|
Christopher Beardsley
Child's
Play
for
violin and piano
duration: 13 minutes
|
Childs Play is a sound portrait
of my daughter who was aged 2 when the work was composed. It consists
of six movements:
1. The Gift (Lullaby)
2. Discovering Birds
3. Fascination
4. Childs Play
5. Anxiety
6. The Hurricane
The title of each movement is self-explanatory although I should add that
The Hurricane is a nickname for her as she runs about the house, often
at alarming speed!"
Christopher Beardsley lives near
Longridge in Lancashire and was born in Derby in 1956. He began composing
whilst studying music at Huddersfield University from 1989-92. Whilst
there he won the Woods prize for composition and two works, River
and A Rock: consider it were performed by the Firebird Ensemble.
A years study with John Casken at Manchester University followed,
during which time his work Amber was performed in the Whitworth
Art Gallery.
Chris has enjoyed regular performances of his pieces including Aubade
(1994), for oboe and string orchestra, which was performed on two occasions
by Richard Simpson and the Goldberg Ensemble. Further collaboration with
the latter saw first performances of a String Quartet (1994)
and Vain Battle (1994) for string orchestra. In 1996 the
Hilliard Ensemble performed Life's Pride and Cared-for
Crown (1995) in London and at the Siljan Festival in Sweden and
the following year John McCabe gave two performances of Stars in
a Dark Night (1997). The work was later featured on a recording
by John McCabe, which appeared on ASC Classical in early 1998.
Further performances have included a setting of Laurence Binyons
poem Little Dancers (1999) by the group Okeanos in Manchester
in October 1999, and Jubilation (1999) by the Surrey Philharmonic
Orchestra in the Dorking Halls in March 2000. More recently, Open
Homage (2000) for three clarinets was performed in the Liverpool
Tate Gallery during the Mersey New Sounds Day in May 2000 and First
of several
Prelude (2000) was performed at the Spitalfields
Festival by the Apollo Saxophone Quartet in June 2000. Both of these performances
were promoted by spnm.
Chris Beardsley has been the winner of two prestigious awards. In 1996
Divertimento for string orchestra, won first prize at the
Gregynog Festival and in 1998 Septimal for oboe, french
horn, harp and cello was winner of the quartet section of the 1998 Classic
CD Composing Competition.
Back to shortlist.
|
|