Philip Grange
Encyclopedia
Philip Grange is an English
composer
.
Grange was born in London. He attended Peter Maxwell Davies
’s classes at Dartington, and then took further, private, lessons with Davies while at The University of York, where he also studied composition with David Blake
. He has held the posts of Fellow Commoner in Creative Arts at Trinity College, Cambridge
(1985–7), and of Northern Arts Fellow in Composition at Durham University
(1988–9) before joining the music department at Exeter University as lecturer (1989), reader (1995) and professor (1999) in composition. In 2000 he moved to the University of Manchester
, where he is Professor of Music.
Philip Grange's first published pieces date from the late 1970s and include Cimmerian Nocturne (1979), which was commissioned by The Fires of London and included a performance under director Peter Maxwell Davies at the 1983 Proms as well as numerous national and international performances. Other early works include The Kingdom of Bones for mezzo-soprano and chamber orchestra, (1983), Variations (1988) and Concerto for Orchestra: Labyrinthine Images (1988)
During the early 1990s Grange completed two BBC
commissions, Focus and Fade for the BBC Symphony Orchestra
, who gave the premiere at the Royal Festival Hall
in 1992 conducted by Andrew Davies
, and Lowry Dreamscape, which was premiered at the 1993 BBC Festival of Brass by the Sun Life Brass Band conducted by Roy Newsome. Other works from this period include Piano Polyptich (premiered by Stephen Pruslin at the 1993 Aldeburgh Festival
) and Bacchus Bagatelles for wind quintet.
More recently, Grange has written works for Ensemble Gemini and Psappha
, as well as other high profile international ensembles such as the National Youth Wind Ensemble of Great Britain
http://cheltenhamfestivals.com/music-2009/national-youth-wind-ensemble-and-national-youth-chamber-orchestra/3.
In July 2009, the National Youth Wind Ensemble of Great Britain gave the world premiere of Cloud Atlas, Grange's most recent large-scale work, based on the 2004 Man Booker Prize shortlisted novel by David Mitchell
, at the 2009 Cheltenham Music Festival, conductor by Philip Scott.
Grange's music is published by Maecenas and Edition Peters.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
composer
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...
.
Grange was born in London. He attended Peter Maxwell Davies
Peter Maxwell Davies
Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, CBE is an English composer and conductor and is currently Master of the Queen's Music.-Biography:...
’s classes at Dartington, and then took further, private, lessons with Davies while at The University of York, where he also studied composition with David Blake
David Blake (composer)
David Blake is a British composer born in London in 1936. Following National Service Blake learnt Mandarin Chinese and spent one year in Hong Kong. He went on to read music at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where his teachers were Patrick Hadley, Peter Tranchell and Raymond Leppard...
. He has held the posts of Fellow Commoner in Creative Arts at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
(1985–7), and of Northern Arts Fellow in Composition at Durham University
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
(1988–9) before joining the music department at Exeter University as lecturer (1989), reader (1995) and professor (1999) in composition. In 2000 he moved to the University of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
, where he is Professor of Music.
Philip Grange's first published pieces date from the late 1970s and include Cimmerian Nocturne (1979), which was commissioned by The Fires of London and included a performance under director Peter Maxwell Davies at the 1983 Proms as well as numerous national and international performances. Other early works include The Kingdom of Bones for mezzo-soprano and chamber orchestra, (1983), Variations (1988) and Concerto for Orchestra: Labyrinthine Images (1988)
During the early 1990s Grange completed two 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...
commissions, Focus and Fade for the BBC Symphony Orchestra
BBC Symphony Orchestra
The BBC Symphony Orchestra is the principal broadcast orchestra of the British Broadcasting Corporation and one of the leading orchestras in Britain.-History:...
, who gave the premiere at the Royal Festival Hall
Royal Festival Hall
The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,900-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge. It is a Grade I listed building - the first post-war building to become so protected...
in 1992 conducted by Andrew Davies
Andrew Davies
Andrew Davies may refer to:*Andrew Davies *Andrew Davies , Welsh Labour politician*Andrew R. T. Davies, Welsh Conservative politician*Andrew Davies , Welsh darts player*Andrew Davies , English defender...
, and Lowry Dreamscape, which was premiered at the 1993 BBC Festival of Brass by the Sun Life Brass Band conducted by Roy Newsome. Other works from this period include Piano Polyptich (premiered by Stephen Pruslin at the 1993 Aldeburgh Festival
Aldeburgh Festival
The Aldeburgh Festival is an English arts festival devoted mainly to classical music. It takes place each June in the Aldeburgh area of Suffolk, centred on the main concert hall at Snape Maltings...
) and Bacchus Bagatelles for wind quintet.
More recently, Grange has written works for Ensemble Gemini and Psappha
Psappha New Music Ensemble
Psappha New Music Ensemble is an ensemble of contemporary classical musicians based in the North West of England, specialised in the performance of works by living composers. Founded in 1991, Psappha takes its name from the composition of the same name by Greek modernist composer Iannis Xenakis...
, as well as other high profile international ensembles such as the National Youth Wind Ensemble of Great Britain
National Youth Wind Ensemble of Great Britain
The National Youth Wind Ensemble of Great Britain is regarded as one of the top youth wind groups in Europe, and hailed by Timothy Reynish as "one of the best wind groups in the world.".-History:...
http://cheltenhamfestivals.com/music-2009/national-youth-wind-ensemble-and-national-youth-chamber-orchestra/3.
In July 2009, the National Youth Wind Ensemble of Great Britain gave the world premiere of Cloud Atlas, Grange's most recent large-scale work, based on the 2004 Man Booker Prize shortlisted novel by David Mitchell
David Mitchell (author)
David Stephen Mitchell is an English novelist. He has written five novels, two of which were shortlisted for the Booker Prize.- Biography :...
, at the 2009 Cheltenham Music Festival, conductor by Philip Scott.
Grange's music is published by Maecenas and Edition Peters.
External links
- Home page at the University of Manchester http://www.arts.manchester.ac.uk/subjectareas/music/academicstaff/phillipgrange/