Richard Ayres
Encyclopedia
Richard Ayres is a British
composer and teacher.
Ayres was born in Cornwall
, England
in 1965. He followed Morton Feldman’s classes at the Darmstadt and Dartington summer schools. He studied composition
, electronic music
, and trombone
at Huddersfield Polytechnic until 1989, graduating with Distinction in 1989. Since September 1989, Ayres has lived and worked in the Netherlands
. He studied postgraduate composition course at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague
, studying with Louis Andriessen, and graduating in 1992.
From 1990 Richard Ayres has worked as composer receiving performances from among others the ASKO Ensemble
, the Schönberg Ensemble, Ives Ensemble, Orkest de Volharding
, Maarten Altena Ensemble, The Netherlands Ballet Orchestra, Netherlands Radio Symphony Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
, Apartment House, London Sinfonietta
, Klangforum Wien, MusikFabrik, Continuum (Canada) as well as writing for ensembles with more unusual instrumentations formed for specific projects.
Ayres received the Gaudeamus International Composers Award
for composition in 1994. His piece No.31 (for trumpet and ensemble) received a recommendation at the UNESCO
Rostrum of Composers in Paris
in 1999. He received the Matthijs Vermeulen Award
in 2003.
He was Featured Composer at the Huddersfield Festival in 2003 and his music has been heard at the Aldeburgh Festival
: his first opera, The Cricket Recovers was premiered there in 2005. It has since had new productions in Stuttgart
, Weimar and Braunschweig. He is currently writing his second opera, Peter Pan.
In the orchestral arena his No. 37b for orchestra was premiered at the Donaueschingen Musiktage by the SWR Sinfonieorchester Freiburg and Baden-Baden and has since been taken up by the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
. No. 40 NONcerto for oboe and chamber orchestra was premiered by Baart Schneemann and the Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra in 2006.
2008 saw the premiere of No. 42 In the Alps for soprano and ensemble which was premiered and toured throughout Holland by Barbara Hannigan
and the Netherlands Wind Ensemble. He also wrote No. 43 Glorious, a work for chamber ensemble and film - a collaboration with film-maker Guy Maddin
for the SHIFT Festival in Amsterdam
and Canada
.
In January 2004, Ayres was appointed as teacher of composition at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague
. He remained in his position here until 2006 and now teaches at the Amsterdam Conservatoire.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
composer and teacher.
Ayres was born in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, England
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...
in 1965. He followed Morton Feldman’s classes at the Darmstadt and Dartington summer schools. He studied composition
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
, electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
, and trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
at Huddersfield Polytechnic until 1989, graduating with Distinction in 1989. Since September 1989, Ayres has lived and worked in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. He studied postgraduate composition course at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague
Royal Conservatory of The Hague
The Royal Conservatory of The Hague is a conservatorium of music, providing higher education in music and dance, it is located in The Hague, Netherlands.-The Conservatory:...
, studying with Louis Andriessen, and graduating in 1992.
From 1990 Richard Ayres has worked as composer receiving performances from among others the ASKO Ensemble
Asko Ensemble
Asko Ensemble is a Dutch chamber orchestra that specializes in contemporary classical music. Formed in 1965 and based in Amsterdam, the group performs traditional concerts along with film music programmes, dance and multimedia projects and modern opera....
, the Schönberg Ensemble, Ives Ensemble, Orkest de Volharding
Orkest de Volharding
Orkest de Volharding is a Dutch music ensemble, founded in 1972 by Louis Andriessen and saxophonist Willem Breuker, named after the eponymous Andriessen work. The line up for the original concert, on May 12, 1972, was three each of trumpets saxes and trombones, plus Andriessen on the piano...
, Maarten Altena Ensemble, The Netherlands Ballet Orchestra, Netherlands Radio Symphony Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra is a British orchestra based in Birmingham, England. The Orchestra's current chief executive, appointed in 1999, is Stephen Maddock...
