From 'Five Very Short Pieces' for Clt & Pno...
PROFILE
Welcome. You might have arrived here from MySpace or the Living Composer's Project site looking to find out more information about my music-making activities. So here is some brief background on my studies, teaching and creative life.
I initially trained at Dartington College of Arts, for two years in the mid 80s, on the Preparatory Course in Music. This time in Totnes was profoundly influential on my musical thinking; coming into contact with Hindustani classical music (Amarnath Mishra), the shakahachi playing of Yoshikazu Iwamoto, The Cardew Scratch Orchestra (Parker, Rowe, de Saram, Tippett), the music of Jim Fulkerson & Frank Denyer, jazz fusion gigs with John Etheridge, student improv concerts and composition workshops, fellow students... the best education I ever had. Sadly, Dartington has its troubles at the moment. Please go HERE to read Sam Richards' essay 'Looking Back'. All my main musical concerns were inherited from Dartington - the musician I wanted to be, the music I am STILL interested in 20 years on. What DCA gives its students is unique, the environment, the attitude - all one of a kind. Breaks your heart...
The origins of my compositional thinking begin with the free-jazz and fusion movements in the 1960s and 70s as well as the European and London-centred free-improvisation schools from around this time. But upon commencing my PhD with Nigel Osborne in 1992, the sphere of influence shifted to include the work of the New York School (Cage, Feldman, Wolff & Brown et al), the European ultra-modernists and electro-acoustic composers from Canada.
My music mainly centres around acoustic instruments, but often a tape part or live electronics are used to enhance the mobile sound. There is also a strong theatrical and metaphorical element to my later pices (for example 'My Name Is John Mackay') that is at odds with traditional music making; questioning the values and intent of a compositinal work or musical gesture.
My PhD was completed in 1999 and since then I have received commissions and performances from numerous ensembles and players both nationally and internationally. My music has been played in Argentina, Spain, Colombia, Greece, France and the UK.
I have also worked in theatre throughout the UK creating music and sound designs for over 40 productions - 20 of which were for the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh (of note was 'Moscow Stations' w/ Tom Courtenay). I also worked a great deal with the director Guy Hollands' former company KtC in Glasgow on several devised theatre projects.
I'm currently teaching at The City of Edinburgh Music School (Composition & Academic Music) and lecturing at Napier University (Music, Creativity & Communication).
That's it. Enjoy the webpage.
LIST OF WORKS
2008: 'Five Very Short Pieces' (Clarinet & Piano)
2008: 'A Hollow Place' (Piano Duet)
2006: 'Five Short Pieces' (Solo Piano)
2004: 'King Bee' (Solo Percussion & Tape)
2003: 'My Name Is John Mackay' (Organ, Percussion & Tape)
2002: 'Journey To Horaizan' (Solo Percussion & Tape)
2001: 'You, Astronaut' (Clarinet, Percussion & Tape)
2001: 'Contact-Cuttings' (Solo Piano & Tape)
1999: 'Strange Language' (Clarinet, Piano & Percussion)
1998: 'Unbroken Network of Lines' (Sop, Ensemble,Tape, Live Electronics, & Mixed Media)
1998: 'Preservation & Loss' (Percussion Quartet)
1996: 'Tokpela' (Small Orchestra)
1996: 'Epilogue' (Baritone & Small ensemble)
1995-97: 'Chemicals & Waves' (Large Orchestra)
1995: 'FZ' (Saxophone Quartet)
1995: 'Bridge at Mostar' (Small Ensemble)
1994: 'Contraries' (Violin & 2 Guitars)
1993: 'Jazz Piano Interludes' (Piano & Small Orchestra)
1992-97: 'Songbook' (Soprano & Classical Guitar)
This site was last updated on 04/04/09
Copyright © 2004-2009 John Irvine Music
MP3s
Five Very Short Pieces (Clarinet & Piano 2008)
A Hollow Place (Piano Duet 2008)
My Name Is John Mackay (Organ, Perc & Tape 2003)
LINKS
John Irvine @ MySpace
From 'A Hollow Place' for Piano Duet...