Graham Fitkin (born 19 April 1963) is a British

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Defi ...

pianist A pianist ( , ) is an individual musician who plays the piano. Since most forms of Western music can make use of the piano, pianists have a wide repertoire and a wide variety of styles to choose from, among them traditional classical music, ja ...

and conductor. His compositions fall broadly into the

minimalist In visual arts, music and other media, minimalism is an art movement that began in post–World War II in Western art, most strongly with American visual arts in the 1960s and early 1970s. Prominent artists associated with minimalism include Don ...

and

postminimalist Postminimalism is an art term coined (as post-minimalism) by Robert Pincus-Witten in 1971Chilvers, Ian and Glaves-Smith, John, ''A Dictionary of Modern and Contemporary Art'', second edition (Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 2009), p. ...

genres. Described by ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...

'' in 1998 as "one of the most important of our younger composers",Johnson P. Classical music: Graham Fitkin Group Arnolfini, Bristol. ''Independent'' (17 March 1998)
(accessed 20 June 2010) he is particularly known for his works for solo and multiple pianos, as well as for music accompanying dance.

Biography

Fitkin was born at

Crows-an-Wra Crows-an-Wra ( kw, Krows an Wragh, meaning ''the witch's cross'') is a hamlet in West Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated in the civil parish of St Buryan, Lamorna and Paul approximately four miles (6 km) northeast of Land's ...

in west

Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...

on 19 April 1963.Potter K. "Fitkin, Graham". In ''Grove Music Online'', Oxford Music Online
(accessed 20 June 2010) Whittall A. "Fitkin, Graham". In ''The Oxford Companion to Music''(Latham A, ed.), Oxford Music Online
(accessed 20 June 2010) His mother, a

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...

teacher, encouraged his early studies on that instrument.Composition Today: Graham Fitkin Interview (13 November 2004)
(accessed 20 June 2010) He participated in numerous local ensembles during his childhood, and recalls starting to compose at the piano aged around 8. In 1981–4, he attended the

University of Nottingham The University of Nottingham is a public university, public research university in Nottingham, United Kingdom. It was founded as University College Nottingham in 1881, and was granted a royal charter in 1948. The University of Nottingham belongs t ...

, where he studied with composer

Nigel Osborne Nigel Osborne (born 23 June 1948) is a British composer, teacher and aid worker. He served as Reid Professor of Music at the University of Edinburgh and has also taught at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover. He is known fo ...

, among others. He later went to the Netherlands to study with the

composer and pianist

Louis Andriessen Louis Joseph Andriessen (; 6 June 1939 – 1 July 2021) was a Dutch composer, pianist and academic teacher. Considered the most influential Dutch composer of his generation, he was a central proponent of The Hague school of composition. Although ...

at the

Royal Conservatory of The Hague The Royal Conservatoire ( nl, Koninklijk Conservatorium, KC) is a conservatoire in The Hague, providing higher education in music and dance. The conservatoire was founded by King William I in 1826, making it the oldest conservatoire in the Netherl ...

. In 1987, he moved to London. Fitkin returned to Cornwall in 1991 and, as of 2010, lives in Treen.Butler J. Composer Graham Fitkin to premiere Fitkin: ''The Band'' in Penzance. ''What's On South West'' (21 January 2010)
(accessed 20 June 2010) His partner is harpist Ruth Wall, with whom he collaborates in Fitkin Wall.

Music

Fitkin's work is broadly classified as

and

. His works are tonal and frequently complex. Much of his writing is for the piano, including solo and multiple player works. Fitkin lists his early classical influences as

Igor Stravinsky Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky (6 April 1971) was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor, later of French (from 1934) and American (from 1945) citizenship. He is widely considered one of the most important and influential composers of the ...

Anton Webern Anton Friedrich Wilhelm von Webern (3 December 188315 September 1945), better known as Anton Webern (), was an Austrian composer and conductor whose music was among the most radical of its milieu in its sheer concision, even aphorism, and stea ...

