Radius (music ensemble)
Encyclopedia
Radius is a London
music ensemble
founded in 2007 by the British composer Tim Benjamin
. The ensemble specialises in the performance of new music
from around the world (though primarily in the Western classical music
tradition) written by living composers and 20th-century masters. The ensemble's artistic director is the British composer Ian Vine
, a contemporary of Tim Benjamin at the Royal Northern College of Music
from 1994 to 1997. Modelled on the 1960s ensemble The Fires of London
, (which in turn was derived from the instrumentation of Schoenberg
's Pierrot Lunaire
), the core instrumental line-up of Radius is flute
, clarinet
, violin
, cello
, piano
, and percussion
. To this instrumentation have been added trumpet
, trombone
, French horn
, actors, and vocalists, as required for the performance of specific works.
Although Radius is usually unconducted, the ensemble was conducted
by John Traill (musician) for performances of Tim Benjamin's The Corley Conspiracy
at London's Southbank Centre in September 2007, directed by Sean Starke. Radius has performed at the Purcell Room at the Southbank Centre in London, the Wigmore Hall
in London, and the Holywell Music Room
in Oxford.
† These works were performed in celebration of the 50th birthday of British composer Simon Holt
.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
music ensemble
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
founded in 2007 by the British composer Tim Benjamin
Tim Benjamin
Tim Benjamin is an English composer. Educated at Christ's Hospital school, he later studied with Anthony Gilbert at the Royal Northern College of Music, Steve Martland, and with Robert Saxton at Oxford University...
. The ensemble specialises in the performance of new music
Contemporary classical music
Contemporary classical music can be understood as belonging to the period that started in the mid-1970s with the retreat of modernism. However, the term may also be employed in a broader sense to refer to all post-1945 modern musical forms.-Categorization:...
from around the world (though primarily in the Western classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
tradition) written by living composers and 20th-century masters. The ensemble's artistic director is the British composer Ian Vine
Ian Vine
Ian Vine is a British composer. Vine spent his formative years in Libya and Hong Kong. He studied composition at the Royal Northern College of Music with Anthony Gilbert and privately with Simon Holt .One can detect traces of Near and Far Eastern modalities as well as gestural and formal...
, a contemporary of Tim Benjamin at the Royal Northern College of Music
Royal Northern College of Music
The Royal Northern College of Music is a music school in Manchester, England. It is located on Oxford Road in Chorlton on Medlock, at the western edge of the campus of the University of Manchester and is one of four conservatories associated with the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music...
from 1994 to 1997. Modelled on the 1960s ensemble The Fires of London
Fires of London
The Fires of London, first formed in 1965 as the Pierrot Players, was a British chamber music ensemble which was active from 1965 to 1987....
, (which in turn was derived from the instrumentation of Schoenberg
Arnold Schoenberg
Arnold Schoenberg was an Austrian composer, associated with the expressionist movement in German poetry and art, and leader of the Second Viennese School...
's Pierrot Lunaire
Pierrot Lunaire
Dreimal sieben Gedichte aus Albert Girauds 'Pierrot lunaire' , commonly known simply as Pierrot Lunaire, Op. 21 , is a melodrama by Arnold Schoenberg...
), the core instrumental line-up of Radius is flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
, violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, cello
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
, piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, and percussion
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
. To this instrumentation have been added trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
, French horn
Horn (instrument)
The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
, actors, and vocalists, as required for the performance of specific works.
Although Radius is usually unconducted, the ensemble was conducted
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
by John Traill (musician) for performances of Tim Benjamin's The Corley Conspiracy
The Corley Conspiracy
The Corley Conspiracy is an opera by Tim Benjamin to a libretto by Sean Starke who also directed. The work premiered on 19 September 2007 in the Purcell Room at the Southbank Centre in London; the orchestral parts were played by the ensemble Radius...
at London's Southbank Centre in September 2007, directed by Sean Starke. Radius has performed at the Purcell Room at the Southbank Centre in London, the Wigmore Hall
Wigmore Hall
Wigmore Hall is a leading international recital venue that specialises in hosting performances of chamber music and is best known for classical recitals of piano, song and instrumental music. It is located at 36 Wigmore Street, London, UK and was built to provide London with a venue that was both...
in London, and the Holywell Music Room
Holywell Music Room
The Holywell Music Room is the city of Oxford's chamber music hall, situated in Holywell Street in the city centre, attached to Wadham College. It is said to be the oldest, purpose built music room in Europe, and hence England's first concert hall....
in Oxford.
