Mariam Rezaei

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Mariam Rezaei
Born (1984-10-16) 16 October 1984 (age 40)
Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, England
Occupation(s)Musician, artist, academic
Years active2011–present
Website www.mariamrezaei.com

Mariam Rezaei (born 16 October 1984) is an English composer, [1] writer, [2] performer, DJ and improviser. Mariam works predominantly with turntables, piano, vocals and electronics. She was formerly producer of TOPH, a producing mixed arts space in Newcastle, [3] and is now Artistic Director of TUSK Festival. [2] [4]

Contents

A number of Rezaei's compositions and performances have been featured on BBC Radio 3 since 2015. [5] [6] [7] [8]

Early life and education

Mariam is from Gateshead, Tyne and Wear and of English-Iranian heritage. [9] She grew up playing the classical piano. She first developed an interest in DJing at the age of fifteen and began writing music at this time. Her interest in writing with turntables developed a little while later, as she was competing in local and national DJ competitions. [10] She completed and was awarded her Doctoral degree in the Philosophy of Composition For Turntable and Ensemble at Durham University in May 2016 and is a lecturer in Music Technology and Composition at Newcastle University.

Career

For the 2012 Cultural Olympiad, she composed for NOISESTRA, [11] to perform with Apartment House at the Sage Gateshead, 2012 and Edinburgh in 2013. She was invited by Ilan Volkov as a guest improviser for the BBC Proms 47 in 2012, [12] [13] at the John Cage Centenary Celebration. She performed 'Jig Hop' with Kathryn Tickell and Folkestra for the BT River of Music Festival as part of the 2012 Cultural Olympiad, [14] in Trafalgar Square.

In 2014 she performed graphic scores by Richard Dawson, developing new work as Wax Magnetic, a new BFI commission for 'Der Golem' with Noize Choir, [15] [16] 'SuperDream' with Isis Arts, Swallows Foundation, British Council ZA and The Trinity Session ZA. [17] Other commissions around this time include Olavsfestdagene, Norway, for Turntable Quartet, Solo voice and Double Bassist Michael Duch, and 'INSiiiDE' an ensemble piece for Ilan Volkov, Tectonics Festival, Tel Aviv. 'ANX' was a commission for TECTONICS GLASGOW and the BBC, for members of the BBC SSO and Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra, premiered on 1 May and broadcast on BBC Radio 3. With support from Arts Council England, Mariam began the first ever composer residency at the Literary and Philosophical Society Library, Newcastle, [18] in May 2014, working with Neil Davidson (Glasgow), Rhodri Davies (Gateshead) and Michael Duch (Norway) in short-term research projects.

In 2015 Mariam composed and performed in theatre including 'Flock' and 'Cinema' by ZENDEH, [19] 'Beats North' by Curious Monkey, both in 2015 [20] 'Into Thin Air' by Precious Cargo, [21] 'Here Is The News' Northern Stage and Lorne Campbell, [22] 'Your Aunt Fanny', Live Theatre [23] and 'Jumping Puddles' by Open Clasp Theatre Co. [24]

TOPH / The Old Police House

In 2013 Rezaei set up a studio and performance space at The Old Police House in Gateshead. [25]

An organisation and artists' collective called TOPH (of which Rezaei is a director and artist member) has developed from and beyond this specific location. TOPH has hosted the TUSK FRINGE as part of TUSK Festival, Gateshead since 2015. [3]

Awards

Mariam was awarded Best Newcomer 2012 Award at the Journal Culture Awards [26] and the 'Enhancing Communities' Award with Northern Proud Voices in 2014. [27]

In 2022 Rezaei received the Paul Hamlyn Foundation 'Awards for Artists' prize for her contribution to the field of music composition. [2] [28] [29]

