JONATHAN COLE
Born in Welwyn Garden City in 1970 Jonathan Cole started composing at a young age soon after beginning piano lessons. He went on to play the viola and organ whilst attending Christ's Hospital School and had a number of composition lessons with Malcolm Williamson during this time. Studies continued jointly at King's College London (with David Lumsdaine and Arnold Whittall) and the Royal Academy of Music, followed by the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (with Simon Bainbridge) and Royal Holloway, University of London (with Peter Wiegold and Simon Holt) where he completed a PhD in composition. He also attended courses with Magnus Lindberg, Oliver Knussen, Colin Matthews, Louis Andriessen and Lou Harrison.
The works and ideas of Luigi Nono, John Cage and Pierluigi Billone have all had a huge influence on the music of Jonathan Cole, as have the films of David Lynch and Werner Herzog, and the writings of Elias Canetti and Georges Bataille. Cole's music also draws much of its inspiration from the environmental sounds we hear in everyday life and during a two year sabbatical in 2006 - 2008 his musical thinking underwent many changes which are beginning to be realised in the most recent pieces.
Since winning the Royal Philharmonic Composition Prize in 1999 Cole has built up a continuing relationship with the London Sinfonietta who have premiered three pieces: Ouroboros I, Ouroboros II and Assassin Hair as well as giving performances of Marble Arch 4.30, Penumbra and Testament (British premiere). They have also toured Cole's work in Sweden and Switzerland and have recorded Testament with conductor Oliver Knussen. Both Ouroboros II and Testament were nominated for RPS awards. In 2003 George Benjamin chose Cole to be the recipient of a commission from the London Symphony Orchestra as part of the By George! Festival at the Barbican in London and in 2006 Mark Anthony Turnage programmed Temporale Distante as part of a festival with the BBC Philharmonic in Manchester.
Many ensembles and orchestras have programmed and commissioned Cole including the Asko Ensemble, BBC Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Italian Radio Orchestra, London Sinfonietta, London Symphony Orchestra, Nash Ensemble, Philharmonia Orchestra and Tokyo Sinfonietta.
Conductors of his works include Stefan Asbury, Christopher Austin, Patrick Bailey, George Benjamin, Martyn Brabbins, Yasuaki Itakura, Oliver Knussen, Nicholas Kok, Jason Lai, Brad Lubman, Odaline de la Martinez, Diego Masson, Pascal Rophe, Clark Rundell, Pierre-Andre Valade, Paul Watkins and Peter Wiegold.
He has written for and worked with many solo musicians including Richard Benjafield, Claire Booth, Stephen Gutman, Rolf Hind, Robert Keeley, Zoe Martlew, Melinda Maxwell, Sarah Nicholls, Craig Ogden, Jean Rigby, Gabriella Swallow, Ryan Wigglesworth and Roderick Williams.
Festivals to programme his work include Aldeburgh, Basle, Bath, Brighton, Britten (Aldeburgh), Cheltenham, Chicago Music Now!, Hoxton, Klara (Brussels), Musica Nova (Strasbourg), Music Past and Present, Music for Today (South Bank), Music Today 21 (Tokyo), Oxford, Ojai (USA) and Spitalfields. In 1999, 2000 and 2002 his music was performed as part of the 'State of the Nation' Festival in London's South Bank Centre.
Many of his works have been broadcast on BBC Radio 3 as well as in Belgium, Japan, Sweden and USA and Cds include Caught (Composer's Ensemble on NMC), Testament (London Sinfonietta) and tss'k'haa (Roderick Williams on NMC).
Jonathan Cole is a professor of composition at the Royal College of Music where he is leads the Department in Postgraduate Composition. He has also taught at King's College, London and the Purcell School and is much in demand as a leader of education projects. His pieces are published exclusively by Ricordi and he has written educational works for the ABRSM and the GSMD.
From 2009 he takes up the post as composer-in-association with the London Contemporary Orchestra for whom he is writing a large-scale ensemble piece and an opera to be premiered in June 2009.