Pierre Boulez Pierre Louis Joseph Boulez (; 26 March 1925 – 5 January 2016) was a French composer, conductor and writer, and the founder of several musical institutions. He was one of the dominant figures of post-war Western classical music. Born in Mont ...

and the American minimalist

Steve Reich Stephen Michael Reich ( ; born October 3, 1936) is an American composer known for his contribution to the development of minimal music in the mid to late 1960s. Reich's work is marked by its use of repetitive figures, slow harmonic rhythm, a ...

, and also acknowledges a broad range of influences outside the field of classical music, from

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

musicians

Keith Jarrett Keith Jarrett (born May 8, 1945) is an American jazz and classical music pianist and composer. Jarrett started his career with Art Blakey and later moved on to play with Charles Lloyd and Miles Davis. Since the early 1970s, he has also been a ...

Muggsy Spanier Francis Joseph "Muggsy" Spanier (November 9, 1901 – February 12, 1967) was an American jazz cornetist based in Chicago. He was a member of the Bucktown Five, pioneers of the "Chicago style" that straddled traditional Dixieland jazz and swing ...

and

Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of music ...

, and popular singer

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...

, to modern pop groups such as

The Smiths The Smiths were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1982. They comprised the singer Morrissey, the guitarist Johnny Marr, the bassist Andy Rourke and the drummer Mike Joyce. They are regarded as one of the most important acts to emerg ...

Wire Overhead power cabling. The conductor consists of seven strands of steel (centre, high tensile strength), surrounded by four outer layers of aluminium (high conductivity). Sample diameter 40 mm A wire is a flexible strand of metal. Wire is c ...

and the

Pet Shop Boys The Pet Shop Boys are an English synth-pop duo formed in London in 1981. Consisting of primary vocalist Neil Tennant and keyboardist Chris Lowe, they have sold more than 50 million records worldwide, and were listed as the most successful duo i ...

. Subsequent influences include

Gavin Bryars Richard Gavin Bryars (; born 16 January 1943) is an English composer and double bassist. He has worked in jazz, free improvisation, minimalism, historicism, avant-garde, and experimental music. Early life and career Born on 16 January 1943 in ...

and

Laurence Crane Laurence Crane (born 1961 in Oxford) is a composer of contemporary classical music. Career Laurence Crane is closely associated with the ensemble Apartment House, who have given over 40 performances of his works. Some performances they have g ...

. Fitkin's earliest compositions were for piano, including ''From Yellow to Yellow'' and ''The Cone Gatherers''. The Nanquidno group, which he co-founded in 1985, consisted of four pianists using two keyboards.Cambridge Suzuki Young Musicians: Graham Fitkin: Composer-in-Residence at CSYM's Cambridge Suzuki Summer Music Institute 2007
(accessed 20 June 2010) Several of his early works, including ''Log'', ''Line'' and ''Loud'', were composed for the six-piano ensemble,

Piano Circus Piano Circus is a musical ensemble consisting of six pianists. The original six-piano ensemble formed in 1989 to perform Steve Reich's ''Six Pianos''. Founding members included Kirsteen Davidson-Kelly, Richard Harris, Kate Heath, Max Richter, ...

. He has also written several works for pianist Kathryn Stott, including ''Circuit'' for two pianos and orchestra, which was composed for Stott and Noriko Ogawa in 2002 to a commission from the

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...

.Clements A. Fitkin: Circuit; Relent; Carnal; etc ''Guardian'' (4 March 2010)
(accessed 20 June 2010) The success of his early compositions for piano, particularly ''The Cone Gatherers'', led to Fitkin being commissioned to write his first ensemble work, ''Cud'', for jazz orchestra. ''Cud'' and Fitkin's other early ensemble works including ''Hook'' and ''Stub'' often make use of electronic instruments and percussion, and are influenced by jazz and

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

. A more recent work for electronic instruments is the album ''Kaplan'', which was inspired by the character George Kaplan from

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...

's film, ''

North by Northwest ''North by Northwest'' is a 1959 American spy thriller film, produced and directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint and James Mason. The screenplay was by Ernest Lehman, who wanted to write "the Hitchcock picture to ...

''. In 1994–96, Fitkin was the composer-in-residence at the

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Royal Liverpool Philharmonic is a music organisation based in Liverpool, England, that manages a professional symphony orchestra, a concert venue, and extensive programmes of learning through music. Its orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmon ...

