David Lancaster
David is Head of Programme for Music at York St John University and currently composer-in-residence with Laudamus Chamber Choir and with the EYMS Band.
David began his musical life as a young cornet player with the Pemberton Old Band in his native Wigan. A chance encounter with the music of Harrison Birtwistle led to music studies at York and Cambridge Universities and composition classes at Dartington Summer School (with Peter Maxwell Davies) followed. David consolidated his composing career during a three-year appointment as Composer-in-Residence at Charterhouse and he gained a number of important awards and commissions, including Lloyds Bank Young Composer Award, Michael Tippett Award, LCM Centenary Prize and the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival Composer Award; the Parke Ensemble devoted a London concert series to his work.
In recent years David's music has undergone a radical simplification of style. Although his output includes music for solo voice, chorus and wide ranging instrumental forces, he has remained faithful to his musical roots and continues to compose for brass band: his 'Cuba!' won the Black Dyke Composer award in 2003 and ‘Northern Line’ has been performed by bands around the UK.
In 2009 baritone Paul Carey-Jones gave the first performances of his song cycle ‘Memory of Place’ (in which David collaborated with York-based poet Daniela Nunnari); in 2010 ‘Bliss’ was performed by the Elysian singers and ‘Fallen’ was sung at Canterbury Cathedral – and was later used in a documentary made for Sky TV. In March 2011’Vertigo’was played by the Tippett String Quartet as part of the Partners in Suspense project (which celebrated the partnership of Hitchcock and Hermann) and in May there was a major retrospective of his music at York St John University, including the first complete performance of ‘The Enemy Within’. In June 2011 his saxophone quartet ‘Swan’ was given its premiere by the Lunar Sax Quartet and in July ‘Memory of Place’ was recorded for CD release on the Cadenza label, to be followed by a national tour in 2012.
‘On Ilkley Moor’ – a new work based on the grisly tale of Yorkshire’s famous folksong – was first played in November 2011 in Ilkley, and ‘Holly’ was commissioned by Orichalcum for their winter tour of venues around Shropshire. David’s recent work ‘Three’ will be given its premiere in 2012 by the Key Largo ensemble.
Plans for 2012 include a new work for the Ligeti String Quartet, a new wind quintet for Souza Winds and further collaboration with Daniela Nunnari.
www.soundcloud.com/david-lancaster
Twitter: @davidcomposer