Performers
Musicians who have performed in Radius:- Violin: Daniel Rowland, Alexander SitkovetskyAlexander SitkovetskyAlexander Sitkovetsky is a British violinist.-Family:Sitkovetsky was born in Moscow to a musical family; his father being guitarist and composer Alexander Sitkovetsky of the Autograph fame, mother Olga Sitkovetsky being a pianist, his great uncle and aunts being violinist Julian Sitkovetsky and...
, Alexandra Wood - Cello: Oliver Coates
- Flute: Jennifer George
- Clarinet: Charys Green
- Piano: John Reid, Berenika ZakrzewskiBerenika ZakrzewskiBerenika , stage name Berenika, is an American concert pianist. She attended Professional Children's School in New York as well as the Juilliard School of Music. Upon finishing high school she went to Harvard University where she was the recipient of the Leonard Bernstein Scholarship. She...
- Percussion: Adrian Spillett
- Trumpet: Huw Morgan
- Trombone: Tyler Vahldick
- French Horn: Jocelyn Lightfoot
- Counter-tenor: Robert Ogden
- Actors: Paul Tosio, Jonathan Webb, Angela Myers, Hannah Grainger-Clemson, Alan Bailey, Elise Emmanuelle, Arne Muus
World Premieres
Radius has given the world premieres of the following works:- Ian VineIan VineIan Vine is a British composer. Vine spent his formative years in Libya and Hong Kong. He studied composition at the Royal Northern College of Music with Anthony Gilbert and privately with Simon Holt .One can detect traces of Near and Far Eastern modalities as well as gestural and formal...
: underpaintings (2005), Wigmore Hall, London, 20 April 2007 - Tim BenjaminTim BenjaminTim Benjamin is an English composer. Educated at Christ's Hospital school, he later studied with Anthony Gilbert at the Royal Northern College of Music, Steve Martland, and with Robert Saxton at Oxford University...
: Five Bagatelles (2006), Wigmore Hall, London, 20 April 2007 - Tim Benjamin / Sean Starke: The Corley ConspiracyThe Corley ConspiracyThe Corley Conspiracy is an opera by Tim Benjamin to a libretto by Sean Starke who also directed. The work premiered on 19 September 2007 in the Purcell Room at the Southbank Centre in London; the orchestral parts were played by the ensemble Radius...
(2007), Southbank Centre, London, 19 September 2007 - Ian Vine: X (2007), Wigmore Hall, London, 8 January 2008
- Tim Benjamin: Three Portraits (2007), Wigmore Hall, London, 8 January 2008
- Laurence CraneLaurence CraneLaurence Crane is a composer of contemporary classical music.He studied at Nottingham University with Peter Nelson and Nigel Osborne....
: Simon 10 Holt 50 (2007), Wigmore Hall, London, 8 January 2008 † - Anthony GilbertAnthony Gilbert (composer)Anthony Gilbert is a British composer.-Biography:Gilbert, who was born in London, trained initially as a translator, then studied composition with Mátyás Seiber privately, and with Alexander Goehr and Anthony Milner at Morley College . He also studied with Gunther Schuller...
: ecco Eco (2007), Wigmore Hall, London, 8 January 2008 † - Paul NewlandPaul NewlandPaul Newland is a British composer of contemporary classical music. He has won numerous prizes, including the RPS Composition Prize 1990, a Paul Hamlyn Foundation Award in 1993, and in 1995 he was awarded the Royal Academy of Music's Josiah Parker Prize by György Ligeti...
: time quivers (2007), Wigmore Hall, London, 8 January 2008 † - Larry GovesLarry GovesLarry Goves is a British composer.A Phd student at the University of Southampton, his tutor is Michael Finnissy. In addition to Undergraduate and Postgraduate studies at the Royal Northern College of Music, he has studied privately with Richard Barrett and Simon Holt...
: riviniana (2007), Wigmore Hall, London, 8 January 2008 † - Ian Vine: fifty objects (2007), Wigmore Hall, London, 8 January 2008 †
- Tim Benjamin: In Memoriam Tape Recorder (2007), Wigmore Hall, London, 8 January 2008
- Ian Vine: Gesso (2008), Southbank Centre, London, 25 May 2008
- Tim Benjamin: The Rosenhan Experiment (2008), Southbank Centre, London, 25 May 2008
† These works were performed in celebration of the 50th birthday of British composer Simon Holt
Simon Holt
Simon Holt is a British composer.-Biography:Holt was educated at Bolton School. Shortly after graduating from the Royal Northern College of Music, he became firmly established on the new music circuit with a series of commissions and fruitful collaborations with the London Sinfonietta and the Nash...
.