, and during the mid-to-late 1990s he composed twelve orchestral pieces including a clarinet concerto. He has composed several works for

musical theatre Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movemen ...

, including the short

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librett ...

''Ghosts'', and has also written or adapted several pieces for

contemporary dance Contemporary dance is a genre of dance performance that developed during the mid-twentieth century and has since grown to become one of the dominant genres for formally trained dancers throughout the world, with particularly strong popularity in ...

, including ''Huoah''. Recent projects include ''Still Warm'', a work for multiple

harp The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has a number of individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orche ...

s, which was composed for the

Eden Project The Eden Project ( kw, Edenva) is a visitor attraction in Cornwall, England, UK. The project is located in a reclaimed china clay pit, located from the town of St Blazey and from the larger town of St Austell.Ordnance Survey (2005). ''OS E ...

in 2006.PRS for Music Foundation: Case Study: Fitkin Wall
(accessed 20 June 2010) The sextet ''Sinew'', written for the

Fibonacci Sequence In mathematics, the Fibonacci numbers, commonly denoted , form a integer sequence, sequence, the Fibonacci sequence, in which each number is the sum of the two preceding ones. The sequence commonly starts from 0 and 1, although some authors start ...

, was first performed in 2009. For

Yo Yo Ma Yo-Yo Ma (''Chinese language, Chinese'': 馬友友 ''Ma Yo Yo''; born October 7, 1955) is an American cellist. Born in Paris to Chinese parents and educated in New York City, he was a child prodigy, performing from the age of four and a half. ...

, he has written a cello concerto which was premiered at the 2011

BBC Proms The BBC Proms or Proms, formally named the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts Presented by the BBC, is an eight-week summer season of daily orchestral classical music concerts and other events held annually, predominantly in the Royal Albert Hal ...

, as well as a work for cello and piano, titled ''L'', composed for the performer's fiftieth birthday (2005). A BBC commission for orchestra and chorus, titled ''PK'', was also premiered at the Proms in 2010. In a recent project called ''Fitkin'', a group comprising 9 virtuoso musicians has been touring the UK since early 2010. In December 2010, it was announced that Fitkin had been selected as one of twenty composers to participate in the New Music 20x12 project as part of the

London 2012 The 2012 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012) was an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...

Cultural Olympiad. Fitkin will compose a new work for the

London Chamber Orchestra The London Chamber Orchestra (LCO) is a professional chamber orchestra based in London in the United Kingdom. The name has also been used by historical ensembles dating back to 1921. LCO performs at small concert halls across London and has previo ...

to be premiered in 2012., 10 December 2010 (accessed 19 January 2012) In 1996, he formed the Graham Fitkin Group. His work has been released by

Decca Decca may refer to: Music * Decca Records or Decca Music Group, a record label * Decca Gold, a classical music record label owned by Universal Music Group * Decca Broadway, a musical theater record label * Decca Studios, a recording facility in W ...

Argo In Greek mythology the ''Argo'' (; in Greek: ) was a ship built with the help of the gods that Jason and the Argonauts sailed from Iolcos to Colchis to retrieve the Golden Fleece. The ship has gone on to be used as a motif in a variety of sour ...

label,

Sanctuary A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred place, such as a shrine. By the use of such places as a haven, by extension the term has come to be used for any place of safety. This secondary use can be categorized into human sanctuary, a saf ...

's Black Box label,

BIS Records BIS Records is a record label founded in 1973 by Robert von Bahr. It is located in Åkersberga, Sweden. BIS focuses on classical music, both contemporary and early, especially works that are not already well represented by existing recordings. ...

and Factory Classical. He founded a personal label, GFR, to release ''Still Warm''.

Awards

In 1994, Fitkin won the International Grand Prix Music for Dance Video Award. He has twice won British Composer Awards: in 2009, ''Reel'' won the Stage Works category; in 2011, ''PK'' won the Outreach category.British Composer Awards winners announced
''gramophone.co.uk'', 1 December 2011 (accessed 19 January 2012).

