Oscar Bettison

Oscar Bettison
Born	1975
Alma mater	Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Awards	Guggenheim Fellowship (2017)
Website	www.oscarbettison.com

Oscar Bettison (born 19 September 1975) is a British-American composer known for large-scale chamber and large ensemble works. He has been described^{[ by whom? ]} as possessing "a unique voice". His work has been described^{[ by whom? ]} as having "an unconventional lyricism and a menacing beauty" ^[1] and "pulsating with an irrepressible energy and vitality, as well as brilliant craftsmanship." ^[2] He is a member of the composition faculty at the Peabody Institute in Baltimore. ^[3] Bettison was named a 2017 Guggenheim Fellow by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. ^[4]

Early life and education

Bettison was born in 1975 in Jersey to a British father and a Catalan mother. He started playing and composing music at an early age, and at the age of nine joined the Purcell School for Young Musicians in London. After completing an undergraduate degree at the Royal College of Music with Simon Bainbridge, he studied with Robert Saxton at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. In 2000, he went to the Royal Conservatory of The Hague to study under Louis Andriessen and Martijn Padding, which he has described as a "formative experience." He stayed in The Hague to complete another master's degree, and then went to Princeton University for his PhD, studying with Steven Mackey. ^{[5] [ self-published source ]}

He has been the recipient of a number of awards, including a 2018 Fromm Commission, Chamber Music America Commissioning Award (2013), the Yvar Mikhashoff Commissioning Fund Prize (2009), a Jerwood Foundation Award (1998), the Royal Philharmonic Society Prize (1997), the first BBC Young Composer of the Year Prize (1993) as well as fellowships to both the Tanglewood and Aspen music festivals. Since 2009, he has served on the composition faculty at the Peabody Institute in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. ^[3] His music is published by Boosey & Hawkes. ^[6]

Selected works

^{[7] [ self-published source ]}

• O Death (2005–07) for ensemble ^{[8] [9]}
• B & E (with aggravated assault) (2006) for ensemble ^[10]
• Gauze Vespers (2008) for ensemble
• The Afflicted Girl (2010) for ensemble ^[11]
• Apart (2012) for percussion ^[12]
• Livre des Sauvages (2012) for large ensemble ^{[13] [14] [15]}
• An Automated Sunrise (for Joseph Cornell) (2014) for ensemble ^{[16] [17]}
• Threaded Madrigals (2014) for solo viola ^[18]
• Sea Shaped (2014) for Orchestra ^[19]
• String Quartet (2015) ^{[20] [21]}
• Presence of Absence (2016) for mezzo soprano and large ensemble ^[22]
• Pale Icons of Night (2018) for violin and ensemble ^[23]
• Remaking a Forest (2019) for Orchestra ^[24]

References

1. "Soundcheck CD Picks of the Week | Soundcheck". WNYC. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
2. "Stockhausen, Cage, and Bettison at Green Umbrella concert – by Bachtrack for classical music, opera, ballet and dance event reviews".
3. "Oscar Bettison".
4. "John Simon Guggenheim Foundation - Oscar Bettison". Gf.org. Retrieved 22 August 2018.
5. "Oscar Bettison - Composer: Biography". Oscarbettison.com. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
6. "Oscar Bettison". Boosey.com. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
7. "Oscar Bettison - Composer: Works". Oscarbettison.com. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
8. Kushner, Daniel J. (19 October 2011). "SONiC Snapshots: Oscar Bettison and Rebecca Stenn/Konrad Kaczmarek". Huffingtonpost.com.
9. "O Death - Oscar Bettison, by Ensemble Klang". Ensembleklang.bandcamp.com. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
10. Schweitzer, Vivien (14 June 2011). "Ensemble ACJW and Brooklyn Rider - Music Review". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 August 2018.
11. "Work by the People and for the People". The New York Times . 26 February 2010.
12. Eck, Cathy van (19 June 2017). "Apart by Oscar Bettison". Microphonesandloudspeakers.com. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
13. Schultz, Rick (8 April 2012). "Odd instruments are music to composers' ears" – via Los Angeles Times.
14. BWW News Desk. "LA Phil New Music Group Opens the 2011/12 Green Umbrella Series".
15. "Oscar Bettison on 'Livre des sauvages' - CSO Sounds & Stories". Csosoundsandstories.org. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
16. Chute, James (5 September 2014). "Fall preview: the (classical) music of our time". Sandiegouniontribune.com.
17. Schweitzer, Vivien (28 September 2014). "James Baker Leads the Talea Ensemble at Roulette". The New York Times .
18. "Threaded Madrigals" (PDF). Nyphil.org. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
19. Kosman, Joshua (3 October 2014). "Music review: Elgar rescues Berkeley Symphony's season opener". Sfchronicle.com. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
20. "Family ties bind final Festival of Contemporary Music concerts - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
21. Kozinn, Allan (28 July 2015). "At Tanglewood, Premieres Aplenty". The Wall Street Journal .
22. "The Presence of Absence". Dagindebranding.nl. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
23. "Bettison Writes Violin Concerto for Courtney Orlando and Alarm Will Sound". Boosey.com. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
24. "Brahms' Second | Official Oregon Symphony Tickets | September 28, 29 & 30". Orsymphony.org. Retrieved 21 July 2020.

External links

• Oscar Bettison's page at Boosey & Hawkes biography, works list, recordings and performance search.
• Oscar Bettison's Peabody Institute faculty profile video
• Oscar Bettison on Livre des Savages
• Oscar Bettison interview on Composition Today
• Oscar Bettison on New Music Box
• Oscar Bettison interview on The Huffington Post
• Oscar Bettison's Profile at the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation
• Oscar Bettison's Official Website