Ian Wilson (composer)
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Ian Wilson (born in Belfast in 1964) is a classical composer.
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[edit] Biography
He obtained the first D.Phil. in composition to be awarded by the University of Ulster which, in 1993, commissioned his orchestral work Rise in celebration of the tenth anniversary of its foundation. In 1992 Ian Wilson was awarded the Macaulay Fellowship administered by the Arts Council of Ireland, and in 1998 he was elected to Aosdána, Ireland's State-sponsored body of creative artists. From 2000 to 2003 Ian Wilson was AHRB Research Fellow in Creative and Performing Arts at the University of Ulster.
His music has been performed and broadcast on six continents by artists such as the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, the Ulster, Belgrade Philharmonic and Norwegian Radio Orchestras, the London Mozart Players and the Irish Chamber Orchestra, the Artis, Vogler and Vanbrugh Quartets, Lontano and Avanti! ensembles, Catherine Leonard and Hugh Tinney. Works have been performed at many festivals including the BBC Proms, Venice Bienniale, ISCM World Music Days, the Cheltenham Festival, the Spitalfields Festival, the Bath Festival, and the Ultima Festival in Oslo, where Running, Thinking, Finding for orchestra received the composition prize in 1991.
He has written over seventy pieces including a chamber opera, concertos for organ, cello, alto saxophone, violin (two), marimba and piano, orchestral pieces, seven string quartets, four piano trios and many other chamber and vocal works.
In August 2005, Ian Wilson was a featured composer at the Presteigne Festival in Wales, where at least six of his works were performed, including the World Premiere of In fretta, in vento for string orchestra.
Highlights of the 2005/06 season included the UK premiere of Messenger, concerto no. 1 for violin and orchestra (1998/99), given by soloist Catherine Leonard and the Ulster Orchestra conducted by Robert Houlihan in Belfast; the premiere of Winter finding for orchestra (2004/05), performed by the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland conducted by Gerhard Markson, on 16th September in Dublin; and the premiere of his latest concerto, Sullen earth, for violin and orchestra (2005) which was performed by Gordana Matijević-Nedeljković, violin, and the Belgrade Strings conducted by Ronald Zollman in Belgrade.
In 2006, the piece Seascape with high cliffs was commissioned by EBBA as the set test piece for the Championship section of the European Brass Band Contest in Belfast where it was played by the ten competing bands in quick succession. CD and DVD Highlights products of this event, including the winning performance by Brass Band Willbroek, are available.
His music is published by Universal Edition and Ricordi London.
[edit] Future Commissions and Projects
Future commissions/projects include:
- A 75-minute chamber opera, Minsk, for the Feldkirch Festival in Austria. Libretto by Lavinia Greenlaw and premiere in May 2007
- A 25-minute work for baritone and ensemble for Camerata Pacific in Santa Barbara, U.S. for premiere in spring 2007
- Little red fish, a 14-minute work for the Rascher Saxophone Quartet and the National Chamber Choir of Ireland, for performance in June 2006
- A new guitar work for Graham Anthony Devine to premiere at the Derry International Guitar Festival in summer 2007
- Stations – a 14-movement, 80-minute work for solo piano in four ‘Books’ to be written over the next 2 to 3 years and performed by British pianist Matthew Schellhorn
- A 15-20 minute work for clarinet and ensemble for Carol McGonnell and the Argento Ensemble in New York
- Ghosts, a 30-minute work for the Amstel Saxophone Quartet of Amsterdam, to include live DAT recording
[edit] Key Works
- Sullen Earth (violin solo and strings - 2005)
- Lyric Suite (strings - 2004)
- Involute (flute, clarinet, percussion, piano, violin and cello - 2003)
- Verschindwend (piano - 2001)
- An Angel Serves a Small Breakfast (violin solo and orchestra - 1999)
- bluebrighteyes (mixed choir a cappella - 1999)
- Spilliaert's Beach (various solo instruments and piano - 1999)
- Lim (piano - 1998)
- Limena (piano and strings - 1998)
- A Haunted Heart (piano - 1996)
- Rise (strings and percussion - 1993)
- Running, Thinking, Finding (strings, percussion and piano - 1989)