, Apartment House, London Sinfonietta
London Sinfonietta
The London Sinfonietta is an English chamber orchestra founded in 1968 and based in London. The ensemble specialises in contemporary music and works across a wide range of genres, performing modern classics alongside world premieres, and includes music by electronica artists as well as folk and...
, Klangforum Wien, MusikFabrik, Continuum (Canada) as well as writing for ensembles with more unusual instrumentations formed for specific projects.
Ayres received the Gaudeamus International Composers Award
Gaudeamus International Composers Award
The Gaudeamus International Composers Award is a European award issued by the Music Center the Netherlands...
for composition in 1994. His piece No.31 (for trumpet and ensemble) received a recommendation at the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
Rostrum of Composers in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1999. He received the Matthijs Vermeulen Award
Matthijs Vermeulen Award
The Matthijs Vermeulen Award is a Dutch composition prize. It was named after the Dutch composer Matthijs Vermeulen .During the years 1972 through 2004, the prize was awarded annually by the Amsterdam Foundation for the Arts...
in 2003.
He was Featured Composer at the Huddersfield Festival in 2003 and his music has been heard at the 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...
: his first opera, The Cricket Recovers was premiered there in 2005. It has since had new productions in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
, Weimar and Braunschweig. He is currently writing his second opera, Peter Pan.
In the orchestral arena his No. 37b for orchestra was premiered at the Donaueschingen Musiktage by the SWR Sinfonieorchester Freiburg and Baden-Baden and has since been taken up by the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra is a broadcasting symphony orchestra based in Glasgow, Scotland. One of five full-time orchestras maintained by the British Broadcasting Corporation , it is the oldest full-time professional orchestra in Scotland...
. No. 40 NONcerto for oboe and chamber orchestra was premiered by Baart Schneemann and the Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra in 2006.
2008 saw the premiere of No. 42 In the Alps for soprano and ensemble which was premiered and toured throughout Holland by Barbara Hannigan
Barbara Hannigan
Barbara Hannigan is a Canadian soprano. She received a strong musical upbringing from the music teachers in Waverley....
and the Netherlands Wind Ensemble. He also wrote No. 43 Glorious, a work for chamber ensemble and film - a collaboration with film-maker Guy Maddin
Guy Maddin
Guy Maddin, OM is a Canadian screenwriter, director, cinematographer and film editor of both features and short films from Winnipeg, Manitoba...
for the SHIFT Festival in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
In January 2004, Ayres was appointed as teacher of composition at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague
Royal Conservatory of The Hague
The Royal Conservatory of The Hague is a conservatorium of music, providing higher education in music and dance, it is located in The Hague, Netherlands.-The Conservatory:...
. He remained in his position here until 2006 and now teaches at the Amsterdam Conservatoire.
Selected works
- No. 8 Piano (solo) 1991
- No. 24 (NONcerto for alto trombone) 1995
- No. 31 (NONcerto for trumpet) 1999
- No. 30 (NONcerto for orchestra, cello and high soprano) 2003
- No. 30a "Schnell aber nicht immer"
- No. 33 a-b-c (Valentine Tregashian COnsiders...) 2001
- No. 36 (NONcerto for horn) 2002
- No. 34b (Two pieces for cello and ensemble) 2003
- No. 39 The Cricket Recovers 2005
- No. 37b for Orchestra 2006
- No. 40 (NONcerto for oboe)2006
- No. 41 (Five Memos for Eva) 2007
- No. 42 (In the Alps- an animated concert) 2008
- No. 43 (Glorious) 2008
External links
- Biography, Chronology, Gallery, Performances, News, Discography, Sample Pages, Works (Schott MusicSchott MusicSchott Music is one of the oldest German music publishers. It is also one of the largest music publishing houses in Europe and is currently the second oldest music publishing house. The company headquarters of Schott Music was founded by Bernhard Schott in Mainz, Germany in 1770.Established in...
) - Richard Ayres' Website
- Richard Ayres' Myspace Page
- Richard Ayres' Page on the London Sinfonietta Website