’en va en guerre » and it can be seen online in it's entirety.

The toy orchestra reunited for a show at Theatre Du Chatelet on June 8th.  Watch some videos here courtesy of Froggy's Delight.

Michael produced Pauline Dupuy's wonderful EP Contrebrassens.  It features songs of Georges Brassens played on double bass and horns.  It is available here.
He also produced Kevin Lartig's album Jena, featuring members of the toy orchestra.  It is available here.

You can go and see Michael's Facebook page if you want more news, and like it if you like his music!

New album Submarine Dreams recorded with The Hiddentracks available now in download, CD, or beautiful vinyl.

Vinyl edition of Submarine Dreams
MonsterK7 and What A Mess! have released a limited edition vinyl of Submarine Dreams.  It comes with a free immediate download and features 13 postcards with drawings by Gabríela Friðriksdóttir and is truly a beautiful object / preorder vinyl from MonsterK7 or What A Mess! 

Live for Froggy's Delight
Other videos here

Listen to Submarine Dreams

CD / Download
The album features 14 original drawings by Gabríela Friðriksdóttir / order Digipack or download here. 
Also available in all good record stores via We Are Unique Records and on itunes, deezer, spotify...

Reviews


The most rewarding of the pieces for toys on the program. A fairground tune unfolded on the toy piano, a bittersweet interlude evoked loss, and a syncopated bluesy melody evolved in a melancholic haze.
The New York Times

A brilliant composer of lunatic cabaret songs.
LES INROCKUPTIBLES - 15 Mai 2013 - JD Beauvallet

Cajun music and New Orleans jazz are never far. A whimsical, playful world with a few melancholic strokes and carnival-like frenzy. 
Obsküre Magazine (Mai-Juin 2013)

A charming formula with plenty of unique arrangement ideas and the same kind of energy as in Patrick Watson's music. 
France Musique - Vincent Théval - LABEL POP

From string-filled popsongs that could have been composed by Sufjan Stevens to sparkling folk ballads through to darker tones, these songs are flawless!
POPNEWS

American Premiere of Coney Island Sous l'Eau.

The American premiere of Michael's Toy piano concerto was performed in New York at the Washington Square Music Festival on the 16th of July 2013. 

Reviews:

The New York Times - Vivien Scheitzer (in print on July 18, 2013)
Two toy pianos were surrounded by grown-up instruments in Michael Wookey’s “Coney Island Sous l’Eau” (“Coney Island Under the Water”), written after Hurricane Sandy and the most rewarding of the pieces for toys on the program. A fairground tune unfolded on the toy piano, a bittersweet interlude evoked loss, and a syncopated bluesy melody evolved in a melancholic haze.

www.concertonet.com - Harry Rolnick
By far, the most interesting music was Michael Wookey’s Coney Island Under the Sea, originally for two toy pianos and other toy instruments à la Leopold Mozart. But Mr. Wookey’s purpose was far more serious. He had seen the amusement park after our monstrous Sandy hurricane last year, with a result of bitter irony. The little orchestra and piano alternated merry–go-round carousel-style songs along with dissonances and atonal observations. A clever concept that was short, gave its message and left us with a strange sadness.

Photo of the world premiere of the concerto in Paris at Théâtre du Chatelêt. (Photo by Mickagio)