Role

:

Composer Performer

Country

:

New Zealand

Birth

:

July 29, 1939 in Christchurch, New Zealand

Genre

:

Avant-Garde

 

Annea Lockwood is a New Zealand-born composer who has made a significant contribution to the world of contemporary classical music. Born in Christchurch in 1939, Lockwood grew up in a musical family and began playing the piano at a young age. She later studied composition at the Royal College of Music in London, where she was influenced by the work of avant-garde composers such as John Cage and Karlheinz Stockhausen. Lockwood's early works were characterized by their experimental nature and use of unconventional sound sources. In the 1960s, she began incorporating field recordings into her compositions, capturing the sounds of nature and everyday life and incorporating them into her music. This approach was exemplified in her 1968 piece "Piano Transplants," in which she took apart a piano and reassembled it in a river, allowing the natural sounds of the water to interact with the instrument. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Lockwood continued to explore the possibilities of sound, creating works that incorporated everything from the sounds of burning pianos to the songs of humpback whales. Her 1970 piece "Glass Concert" featured the sounds of glass objects being struck and played, while her 1985 work "Jitterbug" used recordings of insects to create a complex and intricate sound collage. In addition to her work as a composer, Lockwood has also been a prominent figure in the field of sound art. She has created installations and performances that explore the relationship between sound and space, including her 1998 piece "A Sound Map of the Danube," which used field recordings to create a sonic portrait of the river. Lockwood's work has been recognized with numerous awards and honors, including a Guggenheim Fellowship and a Fulbright Scholarship. Her compositions have been performed by ensembles and orchestras around the world, and she has been a frequent collaborator with other artists and musicians. Despite her many achievements, Lockwood has remained committed to pushing the boundaries of what is possible in music and sound. Her work continues to inspire and challenge audiences, and she remains a vital and influential figure in the world of contemporary classical music.

More....