Role

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Composer

Genre

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Orchestral

 

John Psathas is a contemporary classical music composer who was born on 12th May 1966 in Wellington, New Zealand. He is of Greek descent and grew up in a family that was passionate about music. His father was a jazz musician, and his mother was a singer. Psathas started playing the drums at a young age and later learned to play the piano and guitar. He attended Wellington College, where he was a member of the school's jazz band. After completing high school, Psathas went on to study music at Victoria University of Wellington. He graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in 1989 and later completed a Master of Music degree in 1991. During his time at university, Psathas was exposed to a wide range of musical styles, including jazz, rock, and classical music. He was particularly interested in the music of Stravinsky, Bartok, and Messiaen. Psathas began his career as a composer in the early 1990s. His early works were influenced by jazz and rock music, but he soon began to develop his own unique style. His music is characterized by complex rhythms, intricate melodies, and a fusion of different musical styles. He has been described as a "post-modernist" composer who draws on a wide range of musical traditions. One of Psathas' early works was "View from Olympus," a percussion concerto that he composed in 1995. The piece was commissioned by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and was premiered in 1996. It was an instant success and established Psathas as one of New Zealand's leading composers. "View from Olympus" has since been performed by orchestras around the world, including the London Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. Psathas' most famous work is "Three Psalms," a choral work that he composed in 1999. The piece was commissioned by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and was premiered in 2000. "Three Psalms" is a setting of three psalms from the Old Testament and is scored for choir, orchestra, and soloists. The piece has been described as "a masterpiece of contemporary choral music" and has been performed by choirs around the world. Psathas has also composed a number of works for dance, including "Matre's Dance," which was commissioned by the Royal New Zealand Ballet in 2000. The piece was choreographed by Javier De Frutos and was a critical and commercial success. Psathas has also collaborated with the choreographer Michael Parmenter on a number of works, including "The Promised Land," which was commissioned by the New Zealand International Arts Festival in 2002. In addition to his work as a composer, Psathas is also a professor of music at Victoria University of Wellington. He has been a member of the university's music faculty since 1994 and has taught a wide range of courses, including composition, music theory, and music technology. He has also been a guest lecturer at universities around the world, including the University of California, Berkeley, and the Royal College of Music in London. Psathas has received numerous awards and honors for his work as a composer. In 2003, he was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to music. He has also been awarded the SOUNZ Contemporary Award three times, in 1999, 2006, and 2016. The SOUNZ Contemporary Award is New Zealand's most prestigious composition award and is awarded annually to a composer for a work that premiered in the previous year.

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