Fergus Johnston
Fergus Johnston (born 21 May 1959 in Dublin) is an Irish composer and member of Aosdána.
Life
Johnston studied for both a degree in music and a Master's Degree in Music and Media Technology at Trinity College Dublin (MusB 1982) and has a PhD in composition from the National University of Ireland, Maynooth. Initially he had also studied at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin (flute with Doris Keogh, clarinet with Tim Hanafin, and composition with James Wilson). In 1985 he was invited by European Community Youth Orchestra to write an orchestral piece under the guidance of György Ligeti. 1989-91 he was Chairman of the Association of Irish Composers. He completed his education with the English composer Robert Hanson.
Johnston's output includes works for both orchestra and smaller ensembles, some works of which include electronics, and two operas. His music has been performed at many venues and festivals including the 1985 Asolo Musica Festival in Italy, the 1996 International Society for Contemporary Music Festival (ISCM), the 2001 Sonorities Festival of Contemporary Music in Belfast,[1] and Radio Teilifís Éireann's 2005 Living Music Festival. His use of system is unusual among Irish composers, his compositional process typically including a significant element of pre-planning.[2]
Selected works
- Two T'ang Poems (Li Ho) for soprano and chamber orchestra (1984)
- Signals! for violin and (optional) dancers (1989)
- Samsara for orchestra (1991)
- Bitter Fruit, chamber opera (libretto: Nell McCafferty) (1992), f.p. Dublin, Royal Hospital Kilmainham, 17 Nov. 1992.
- Cusp for violin and piano (1992)
- Kaleidophone for string quartet, harp and percussion (1992, rev. 1996)
- Carn for two pianos (1993)
- Flute Concerto (1997)
- Je goûte le jeu ... for string orchestra (1997)
- Brian's Birthday Bagatelle for piano (1997), written for Brian Boydell
- Rashad's Words for solo percussionist (1999)
- Árd Fhearta for mixed ensemble incl. bronze-age horns and live electronics (2001)
- Wexford Suite for orchestra (2005)
- Brahms Begins the Day for orchestra (2006)
- Piano Trio (2012)
Honours and awards
- 1989 – Macaulay Fellowship, Arts Council of Ireland
- 1992 – Elected to Aosdána, Ireland's Academy of Arts.
- 1996-2001 - Appointed as member of the Board of Directors of the National Concert Hall of Ireland, An Ceoláras Náisiúnta.
References
Sources
- Arts Council of Ireland reference page
- Fergus Johnston at the Contemporary Music Centre of Ireland
- Axel Klein: Die Musik Irlands im 20. Jahrhundert (Hildesheim: Georg Olms, 1996)
- The Encyclopaedia of Music in Ireland, ed. H. White & B. Boydell (Dublin: UCD Press, 2013)
External links
- Fergus Johnston's website
- Arts Council of Ireland reference page
- Fergus Johnston at the Contemporary Music Centre of Ireland
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