IAN WILSON
Ian Wilson was born in Belfast in 1964 and 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. 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 Biennale, ISCM World Music Days, the Cheltenham, Spitalfields and Bath Festivals and the Ultima Festival in Oslo, where Running, Thinking, Finding for orchestra received the composition prize in 1991.
He has written over eighty pieces including two chamber operas, concertos for organ, cello, alto saxophone, violin (three), marimba and piano, orchestral pieces, eight string quartets, four piano trios and many other chamber and vocal works.
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. Since 2002 he has been director of the Sligo New Music Festival, and from 2006-2009 he is Composer-in-Association with California’s Camerata Pacifica ensemble.
His music is published by Ricordi London and Universal Edition.
PERFORMANCES
| MONTH | DAY | PERFORMANCE | VENUE |
| April | 4 | “Double Trio” for improvising saxophone, drums, Marlay House, Rathfarnham, Ireland Bass, plus violin, harp and vibraphone ** | Perf Cathal Roche, Stu Ritchie, Daniel Bodwell, Mia Cooper, Cliona Doris, Richard O'Donnell |
| 9 | “Stations” (Books 1-4, complete) for piano” * | Harty Room, Queen's University Belfast/UK Perf Matthew Schellhorn | |
| 11 | "Stations” (Books 1-4, complete) for piano” | Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray/IR Perf Matthew Schellhorn | |
| 12 | Stations” (Books 1-4, complete) for piano” | Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin/IR. Perf Matthew Schellhorn |
** World premiere *Territorial premiere
WORKS
Works published by Ricordi London
WORKS FOR ORCHESTRA
Sullen earth
for violin and string orchestra (14', 2005)
premiere 7/11/05, Kolarac Hall, Belgrade/SR; Gordana Matijević-Nedeljković, Belgrade Strings, cond. Ronald Zollman.
Commissioned by the Belgrade Strings with funds from the Arts Council of Ireland.
Winter finding for orchestra (23', 2004/05)
premiere 16/09/05, National Concert Hall Dublin/IR; RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, cond. Gerhard Markson.
Commissioned by RTÉ.
WORKS FOR LARGE ENSEMBLE
Cassini Void for clarinet and 10 instruments (20’ 2007)
premiere 14/10/07, Carnegie Hall, New York/USA; Carol McGonnell, clarinet, Argento Ensemble.
Commissioned by Carol McGonnell.
Messenger concerto for violin and 13 instruments (31’, 1999/2006)
premiere performances 18-22/05/07, Los Angeles/USA; Catherine Leonard, violin, Camerata Pacifica.
Commissioned by Richard aand Luci Janssen.
Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel for symphonic wind ensemble (12', 2006)
premiere 14/07/07, World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE) Conference, Killarney/IR; International Youth Wind Orchestra, cond. Gerhard Markson.
Commissioned by WASBE.
Seascape with high cliffs for brass band (13', 2005)
premiere 28/04/06, European Brass Band Contest, Waterfront Hall, Belfast/UK; Black Dyke, Buy As You View bands and 8 other competitors of the competition.
Commissioned by the North of Ireland Bands Association with funds from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland Lottery Unit.
CHORAL WORKS
Little red fish for mixed choir and saxophone quartet, text by Oskar Kokoschka (13', 2006)
premiere 31/05/06, Great Hall, Queen’s University Belfast/UK; National Chamber Choir of Ireland, Rascher Saxophone Quartet, cond. Celso Antunes.
Commissioned by the National Chamber Choir of Ireland with funds from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland Lottery Unit.
STAGE WORKS
Minsk chamber opera in 7 scenes, libretto by Lavinia Greenlaw (75', 2005/06)
premiere tbc.
Commissioned by the Feldkirch Festival.
CHAMBER WORKS
Apparitions for viola (or alto flute) and percussion ensemble (22', 2005, a version of Pieces of Elsewhere) -
premiere 11/04/06; Brooklyn Academy, New York/USA; Nathan Sherman, viola, RIAM Percussion Ensemble cond. Richard O’Donnell. A recording for CD has been made by the Royal Irish Academy of Music Percussion Ensemble for release in 2009.
Ghosts for saxophone quartet (25', 2006)
premiere 12/11/06, Iš Arti Festival, Kaunas/LI; Amstel Saxophone Quartet. Carnegie Hall, New York performance 17/04/07.
Pieces of Elsewhere for soprano and percussion ensemble (22', 2005)
recording used in a public art project in Sligo, Ireland. Promotional CD available.
Commissioned by Sligo County Council with funds from the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government Per Cent for Art Scheme.
Red over black for clarinet, viola and piano (13', 2004/05)
premiere 14/08/06, BBC Proms Chamber Music series, Cadogan Hall, London/UK; Martin Fröst, Pierre Lénert and Cedric Tiberghien.
Jointly commissioned by the BBC and the Royal Philharmonic Society.
INSTRUMENTAL WORKS
Heft for flute and piano (25', 2007)
premiere performances January 11th-18th 2008, California/USA; Adrian Spence, flute and Warren Jones, piano.
Commissioned by Camerata Pacifica.
Ondes ombragées for alto saxophone and live DAT recording (19', 2005)
premiere 13/08/07, Dartington International Festival/UK; Gerard McChrystal.
Pianura for double bass (2004, 6'30")
premiere November 2004, RTÉ Lyric fm radio, Malachy Robinson.
Commissioned by RTÉ Lyric fm.
Schattentiefe for double bass with live DAT recording (23', 2004)
premiere September 10/09/06, Dublin Fringe Festival/IR; Malachy Robinson, double bass.
sKiPpY for alto saxophone and piano (5', 2008)
premiere 23/08/08, Grachtenfestival, Amsterdam/NL; Ties Mellema, saxophone, Hans Eijsacker, piano.
Spielschatten for cello and live DAT recording (37', 2004)
recorded for use in a multi-media dance project, SKIN, which took place in Dublin/IR in May 2005.
Funded by the Arts Council of Ireland Projects scheme.
Stations for solo piano (65’, 2006/7)
premiere 18/05/07, London Festival of Contemporary Church Music/UK (Books 1 & 2); 24/04/08, Kingston/UK (Bk. 3); 07/05/08 Wigmore Hall, London/UK (Bk. 4); Matthew Schellhorn.
Sternlos for guitar (12', 2007)
premiere 22/08/08, City of Derry Guitar Festival/UK; Graham Anthony Devine, guitar.
Commissioned by the CDGF.
Tern/Icarus for flute (or alto saxophone) and guitar (6', 2003)
premiere November 2005, tour of Ireland; Bill Dowdall, flute and John Feely, guitar.
Gerard McChrystal and Craig Ogden have recorded the other version for a CD on the Meridian label, released in July 2006.