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References

  1. ↑ Katz, Mark (1 April 2012). Groove Music: The Art and Culture of the Hip-Hop DJ. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 208. ISBN   978-0-19-991301-5.
  2. 1 2 3 "Mariam Rezaei - Paul Hamlyn Foundation" . Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  3. 1 2 Cameron, Al (22 September 2020). "The Quietus | Features | Escape Velocity | Fingers On The Vinyl: Mariam Rezaei Interviewed". The Quietus. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  4. ↑ Fisher, Lee (1 March 2023). "INTERVIEW: Tusk North 2023 | NARC. | Reliably Informed | Music and Creative Arts News for Newcastle and the North East". narcmagazine.com. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  5. ↑ BBC Radio 3 - Hear and Now, Tectonics Festival Glasgow 2015, Episode 1. www.bbc.co.uk (Radio broadcast). 16 May 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  6. ↑ BBC Radio 3 - Exposure, Gateshead. www.bbc.co.uk (Radio broadcast). 30 March 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  7. ↑ BBC Radio 3 - Late Junction, Lateness at TUSK Virtual Festival. www.bbc.co.uk (Radio broadcast). 2 October 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  8. ↑ BBC Radio 3 - Freeness, Mariam Rezaei. www.bbc.co.uk (Radio broadcast). 14 June 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  9. ↑ Cameron, Al (22 September 2020). "Fingers On The Vinyl: Mariam Rezaei Interviewed". The Quietus. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  10. ↑ "Mariam Rezaei: Lock Theory - The Wire". The Wire Magazine - Adventures In Modern Music. February 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  11. ↑ "Home". Northern Proud Voices. 25 March 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  12. ↑ Various (20 April 2012). BBC Proms 2012: Concerts and Events – Various. Random House. ISBN   9781448140640 . Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  13. ↑ "Tectonics festival". Tectonics festival. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  14. ↑ "VIDEO: Sage Gateshead presents JigHop at Sage Gateshead". Sagegateshead.com. 22 July 2012. Archived from the original on 22 November 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  15. ↑ pcumiskey2013 (23 March 2014). "Review: The Golem (1920) + Live Music from Noize Choir/ Wax Magnetic". Stasis Cube. Retrieved 22 July 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  16. ↑ Appleby, Sherilyn (10 June 2016). "NEWS: The Golem @ Newcastle Castle | NARC. | Reliably Informed | Music and Creative Arts News for Newcastle and the North East". narcmagazine.com. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  17. ↑ "Superdream UK". ISIS Arts. 19 July 2014. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  18. ↑ Charlotte Higgins. "Helen Shaddock: December 2014". Helenshaddock.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  19. ↑ "Award-winning, unforgettable theatre". ZENDEH. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  20. ↑ "Beats North | Curious Monkey". Curiousmonkeytheatre.com. 5 December 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  21. ↑ "Our Shows". Preciouscargotheatre.com. Archived from the original on 22 November 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  22. ↑ "Theatre in Edinburgh: Northern Stage at Summerhall – What's On – Here is the News from Over There, Over There is the News from Here". Northernstage.co.uk. Archived from the original on 22 November 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  23. ↑ "All girl sketch group Your Aunt Fanny debut at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe | Live Theatre". Live.org.uk. 28 July 2015. Archived from the original on 22 November 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  24. ↑ "Open Clasp Theatre Company – Jumping Puddles". Openclasp.org.uk. Archived from the original on 22 November 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  25. ↑ Corcoran-Lettice, Mark (11 December 2015). "FEATURE: The Old Police House | NARC. | Reliably Informed | Music and Creative Arts News for Newcastle and the North East". narcmagazine.com. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  26. ↑ Wonfor, Sam (14 July 2015). "Culture Awards Alumni: The Class of 2012". The Journal. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  27. ↑ "Mariam Rezaei | Youth Music Network". Network.youthmusic.org.uk. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  28. ↑ "Paul Hamlyn Foundation Announces £600k Annual Arts Awards". Artlyst. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  29. ↑ "Pioneering Newcastle University academic receives coveted award". Press Office. Retrieved 20 July 2023.

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