Carey Tan at RCM

I was recently commissioned to photograph a concert featuring Carey Tan, a remarkable 12-year-old composer and multi-instrumentalist, performing his original symphonic works at the Royal College of Music with the London City Philharmonic Orchestra.

Carey is widely recognised as a prodigious young composer whose work explores big, complex themes — nature, war, artificial intelligence, and the future of humanity — all translated into large-scale orchestral writing with striking maturity and vision. A recipient of both the King’s Scholarship and Music Scholarship at Eton College, his music is already drawing attention within the contemporary classical world for its depth, structure, and emotional intelligence.

The concert itself was entirely dedicated to his original symphonic works, with Carey performing throughout the programme on piano and marimba, actively shaping the music from within the ensemble.

It was a privilege to document such a unique performance. I worked discreetly throughout the evening to avoid interrupting the experience for the audience, focusing instead on capturing quiet, natural moments as they unfolded.

These are a selection of my favourite images from the performance.

Looking for a photographer for your event or performance? If you’re planning a concert, production or live performance and need documentary-style coverage, I’d love to hear about your project.