PERFORMANCES
| MONTH | DAY | PERFORMANCE | VENUE |
| June | 23 | burburbabbar za (LCO Commission)** (further performances 25 and 27 June) |
Village Underground, Shoreditch, London |
| June | tbc | "New Work" a interactive, dramatic work. Perf London Contemporary Orchestra |
Underground Vaults, London |
** World premiere *Territorial premiere
WORKS
ORCHESTRA AND CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
Assassin Hair (2002) 16'
Mezzo Sop -1/afl.picc.1.1/bcl.1/cbsn - 1.1.1.0. perc. hp.- 1.1.1.1.1
Commissioned by the BBC and premiered by the London Sinfonietta conducted by Oliver Knussen with Jean Rigby (mezzo) at QEH - 16.05.02
"instrumental writing that veers from introspective brooding through expressionist violence to wild, delirious extroversion. "Andrew Clements - The Guardian
Caught (1998) 7'
Flute, clarinet, piano, vibraphone, viola, cello
Commissioned by the Brighton Festival and premiered by the Composer's Ensemble at St Nicholas Church, Brighton -16.05.98
"..a 6-minute 'chord study' that consistently beguiles the ear.." Colin Anderson - Classical Source
Ouroboros I (1999) c.16'
1.1.1.1.-1.1.1.-perc.hp.pf.-1.1.1.1.1
Commissioned by the London Sinfonietta for the “State of the Nation" 1999. First performed by the London Sinfonietta conducted by Martyn Brabbins at the QEH - 10.04.99
Ouroboros II (1999) 19'
1/afl.1.1/bcl.1 - 1.1.1.0 - perc.hp.pf - 1.1.1.1.1
Commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic Society and premiered by the London Sinfonietta conducted by Pierre- Andre Valade at the QEH - 16.04.00
"remarkably well imagined" Andrew Clements - The Guardian
Penumbra (2003, revised 2004) 13'
2.2.2.1 - 2.1.1 - perc, harp, piano, strings
Commissioned by the London Symphony Orchestra with additional funds from the Britten-Pears Foundation. Premiered by the LSO conducted by George Benjamin at the Barbican Centre London - 13.2.03. Revised version first performed by the London Sinfonietta conducted by Oliver Knussen at the QEH London - 02.04.04
"an uncommon eloquence of instrumental speech" John Fallas - Classical Source
Tafos (2001) 16'
for chamber ensemble : 2 clarinets, 2 horns, 2 violins, 2 cellos, double bass
Commissioned by the Purcell School with funds provided by the Vaughan Williams Trust.
Premiered by the Purcell School Contemporary Music Ensemble at the Adrian Boult Hall - 25.06.01
Temporale Distante (Penumbra II) (2003) 13'
4fl, 2ob, 4cl, 2 bn, 4 hn, 3 tpt, 3 tmb, tuba, perc, harp, strings
Commissioned by RAI Torino and premiered on in Torino, conducted by Pascal Rophé - 26.02.04
Testament (2005) 12'
2 Clars, 2 Trpts, 2 Perc., 3.2.2.1
Commissioned by the Ojai Festival, Sue Knussen Commissioning Fund and the London Sinfonietta. First performance by the Ojai Festival Orchestra conducted by Brad Lubman, Ojai, USA - 12.06.05
"music at ease with nature, an accompaniment to the rustling of leaves on a warm late afternoon, and deeply touching." Mark Swed - Los Angeles Times
INSTRUMENTAL AND VOCAL
Bridal Song (2000) 3'
SATB
First performed by the Vasari Singers at the church of St Simon and St Jude, Milton-under-Wychwood -17.06.00
Brood (2002) 2'
Bb Clarinet, Viola
Commissioned for Simon Bainbridge's 50th birthday concert.
First performance given by Endymion at St John's Smith Square -27.09.02
Elegy (2003) c 4'
Cello and piano
Commissioned by the ABRSM
A Group of Memories (1990 -1995) c.10'
SOLO PIANO
First complete performance by the composer at King's College, London - October 1995
Go Tango (2002) 7'
Solo piano
Commissioned and premiered by Robert Keeley at King's College, London - 27.02.02
Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis (2005) c.5'
Sopranos/Altos and Organ
Marble Arch 4.30 (2000) 7'
String trio
Commissioned by Music Past and Present and premiered by Chamber Domaine at Jackson's Lane, London - 20.02.00
Quicksilver (1997) 10'
For two Bb clars. (2nd doubling Bass) , piano and 1 perc.
Commissioned by the Oxford Contemporary Music Festival. First performance by the OFCM Ensemble conducted by Stefan Asbury at the Jaqueline Du Pre Concert Hall, Oxford - 25.10.97
Sandlining (2004) c.12'
Piano Trio
Commissioned and first performed by the Soyulla Ensemble, House of Hope Presbytarian Church, Minneapolis -25.09.04
Scrawling Out (2006) c.12'
Oboe quartet
Commissioned by the Nash Ensemble. First performance with soloist Gareth Hulse at the Wigmore Hall, London - 22.03.06
"the interplay between all four players was dazzling."
Paul Conway - Independent 27/03/06
Sorful Ter (1997) 7'
Soprano and piano
First performance by Cara McHardy (Soprano) accompanied by the composer, Tracy Chadwell Memorial Concert at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama - 19.09.97
Suntrap (2001) 6'
Solo guitar
Commissioned by the Britten Estate Ltd. and premiered by Craig Ogden at the Jubilee Hall, Aldeburgh - 28.10.01
Totem (1998-99) 8'
Solo oboe
Commissioned and premiered by Melinda Maxwell at the RNCM - 16.02.00
Trapdoor (1999) 9'
Solo piano
Commissioned and premiered by Rolf Hind at Cheltenham Town Hall -01.11.99
