MICHAEL STIMPSON

Michael Stimpson began his writing with music for the guitar, notably Café Music, Sonatina (Ricordi) and Five Miniatures (OUP). His first major chamber work was Sonatina for Piano Trio premièred at the Purcell Room by the Dussek Piano Trio, described as '…a finely poised, lyrical work…a joy to hear.' by The Strad. The same venue housed the first performance of Three Variants on a Blue for violin and piano and1999 also saw the première of his Concerto for Oboe at the Queen Elizabeth Hall (John Anderson oboe, Ross Pople conductor, London Festival Orchestra).

His works since have been varied in their subject matter, the stimulus often from contemporary events, favourite authors and poets. String Quartet No. 1 (Robben Island) reflected the breakdown of apartheid; The Stars Have Withdrawn Their Shining (harp), the life of John Ruskin; The Angry Garden (choir and orchestra) explored the issue of global warming; A Walk Into War (tenor and piano quintet) was based on the writing of Laurie Lee; Tales from the 15th Floor (cello and piano) was a personal account of four months in intensive care; and Dylan (baritone and harp) celebrated the 50th anniversary of the death of Wales's most renowned poet, Dylan Thomas.

These and other works have received their premières from some of the most outstanding performers at the UK's leading venues: Allegri String Quartet (St. John's Smith Square), Paul Agnew (tenor) and Daniel Tong (piano, Salisbury Festival), Sioned Williams (harp, Wigmore Hall), Mifune Tsuji (violin, Japan 2001), Bridget MacRae, Roberto Russo (cello and piano, Grottammare Festival, Italy) and Roy Wales (conductor, English Concert Singers and Orchestra). Michael was invited to join the jury of the Franz Liszt International Competition for Composers held in Italy in April 2004, a year when his works appeared in the USA, Italy and Iran.

In 2005 Michael's major choral work Clouds of War was premièred by the English Chamber Orchestra and Tallis Chamber Choir conducted by Simon Wright in London's Cadogan Hall. In the presence of HRH Prince Michael of Kent, and with guest speaker Kate Adie, the work commemorated the 60th Anniversary of the end of World War 2. 2005 also saw the première of The Sun and the Moon - a clarinet quintet for David Campbell and the RTE Vanbrugh Quartet. Esteemed baritone Roderick Williams performed Dylan with Sioned Williams at the Llandudno Festival to critical acclaim in 2006. In 2007 Italian duo Alessandro Maffucci and Roberto Russo (tenor/piano) toured the UK and Italy with a new set of songs based on the poetry of Giovanni Pascoli. 2007 also saw the première of a new work for choir, Songs of Innocence and Experience (Exmoor Singers of London, conductor James Jarvis). 2008, Michael's 60th year, sees the première of The Ninth Hour (Bristol Bach Choir), a new set of Preludes for piano, and the writing of a second string quartet, for the Maggini Quartet. A recording of the two works for the Allegri String Quartet is to be released in spring 2008, followed by another performance of the quartet at the Salisbury International Arts Festival.

Michael Stimpson studied at the Royal Academy of Music and subsequently took his doctorate in composition. His work has been supported by South West Arts, Holst Foundation, RVW Trust, and Arts and Business, amongst others. He lives in the Chalke Valley in Wiltshire, UK.

Website: www.michaelstimpson.co.uk