Role

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Composer

Genre

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Avant-Garde

 

Sam Hayden is a contemporary classical music composer who was born in 1968 in Manchester, England. He grew up in a family of musicians, with his father being a jazz pianist and his mother a classical pianist. Hayden began playing the piano at a young age and later learned to play the guitar and drums. He was also interested in electronic music and began experimenting with synthesizers and other electronic instruments. Hayden studied music at the University of Manchester and later at the Royal Northern College of Music. He also studied composition with Brian Ferneyhough at the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg in Germany. During his studies, Hayden became interested in the music of contemporary composers such as Ferneyhough, Ligeti, and Xenakis, and began to develop his own unique style of composition. Hayden's early works were characterized by complex rhythms, intricate textures, and a focus on timbre and sound color. His compositions often featured extended techniques for traditional instruments, such as string glissandi and percussive bowing, as well as electronic sounds and computer-generated sounds. One of Hayden's early works, "Surface/Tension," was written for string quartet and electronics and premiered in 1996. The piece features a complex rhythmic structure and explores the interaction between acoustic and electronic sounds. Another early work, "Pulse Magnet," was written for solo percussion and electronics and premiered in 1998. The piece features a virtuosic percussion part and uses electronic sounds to create a dense, pulsating texture. In the early 2000s, Hayden began to incorporate more improvisation and indeterminacy into his compositions. He also began to explore the use of live electronics, allowing performers to manipulate and transform their own sounds in real time. One of his most notable works from this period is "Surface/Plane," written for ensemble and live electronics and premiered in 2003. The piece features a complex, indeterminate score that allows performers to make decisions about the structure and timing of the music. It also features live electronics that allow performers to manipulate and transform their own sounds. Hayden's later works continued to explore the use of live electronics and indeterminacy, as well as the interaction between acoustic and electronic sounds. One of his most recent works, "Requiem for a General Motors in Janesville, WI," was written for ensemble and live electronics and premiered in 2019. The piece is a response to the closure of a General Motors plant in Janesville, Wisconsin, and explores themes of loss, displacement, and economic decline. The piece features a complex, indeterminate score that allows performers to make decisions about the structure and timing of the music. It also features live electronics that allow performers to manipulate and transform their own sounds, as well as field recordings of the sounds of the abandoned GM plant. Hayden's music has been performed by ensembles and orchestras around the world, including the Arditti Quartet, Ensemble Modern, and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. He has also been commissioned by organizations such as the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, the Donaueschingen Festival, and the BBC Proms. In addition to his work as a composer, Hayden is also a professor of music at the University of Durham in England. He has written extensively on contemporary music and has given lectures and masterclasses around the world.

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