Patrick Nunn
Encyclopedia
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and educator.
Biography
Nunn read music at Dartington College of ArtsDartington College of Arts
Dartington College of Arts was a specialist arts institution near Totnes, Devon, South West England, it specialized in post-dramatic theatre, music, choreography, Performance Writing and visual performance, focusing on a performative and multi-disciplinary approach to the arts. In addition to this,...
studying under Frank Denyer between 1988 and 1991 taking additional tuition with Louis Andriessen
Louis Andriessen
Louis Andriessen is a Dutch composer and pianist based in Amsterdam. He teaches composition at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague...
at Dartington International Summer School and with Gary Carpenter at the Welsh College of Music and Drama. In 2004, he took his doctorate under Professor Simon Bainbridge
Simon Bainbridge
Simon Bainbridge is a British composer, and a professor and former head of composition at the Royal Academy of Music, London, and visiting professor at the University of Louisville, Kentucky in the United States.-Biography:...
at the Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
. He also received tuition under Jonathan Harvey, Tod Machover
Tod Machover
Tod Machover , is a composer and an innovator in the application of technology in music. He is the son of Wilma Machover, a pianist and Carl Machover, a computer scientist....
and Simon Emmerson.
In 1994, Nunn was awarded the Gregynog Composition Prize for Colour Cycle and in 1995, the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Radio 3 Composing for Children prize as part of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's Fairest Isle festival for his work Songs of our Generation. His work Into My Burning Veins a Poison for quarter-tone alto flute, piano and electronics was awarded the RCM rarescale Composition Prize in 2004. In 2006, he was awarded a British Composers Award in the solo/duet category for Mercurial Sparks, Volatile Shadows and the Alan Bush Prize for Transilient Fragments in 2008.
He teaches techniques of composition at the Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
and his compositional work is currently represented as part of the Sound & Music New Voices
scheme for composers.
Selected Compositions
- Lullaby, (1987, Rev.1998) for children's choir (ss) and piano
- Sonata, 1990 for flute and piano
- Polychrome Musique (1991) for large ensemble
- Colour Cycle (1994) for violin and piano
- Merry Go Round (1994) for large ensemble
- Songs of our Generation (1995) for children's choir and orchestra
- Man Made (1995) for large amplified ensemble
- Bakers Dozen (1995) for flute and guitar
- Rents (1996) for counter tenor and guitar (electric/acoustic)
- Screw (1996) for large amplified ensemble
- Down In the Underpass (1998) for children's choir and small ensemble
- Raw Fuse (1998) for large amplified ensemble
- Cruise (1998 rev. 2007) for small ensemble
- Un Chant D'amour (1998) for chamber ensemble
- Sprite (1998) for solo piccolo
- Hell Bent inside the Be Oven (1999) for large ensemble
- The Oxen (2000) for children's choir and small ensemble
- String of Pearls (2000) for clarinet, violin and piano
- Black Strokes 1 (2000) for violin and piano
- Eid Milaad Saeed (2000) for solo clarinet
- 21st Century Junkie (2001) for six pianos
- Hextych (2001) for small ensemble
- Sleek Silver Symbols (2001) for soprano saxophone, electric guitar, bass guitar and percussion
- Maqamat (2002) for quarter-tone alto flute
- Un Chant d'amour (2003) for Piano - 4 hands
- Into my burning veins a poison (2004) for quarter-tone alto flute, piano and tape
- Gonk (2004) for bassoon and tape
- Shest Bulgarski Pesni za Detstvoto (2005) for children's choir and small ensemble
- Music of the Spheres (2006) for piano and planets
- Gaia Sketches (2005) for cello with HyperbowHyperbowThe Hyperbow is an electronic violin bow interface that was developed as a result of a in-depth research project by students at MIT. The instrument is intended for use only by accomplished players...
and live electronics - Escape Velocity (2006) for accordion and string quartet
- Mercurial Sparks, Volatile Shadows (2006) for alto flute and piano
- Coalescence (2006) for clarinet, live electronics and movement sensors
- Transillient Fragments (2007) for violin and piano
- Fata Morgana (2007) for cello with HyperbowHyperbowThe Hyperbow is an electronic violin bow interface that was developed as a result of a in-depth research project by students at MIT. The instrument is intended for use only by accomplished players...
, ensemble and live electronics - Lauten (2007) for small ensemble
- Prism (2008) for bassett clarinet and piano
- Shoaling (2008) for harp, live electronics and movement sensors
- Intra aspicere (2008) for orchestra and live electronics
- ... of bones and muscle (2009) for piano and electronics
Discography
- Music of the Spheres (2009) Red Sock Records RSR001CD
Awards
- Gregynog, Wales (1994)
- BBC Radio 3 Composing for Children, UK (1995)
- Rarescale, Royal College of Music, London UK (2004)
- British Composers Award (Solo/Duet), UK (2006)
- Alan Bush Award, Royal Academy of Music, London UK (2008)