Robert Davidson is an Australian composer and lecture in music at the University of Queensland.

Education

He holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of Queensland (UQ), a Graduate Diploma in Music from Griffith University, and a PhD from the University of Queensland. He studied composition with Terry Riley in 1995 following studies with

Philip Bračanin Philip Bračanin (born 26 May 1942) is an Australian composer and musicologist. Life Bračanin was born in Kalgoorlie, the son of Croatian immigrants. HIs early musical studies were with Miss Olive Ruane, and he graduated from the University of ...

at UQ.

Musical career

He was a bassist in the Opera Australia, Sydney Symphony and Queensland Symphony orchestras. Since 1997, Davidson has directed the post-classical quintet Topology, with whom he plays double bass and occasionally sings. He is co-artistic direction of the organisation. Davidson's works focus on relationships between speech and music, often including video elements. His works have been commissioned and performed by numerous international artists, such as the

Brodsky Quartet The Brodsky Quartet is a British string quartet, formed in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, in 1972 as the "Cleveland Quartet". Only Ian Belton and Jacqueline Thomas remain as original members. In addition to performing classical music, and in par ...

Australian String Quartet The Australian String Quartet (ASQ) is a chamber music group founded in 1985 and based at the University of Adelaide, South Australia. It delivers an artistic program of performances, workshops, commissions, digital content and education projects ...

, Karin Schaupp, Southern Cross Soloists,

Paul Dresher Ensemble Paul Joseph Dresher (born January 8, 1951 in Los Angeles) is an American composer. Dresher received his B.A. in music from the University of California, Berkeley and his M.A. in composition from the University of California, San Diego, where he s ...

(San Francisco), and Newspeak (New York). He has also collaborated with Kate Miller-Heidke,

Megan Washington Megan Alexanda Washington (born 7 January 1986) is an Australian musician and songwriter who has worked mononymously as Washington. Originally performing jazz music, her style shifted to indie pop and alternative rock. She has released three ...

, Katie Noonan,

TaikOz Taikoz is a taiko ensemble based in Sydney, Australia. Formed in 1997, they are credited with not only being an early Australian taiko ensemble, but for also broadly expanding interest in taiko performance in Australian society. History Taikoz ...

and

Trichotomy A trichotomy can refer to: * Law of trichotomy, a mathematical law that every real number is either positive, negative, or zero ** Trichotomy theorem, in finite group theory * Trichotomy (jazz trio), Australian jazz band, collaborators with Dan ...

. Some of his most well-known works using speech and music include "Not Now, Not Ever!" for choir with then

prime minister of Australia The prime minister of Australia is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Australia. The prime minister heads the executive branch of the Australian Government, federal government of Australia and is also accountable to Parliament of A ...

Julia Gillard Julia Eileen Gillard (born 29 September 1961) is an Australian former politician who served as the 27th prime minister of Australia from 2010 to 2013, holding office as leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP). She is the first and only ...

's 2012 Misogyny Speech, and "Big Decisions", which tells of the

Whitlam dismissal The 1975 Australian constitutional crisis, also known simply as the Dismissal, culminated on 11 November 1975 with the dismissal from office of the prime minister, Gough Whitlam of the Australian Labor Party (ALP), by Governor-General Sir Jo ...

Academic career

Davidson is a senior lecturer in composition at UQ. He is also described as a UQ expert in speech intonation, music and language, popular music, contemporary art music, cross-genre music, and music performance. His research interests include the use of artificial intelligence in music.

Recognition

Davidson was a finalist in the

Art Music Awards The APRA Music Awards in Australia are annual awards to celebrate excellence in contemporary music, which honour the skills of member composers, songwriters, and publishers who have achieved outstanding success in sales and airplay performan ...

in 2013 (Instrumental Work of the Year) and 2019 (Vocal/Choral Work of the Year).

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Davidson, Robert 20th-century classical composers 21st-century classical composers Australian classical composers Australian male classical composers Living people 20th-century Australian male musicians 20th-century Australian musicians 21st-century Australian male musicians 21st-century Australian musicians 21st-century double-bassists Musicians from Queensland Musicians from Brisbane University of Queensland alumni Year of birth missing (living people)