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Hello there!
Welcome to my corner of MySpace. I'm a composer, from the UK, of what's called "contemporary classical" music. Basically, new music
for acoustic / orchestral instruments in the Western classical music tradition. That's not to say I write music that sounds
like Mozart - I don't - the emphasis is on the "new" and the "modern" while still being "classical" - small "c".
I guess if you really want to know what I'm on about, you'd better listen the examples on this page!
... or visit my main site, www.timbenjamin.com.
TRACKS ON THIS SITE
- Antagony: this is an extract from a larger (15 minute) piece which I wrote when I was 17 back in 1992/93. It gave me my first (only?!)
"break" when it was the winning entry in a big national competition. The piece itself is semi-autobiographical, and it's
a bit much to explain here. More details on my main site!
- String Quartet I: this is the whole 4th movement (of five) from my first String Quartet(of two), and dates from 1998.
The Quartet is supposed to be simply music about music and nothing else - in complete contrast to Antagony! A recording of
the whole piece is on my main site.
- Prelude for solo piano: OK so this is an unassuming title, but this is actually a fearsomely-hard piece for piano, written in 2006. This is an extract from the complete recording which is available free on my main website, played by the brilliant pianist Berenika.
- Bagatelle III (From Five Bagatelles): the Bagatelles have quite an esoteric programme behind them, so I encourage you to go to my main site and read all about it there!!! This movement is number 3, marked Allegro, capricioso - Presto, agitato - Più presto. The complete Bagatelles will shortly be available on the first commercial disc produced by my group Radius, who performed on this recording.
Recordings of other compositions are available at my main site, www.timbenjamin.com... check it out.
COLLABORATIONS
Being a successful composer depends on people playing my compositions and on productive collaborations. So, if you're interested in
performing contemporary classical music - either as a group or soloist - or if you're a wordsmith or film-maker looking for a partner
in crime, please get in touch!
I don't charge for performing material, it's all available in PDF format free of charge. I also tend not to charge for commissions;
instead I prefer to work in exchange for a number of public performances. So, if you play new music, please get in touch: chances
are I'll either have some music ready and waiting for you, or else I can write something for you.
The following is a more formal potted biography that us composers tend to include in concert programmes and the like...
TIM BENJAMIN: BIOGRAPHY
Tim Benjamin (b. 1975) is a composer from the United Kingdom, and has studied with Anthony Gilbert at the Royal Northern College of Music, and
Steve Martland. He is the Music Director of contemporary music group Radius, and is currently at Oxford University reading for a doctorate in composition.
Tim Benjamin was winner of the BBC Young Musician of the Year Composer's Award in 1993, at the age of 17, with his work Antagony. He also won the Stephen Oliver Trust's Prize for Contemporary Opera, for his opera The Bridge.
Benjamin's music has been widely performed, by groups including the London Sinfonietta, the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, and at the BOC Covent Garden Festival,
and broadcast on BBC 2 and BBC Radio 3.
Past commissioners include the European Community Chamber Orchestra,
the Segovia Trio, and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.
Tim Benjamin lives and works in London, UK, and also plays the trombone.
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