Selected works

Solo and multiple pianos *''From Yellow to Yellow'' (1985) *''The Cone Gatherers'' (1987) *''Loud'' (1989), for six pianos *''Flak'' (1989), for two pianos/eight hands *''Log'' (1990), for six pianos *''Line'' (1991), for six pianos *''Fervent'' (1992–94) *''Piano Pieces 93'' (1993) *''Relent'' (1998) Piano and orchestra *''Granite'' (1995) *''Circuit'' (2002) *''Ruse'' (2009) Orchestral *''Cud'' (1988) *''Length'' (1994) *''Bebeto'' (1995) *''Henry'' (1995) *''Metal'' (1995) *''Clarinet Concerto'' (1998) *''Reel'' (2008) *''PK'' (2010), with choir *''Cello Concerto'' (2011) *''Recorder Concerto'' (2017) Ensemble *''Ironic'' (1997) *''Bed'' (1998) *''Beethoven 7'' (2000) Other *''Huoah'' (1988), for brass band; rewritten as ballet score (1995) *''Slow'' (1990), for

string quartet The term string quartet can refer to either a type of musical composition or a group of four people who play them. Many composers from the mid-18th century onwards wrote string quartets. The associated musical ensemble consists of two violinists ...

and two

keyboards Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Musi ...

*''Hook'' (1991), for

percussion A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...

quartet *''Skirting'' (2001), for solo

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...

*''Lens'' (2003), for piano trio *''Pawn'' (2004), for string quartet *''Geography'' (2004), for computers and video *''Kaplan'' (2004), multimedia *''L'' (2005), for cello and piano *''Still Warm'' (2006), for electronically manipulated harps *''Sinew'' (2009), sextet for violin, viola, cello, clarinet, horn and piano

Partial discography

*''Skirting'', ''Jim and Pam and Pam and Jim'' on ''The Uncommon Harp'' (compilation) – Ruth Wall *''Ironic'', and other ensemble works – Graham Fitkin Group *''Granite'' – Peter Donohoe (piano),

Petr Altrichter Petr Altrichter (born May 24, 1951 in Frenštát pod Radhoštěm, Czechoslovakia) is a Czech people, Czech conducting, conductor. He studied French horn and conducting at the Conservatory of Music in Ostrava. He also studied at the Janáček Acad ...

and Graham Fitkin (conductors),

*''Flak'', and other piano works – various (Factory Classical; 1991) *''Slow'', ''Huoah'', ''Frame'' –

Smith Quartet The Smith Quartet is a UK based string quartet founded in 1988 that specializes in the performance of contemporary classical music, and is actively performing worldwide and recording . They have premiered over 100 works by composers such as Ke ...

(Argo; 1992) *''Log'', ''Line'', ''Loud'' –

(Argo; 1992) *''Hook'', ''Mesh'', ''Stub'', ''Cud'' – various (Argo; 1993) *''Kaplan'' – Graham Fitkin and Ruth Wall (Black Box; 2003) * ''Hook'', ''Mesh'', ''Stub'', ''Cud'', ''Log'', ''Line'', ''Loud'', ''Hard Fairy'' – various (Decca; 2004) *''Still Warm'' – Fitkin Wall (GFR; 2007) *''Circuit'', ''Relent'', ''Carnal'', and other piano works – Noriko Ogawa and Kathryn Stott (piano), Naoto Otomo (conductor),

Tokyo Symphony Orchestra The or TSO, was established in 1946 as the Toho Symphony Orchestra (東宝交響楽団). It assumed its present name in 1951. Based in Kawasaki, the TSO performs in numerous concert halls and serves as pit orchestra for some productions at Ne ...

(BIS Records; 2010)

References

External links

Official website of Graham FitkinOfficial website of FitkinWallOfficial Myspace of Graham Fitkin
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fitkin, Graham 1963 births 20th-century classical composers 21st-century classical composers Alumni of the University of Nottingham British ballet composers Contemporary classical music performers English classical composers English film score composers English male film score composers Living people People from St Buryan Factory Records artists 2012 Cultural Olympiad Royal Conservatory of The Hague alumni Pupils of Louis Andriessen 20th-century English composers 21st-century English composers 20th-century British male musicians 21st-century British male musicians