Dobrinka Tabakova: Whispered Lullaby Context Dobrinka Tabakova was born in Plovdiv, Bulgaria to a music-loving family in 1980. At age 11, Tabakova moved to London and has since stayed there. She studied at the Royal Academy of Music Junior Department, specialising in composition, piano and conducting. From there, Tabakova earned Read more…
Pauline Oliveros: A Love Song Context Born in May 1932 in Texas, Pauline Oliveros began participating in music at a very young age. In the 1940s, she received her mother’s accordion, as they were a fairly popular instrument in America at the time. Whilst at school she also learned to Read more…
Clara Wieck-Schumann: Scherzo No.2 Context Clara Josephine Wieck was born on 13th September 1819 in Leipzig. Her mother was a famous singer in the city at the time. When Wieck was five, her parents divorced and she stayed with her father. Friedrich Wieck saw the potential in Wieck’s musical ability Read more…
Joan Tower: Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman Context Joan Tower was born in New Rochelle, New York in 1938. When Tower was nine, her family moved to Bolivia, which she describes as an integral part of her compositional style. Upon her father’s insistence, she learnt the piano and had consistent musical Read more…
Jocelyn Pook: The Wife Context The Wife is a 2017 drama film featuring Glenn Close and Jonathan Pryce. The main premise of the film is following Glenn Close’s character, who questions many of her decisions after she travels to Stockholm with her husband. After positive reviews of the film, especially Read more…
Marianna Bottini: Clarinet Concerto Context One of the forefront voices in Italian classical music in the 19th century, Marianna Bottini (1802-58) was one of the few women who had her music performed at the St Cecilia festival. Bottini composed a number of works, most of which are for orchestra. Little Read more…
Sally Beamish: In the Stillness Context Sally Beamish was born in London. She studied viola at the RNCM with Patrick Ireland, and in Detmold with Bruno Giuranna, and was a founder member of the Raphael Ensemble. She also performed regularly with the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields and the London Sinfonietta, Read more…
Jennifer Higdon: American Canvas Context Inspired by three very different artists, Jennifer Higdon’s American Canvas was borne from a commission from the Dolce Suono Ensemble. In a later interview with WRTI Hidon explains her choices: “Mimi Stillman, who runs Dolce Suono, said she wanted something connected to either poetry Read more…
Judith Lang Zaimont: Piano Trio No.1 ‘Russian Summer’ Context Commissioned for the Tenth Anniversary of the Skaneateles Festival in 1989, Judith Lang Zaimont’s First Piano Trio is a gripping exploration of sound, timbre and texture. Often inspired by the laws of impressionism, Zaimont’s First Piano Trio displays her wonderful sense Read more…
Sophie-Carmen Eckhardt-Gramatté: Piano Sonata No.4 ‘Die Befreit Sonate’ Context Born in 1899, Russian-Canadian composer Sophie-Carmen Eckhardt-Gramatté began learning the piano when she was just five years old. She went on to study at the Paris Conservatoire, where she studied under the tutelage of Vincent d’Indy and Alfred Brun. Throughout her Read more…