 WALTMANSEARLY AND CONTEMPORARY MUSIC |
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STEPHEN MARK BARCHAN (UK) A version of the natural harmonic series (in equal temperament) has acted as a pitch reservoir for much of Barchan’s recent music. The alternation between pitches performed conventionally and the same pitches presented as natural harmonics is indeed a regular feature, alongside exploring the incredibly wide-ranging palette of sounds and techniques that are possible on individual instruments. It is here that his intense collaborative work with performers and ensembles has proved fruitful, with much of his discoveries frequently woven into the melodic, harmonic and contrapuntal framework of the score, giving each instrumental or vocal part its own unique and personal identity. Barchan’s choice of titles has attracted much interest, often for their dark, melancholic and sometimes aggressive nature. Whilst some titles are indicative of structural elements in the music, others come from lines in poems. Both poetry and paintings have served as a form of inspiration for many works, wholly because they evoke a strong emotional feeling or a powerful image that gives an initial idea for the character of a piece. STEPHEN MARK BARCHAN was born in Middlesbrough, October 1982. He studied composition with Richard Steinitz, Edwin Roxburgh (supported by the EMI Music Sound Foundation) and Howard Skempton. His music has been performed throughout Europe, Australia and the USA, along with various radio broadcasts. Barchan has been the recipient of various awards, including the 4th Andrzej Panufnik International Young Composers Competition (2002), Denis and Maud Wright Composition Award (2003), the British Scholarship for Ostrava Days (2003), J Wood and Sons Prize (2004) and the Philip Bates Prize for Young Composers (2005, joint-second prize). In 2006 he joined the spnm shortlist (2006-2009), and in 2008 he was awarded a bursary from the Open Academy at the Royal Academy of Music. Amongst the festivals and concert organisers who have presented Barchan's music are British Flute Society International Convention, COMA, 14th International New Music Week Festival, LSO Discovery, New Generation Arts Festival, Park Lane Group, Soundwaves Festival, Third International Festival Of Composition 'Alfeo Gigli', along with several concerts hosted by the spnm, at venues including Blackheath Concert Hall, CBSO Centre, LSO St Lukes, Old Rep Theatre, Purcell Room (Southbank Centre), St James' Piccadilly, Tasmin Little Music Centre, The Warehouse, Villa Mazzacorati, Weill Recital Hall (Carnegie Hall). Performers include BCMG, Composers' Ensemble, Endymion, Ensemble Octandre, Galliard Ensemble, Psappha, Soozvuk Ensemble, Sounds Positive, Warehouse Ensemble, Aruna Narayan, Christopher Redgate, David Purser, Lior Eitan and Peter Donohoe. See also Interview. www.myspace.com/stephenmarkbarchan |
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