Shirley Thompson (composer)
Shirley Thompson is an English composer of Jamaican descent.
Biography
Shirley Thompson was born in London, UK, of Jamaican parents.[1] She graduated in music from Liverpool University and in composition from Goldsmith's College after studying with Professor Stanley Glasser.[2] After university she composed a body of solo and instrumental ensemble works for concert hall as well as working as a freelance composer of music for TV, films and the theatre.[1]
She set up the Shirley Thompson Ensemble[2] in 1994 and this became the main vehicle for her instrumental and vocal works that fused contemporary classical orchestrations with popular and world music styles.[1] Thompson began to focus on full orchestral composition and in 2004 became the first woman in Europe in over forty years to have composed and conducted a symphony.[3][4][5] New Nation Rising, A 21st Century Symphony was recorded by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra[6][7] to celebrate one thousand years of London's history.[3] The piece sees the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra play alongside two choirs, solo singers, a rapper and dhol drummers.[7][8]
Alongside Andy Cowton and Carlos Montoya, Thompson co-scored the award-winning[9] ballet PUSH, which premiered in 2005 and has since toured the world in major venues such as Sadler's Wells, the London Coliseum, New York City Center and the Sydney Opera House.[7][9]
In 2007 Thompson was commissioned to compose music for the opening of the Parliamentary exhibition The British Slave Trade: Abolition, Parliament and People, which marked the 250-year anniversary of the abolition of the transatlantic trade in enslaved African people.[1] The Woman Who Refused to Dance, performed at the launch, is arranged for soprano, spoken-word artist and orchestra.[7][10][11] Spirit of the Middle Passage for three solo singers, spoken-word artist and chamber orchestra[11] was performed by The Philharmonia Orchestra in the Queen Elizabeth Hall as part of the Freedom & Culture International Creative Forum.[1][12] The work featured three heroines, including Nanny of the Maroons.[7]
In 2009 Thompson was commissioned by Southbank Centre to compose a piece to commemorate 100 days of Barack Obama's presidency.[1][13] Voice of Change for chamber orchestra, solo voices, speaker and video was performed in April 2009 at the Purcell Room, Southbank Centre,[14] with performers including principals of the BBC Concert Orchestra and soloists.[1]
Thompson was the first woman to compose and musically direct music for a major drama series at the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).[15] Having trained as a television programme maker at the BBC and Carlton Television she directed the film Memories in Mind,[11] with an award from the Arts Council,[7] which was broadcast by the BBC in 1998.
In 2010 Shirley Thompson was announced in the Evening Standard's "Power List of Britain's 100 Most Influential Black People 2010".[16][17] She is Reader in Music at the University of Westminster.[18][7]
On 9 February 2013, extracts from her work "Mandela Tales", inspired by the book Nelson Mandela's Favourite African Folk Tales, were included in the programme performed by the Chamber Orchestra and Chamber Choir from Gordonstoun School at the amphitheatre at the V&A Waterfront, Cape Town.[19]
Honors and awards
Thompson has received awards from the following organisations:
- Arts Council of England[7]
- Southbank Centre[7]
- Newham Council, Department of Culture[7]
- University of Westminster[7]
- Top TV Music Theme (1990) for South of the Border[20]
- Mannheim Film Festival prize (1990) for Dreaming Rivers[20]
- Prized Pieces, for Memories in Mind (1992)
- Woman of the Year in the Arts nomination (1997)[18]
Works
Thompson has composed for opera, orchestra, contemporary dance, TV and film. Selected works include:
- New Nation Rising, A 21st Century Symphony (2004)- symphony for orchestra, choir, solo singers, rapper and dhol drummers[21]
- Push – contemporary ballet (co-scored)[21]
- The Woman Who Refused to Dance – for solo singer, speaker and orchestra
- Spirit of the Middle Passage – for solo singers, speaker and orchestra[2]
- Viola Concerto, Oslo Odyssey – for orchestral and electronic instruments and multi-media[21]
- 100 days of Barack Obama – for solo voice, instrumental ensemble and video projection[21]
- The Lodger – theatrical music[2]
- A Child of the Jago – opera[2]
- Tapestry Song Cycle – for Soprano and Instrumental Ensemble[21]
Her works have been recorded and issued on CD and DVD including:
- New Nation Rising – A 21st Century Symphony[22]
- Newham Symphony Spectacular
- Transition
- Summer Notes[23]
- Anansi Fantasia[24]
- Memories in Mind
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "Shirley Thompson About". Shirley J. Thompson. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Basca. "Basca – Classical and Jazz Executive". Basca. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Shirley Thompson music". Shirley J. Thompson. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
- ↑ Shirley Thompson – Composer & Conductor. Music Tank, University of Westminster.
- ↑ Dees, Pamela Youngdahl, A Guide to Piano Music by Women Composers: Women born after 1900, 2004.
- ↑ "New Nation Rising website". Retrieved 13 April 2011.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 7.8 7.9 7.10 "Dr Shirley Thompson, Reader in Music". University of Westminster. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
- ↑ "Shirley J. Thompson website". Retrieved 13 April 2011.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Sadler's Wells 'Push'". Sadler's Wells. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
- ↑ "University of Westminster research". University of Westminster. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 "Shirley Thompson compositions". Shirley J. Thompson. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
- ↑ "Freedom and Culture Forum Webpage". Passage of Music. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
- ↑ "Obama: 100 days". View Magazine. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
- ↑ "Barack Obama: 100 days". eventful.com. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
- ↑ Avia Ustanny (10 August 2003). "Shirley Thompson – a multi-talented musician". Jamaica Gleaner. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
- ↑ Eboda, Michael (14 April 2011). "Here they are: 100 role models for black teens". Evening Standard.
- ↑ "Powerlist 2010". Powerful Media. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 "Faculty members". University of Westminster. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
- ↑ "'Mandela Tales' by Dr Shirley Thompson to feature in South African Concert", CREAM News, - University of Westminster, 1 February 2013.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 "Speakers biographies". Music Tank. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 "Scores catalogue". Shirley J. Thompson. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
- ↑ "New nation rising: a 21st century symphony", Westminster Research.
- ↑ "Recordings". Shirley J. Thompson. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
- ↑ Arts on Film. "Arts on Film archive". University of Westminster. Retrieved 27 April 2011.