Role

:

Composer

Birth

:

1973

 

Morgan Hayes is a contemporary classical music composer who was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1967. He grew up in a musical family, with his father being a jazz pianist and his mother a singer. Hayes began playing the piano at a young age and later learned to play the guitar and saxophone. He attended Trinity College Dublin, where he studied music composition with Donnacha Dennehy and Kevin O'Connell. Hayes' early works were heavily influenced by the minimalist music of composers such as Steve Reich and Philip Glass. His first major composition, "String Quartet No. 1," was premiered in 1993 and received critical acclaim. The piece features repetitive patterns and shifting rhythms, characteristic of the minimalist style. In the late 1990s, Hayes began to incorporate more traditional Irish music into his compositions. His piece "The Irish Sea" for orchestra and traditional Irish instruments was premiered in 1999 and was well-received for its fusion of classical and folk music. Hayes' music often explores themes of identity and cultural heritage. His piece "The Last Island" for orchestra and choir, premiered in 2002, is based on the story of the Blasket Islands off the coast of Ireland, which were abandoned by their inhabitants in the 1950s. The piece features traditional Irish melodies and incorporates field recordings of the island's natural sounds. In 2005, Hayes was commissioned by the National Concert Hall in Dublin to compose a piece for their 25th anniversary. The resulting work, "The Blue Notebooks," is a suite for string quartet, piano, and electronics. The piece features spoken word recordings of texts by Franz Kafka and Czesław Miłosz, and has been described as a meditation on the human condition. Hayes' most recent works have continued to explore themes of identity and cultural heritage. His piece "The Consequences of Falling" for orchestra and choir, premiered in 2017, is based on the story of the Irish Famine and features traditional Irish melodies and texts. Hayes has received numerous awards and honors for his compositions, including the Irish Arts Council's Composer of the Year award in 2008. His works have been performed by orchestras and ensembles around the world, including the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, and the Kronos Quartet. In addition to his work as a composer, Hayes is also a professor of music at Trinity College Dublin. He has mentored many young composers and is known for his dedication to promoting contemporary classical music in Ireland and beyond. Overall, Morgan Hayes is a highly respected and influential composer in the contemporary classical music world. His works are characterized by their fusion of traditional and modern styles, and their exploration of themes of identity and cultural heritage.

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