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(June 2014 – 1263 words)
Victor Davies has crossed many musical boundaries, from children’s songs for television to symphonic music recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra.
Born in Winnipeg Canada, he studied at the University of Manitoba, and Indiana University graduating with a Bachelor of Music in Composition, and has studied conducting with Pierre Boulez in Switzerland.
Davies began his career in Winnipeg as a freelance composer, pianist, and conductor, working with Winnipeg’s major artistic organizations. His children’s musicals, The Magic Trumpet and Reginald The Robotwere premiered at the Manitoba Theatre Centre; Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers commissioned The Colour Of The Times and Anerca; the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra commissioned Celebrations, A Short Symphony and From Harmony. He composed and performed live and on television with his own 3rd stream” jazz ensemble.
Commissioned to write the first major score for planetarium, The Beginning and End of the World, was recorded by conductor Skitch Henderson. On commission from the Fast Foundation, Davies composed The Mennonite Piano Concerto. Recorded with pianist Irmgard Baerg and the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Boris Brott, Barry Edwards (Music Magazine) wrote that the work exhibits “exuberant high spirits…popularity through its easy accessibility, and its wide range of musical styles”; Chester Duncan (Arts Manitoba) wrote: “..there are many moving and delightful things throughout”. This work (coupled with Good Times: Suite for Orchestra, also with the London Symphony Orchestra, both available on CD), has become Davies’ best known composition, and has been performed live in the US, Canada, Europe and China, broadcast many times on National and American Public Radio, the CBC, Australian Broadcasting Network, the BBC and was #8 in sales on Classic FM the largest classical music broadcaster in Britain in 1995. Following the success of this CD The Music Of Victor Davies was released in Britain, Europe, North America and Japan on the Campion label. Other recordings feature Festival Players Canada performing his Silhouettes (Piano Trio No. 1), Yukon Scenes (for Flute and Piano) and Fun For Four (String Quartet No.1).
(http://victordavies.com/about-victor/biography/) |