Ed Bennett

Ed Bennett
composer from Northern Ireland

Recently, the Sheffield Chamber Orchestra commissioned a new work from Ed Bennett under the Making Music/Society for the Promotion of New Music/Performing Rights Society Foundation scheme which greatly assists with the costs involved in rehearsing and performing new music. Entitled White Lines, the piece was given its first performance by the Sheffield Chamber Orchestra on 5th March 2005 at Firth Hall, The University of Sheffield.

EdBennett Ed Bennett writes:

"For a composer working today, opportunities to write for orchestra are few, to say the least. Full time professional orchestras most definitely seem to be on their way out and on the odd occasion when they do perform a new work, rehearsal time is insufficient to really get into the piece. Writing for a group of musicians who come together on a regular basis, not because they are paid to but because they are passionate about playing music, is a refreshing option.

The great thing about the Adopt-a-Composer scheme is that the orchestras, choirs and ensembles that are involved apply to be considered for the project. This means that composers are not thrust upon unsuspecting groups, but that the ensembles involved have actually requested a new piece of music and want to be part of the process of its creation. I have always worked closely with musicians I have written for and found the results much more satisfying than working in isolation.

My composition 'White Lines' has been influenced by the work of the artist Bridget Riley. Her paintings more often than not present very stark, bold images which occupy huge canvases and in some cases appear to be optical illusions playing games with one's vision. My piece is bold and stark and perhaps is the aural equivalent of an optical illusion."

Ed Bennett was born in 1975 in Bangor Co. Down, Northern Ireland. He studied composition at Coventry University, Bretton Hall and at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where he gained a Master's degree with distinction. His teachers have included Diana Burrell, Jo Kondo, Brian Irvine and Louis Andriessen.

Ed's compositions draw on a wide range of stylistic elements and have been commissioned and performed by several artists including the Smith and Maggini Quartets, the Haffner Wind Quintet, Backbeat percussion Quartet, the Cornelius Cardew Ensemble, Concorde, New Music Players, de ereprijs, Frederique Epin and the Ulster Youth Orchestra. Two of his works have recently been recorded by the Russian violinist Roman Mints and Black Box Music for commercial release. Recent works include a piece for ensemble and electronics for the ensemble [rout] (part of a BMIC Cutting Edge series), a work for flute and live electronics for the Dutch flautist Jos Zwaanenburg, music for a collaboration with Belgian choreographer Caroline D' Hasse and a series of pieces for his own ensemble.

His music has been broadcast on British and Irish radio and his work I Need This for voice and electronics was recently selected for the American Composers Forum Sonic Circuits touring programme. Ed's music has been performed in Moscow, Paris, Dublin, Belgium, Holland, London, New York and at several festivals throughout the UK and Ireland.

Awards include the Smith Quartet and Transfusions competitions, Hoist and Hinrichsen Foundation Scholarships, and the Kilfedder award for artists working in North Down. String Factory for violin and electronics was selected for the residence category at the 2002 International Competition of Electroacoustic Music and Sonic Art at Bourges, France.

Ed works with artists from other disciplines and recently completed a collaboration with Roman Mints and German video artist Daniel Kluge which was performed at the 2002 Bath Festival.

In education he has worked as a lecturer in the music department of the North Down and Ards Institute and currently holds a teaching post at Newham college in East London. He is responsible for the establishment of COMA (Contemporary Music for Amateurs) Ireland and is artistic director of the Moving On Music/COMA Creative Music Weekend. Ed Bennett also performs and directs his own ensemble which includes the soprano Steve Halfyard and is dedicated to the performance of new and experimental cross-discipline work, a project which is currently being expanded.

(Adapted from the Society for the Promotion of New Music website)

Ed Bennett links:

The Society for the Promotion of New Music

The Contemporary Irish Music Centre

[Top] [Home]

The Sheffield Chamber Orchestra gratefully acknowledges assistance from

Making Music

and

The University of Sheffield