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Composer Performer

 

Claudia Molitor is a contemporary classical music composer who was born in Germany in 1974. She grew up in a musical family and began playing the piano at a young age. Her parents were both musicians, and her father was a composer, so she was exposed to classical music from an early age. Molitor studied music at the University of York in England, where she earned a Bachelor of Music degree in 1996. She then went on to earn a Master of Music degree from the Royal College of Music in London in 1998. During her studies, she focused on composition and also studied piano and conducting. Molitor's early works were influenced by the minimalist and experimental music of composers such as Steve Reich and John Cage. Her compositions often incorporate found sounds and field recordings, as well as traditional instruments. She is known for her use of unconventional performance spaces, such as museums and galleries, and for her collaborations with visual artists and choreographers. One of Molitor's early works, "The Singing Bridge," was commissioned by the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival in 2001. The piece was inspired by the sounds of a bridge in Huddersfield and featured recordings of the bridge's creaks and groans, as well as live performers. The piece was performed on the bridge itself, with the audience standing on the pavement below. In 2004, Molitor was commissioned by the London Sinfonietta to write a piece for their "Blue Touch Paper" series, which showcases new works by emerging composers. Molitor's piece, "The Singing Tree," was inspired by a tree in a park in London and featured recordings of the tree's rustling leaves and creaking branches, as well as live performers. The piece was performed in the park, with the audience seated on benches and surrounded by the sounds of the park. Molitor's work often explores themes of memory, identity, and place. In 2006, she was commissioned by the BBC to write a piece for their "Between the Ears" series, which features experimental radio works. Molitor's piece, "The Singing Bridge Revisited," was a meditation on memory and the passage of time. The piece featured recordings of the original bridge from "The Singing Bridge," as well as interviews with people who had lived and worked near the bridge over the years. In 2010, Molitor was commissioned by the London Symphony Orchestra to write a piece for their "Soundhub" series, which supports emerging composers. Molitor's piece, "The Singing Bridge: A Concerto for Orchestra," was a reworking of her earlier piece, "The Singing Bridge." The piece featured recordings of the bridge, as well as live performers, and was performed in a concert hall. Molitor's work has been performed at festivals and venues around the world, including the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, the Aldeburgh Festival, and the Royal Festival Hall in London. She has also collaborated with a number of visual artists and choreographers, including the artist Susan Philipsz and the choreographer Siobhan Davies. In addition to her work as a composer, Molitor is also a lecturer in music at the University of Sussex in England. She has written articles and essays on contemporary music and has given talks and lectures at universities and festivals around the world. Molitor's work is characterized by its experimental and interdisciplinary approach, as well as its exploration of themes of memory, identity, and place.

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