Explore the music of English composer George Holloway
About three weeks ago, my eponymous Holloway Children’s Choir held a party to celebrate the fifth anniversary of our trip to the UK for a competition and tour. Five years ago, I never would have imagined that they would hold a reunion party every year for the next five years, each time with a different…Continue Reading “Holloway Children’s Choir- UK Tour Fifth Anniversary Party (Sept.’24)”
I put on my composer portrait, Ghost in the Machine, on 9th April 2024 in the National Recital Hall in Taipei, Taiwan, in collaboration with Taiwan’s leading contemporary music ensemble, TimeArt Studio. Over the course of three weeks in June, I premiered all five of the pieces from the concert on YouTube; the audio and video…Continue Reading “⟪機械中的幽靈⟫：媒體、照片 “Ghost in the Machine”: Recordings, Photos (April ’24)”
On March 30th 2024, I was honoured to participate in the C-Camerata International Festival for Contemporary Music, “Crossing Sounds”, both as a composer and a conductor. As the sole conductor for the festival, I had the chance to rehearse and conduct four world premieres, including my new work South of the Great Wall. The other works…Continue Reading “「跨響」-台北中央C國際當代音樂節：照片與媒體 C-Camerata International Festival for Contemporary Music “Crossing Sounds”: photos and media (March ’24)”
I’m proud to share my edit of the premiere of South of the Great Wall here. It was a very intense festival, but I’m pleased with what we managed to do in two days of rehearsal (to prepare two complete concert programmes). I have edited the two camera views together, and mixed in some of the…Continue Reading ““SOUTH OF THE GREAT WALL”《城南荒原》- video of premiere performance at “Crossing Sounds” Festival, Taipei (March ’24)”
購買票：https://www.opentix.life/event/176049… 節目介紹 本場現代室內⾳樂會之宗旨係以英國作曲家、指揮家—盧長劍的五⾸作品來呈現給台灣的藝 術⾳樂愛好者，其中四⾸作品皆是在國外曾受觀眾歡迎但尚未在台灣演出的作品，以及⼀⾸ 世界⾸演的⼗五重奏。盧長劍已來台將近五年，並已經引起了台灣的現代藝術性音樂愛好者的一定矚目。他希望能夠與大家分享他個⼈原創作品的肖像⾳樂會，來將⼀些他在來台以前所創作的重要作品呈現給台灣的觀眾，讓⼤家能更深入地認識他的創作世界。 曲⽬的編制、內容與背後的觀念包羅萬象，包含⼆、四、五、七以及⼗五重奏、有卡農、舞 台上和舞台下的演奏者、⼤⾃然中的靜⽌與流動的描繪、幾何性的拼貼、甚至有蛋⽩質分⼦ 微觀振動的聽覺化！ 盧長劍選⽤⽜津⼤學的哲學教授吉爾伯特・賴爾所創造的短語：「機械中的幽靈」（“ghost in the machine”）作為本場作曲家肖像⾳樂會的標題。儘管賴爾曾使⽤此短語來批 評哲學家勒內・笛卡爾⼼身⼆元論的觀念，因為他並不認為⼈類是⼀個有著靈魂和身體分開 的⼆元合體，但作曲家依然很著迷該比喻，並對他很有共鳴，因為它能貼切地形容本場⾳樂 會所選出的曲⽬均有的共通特點：這五部作品各⾃都有⾃⼰的公式或機械性的過程在背後運 ⾏著，但是它們仍然極其富有豐富的表情和戲劇性的表現⼒，這就是短語中的「機械」與 「幽靈」。 時間藝術工作室希望觀眾能接收到許多刺激與啟發，聽到從未聽過的聲響，藉此考 慮到新的⾳樂表現的可能性，並透過盧長劍有個性的⾳樂創作，重新認識現代⾳樂的語⾔。 演出曲目 ⟪德魯斯基寧卡農⟫ Druskininkanonas (2011) 為中音長笛、雙簧管、降E單簧管、低音管和中提琴而作 ⟪空城故事（第一篇）⟫ Novella (Chapter One) (2016-2017) 為大提琴和鋼琴而作 ⟪亞穩態⟫ Metastable （2019） 為弦樂四重奏而作 I. Godric of Finchale (c.1065-1170) II. Henry Purcell (1659-1695) III. Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764) IV. Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881) V. Morton Feldman…Continue Reading “⟪機械中的幽靈⟫盧長劍作曲家肖像⾳樂會 “Ghost in the Machine”: George Holloway Composer Portrait Concert (April 9 2024)”
敬邀各位音樂愛好者和朋友們前來聆聽我在台灣的第一場作品發表會，或者說，「肖像音樂會」！「肖像」中的人就是我，希望透過這五首作品，大家能夠更深入地認識我本人。 這場音樂會共有五首作品要呈現給台灣的藝術音樂愛好者，其中四首皆是在國外曾受觀眾歡迎但尚未在台灣演出的作品，另外還有一首世界首演的十五重奏。 這次也很榮幸能夠再進一步和 TimeArt Studio 時間藝術工作室共同合作，有這麼棒的團隊來演奏我的作品，並且大家都非常熱心和努力地幫助我申請各項任務，跟我起完成這個對我來說是一場非常有挑戰和非常重要的音樂會，特別感謝各位的幫忙！ ⟪機械中的幽靈⟫盧長劍作曲家肖像⾳樂會 “Ghost in the Machine”: George Holloway Composer Portrait Concert 時間：113年4月9日（二）晚上19:30 地點：國家演奏廳 主辦單位：時間藝術工作室 售票連結：https://www.opentix.life/event/1760497151912366081 #timeartstudio #時間藝術工作室 #contemporaryartmusic #兩廳院 #國家演奏廳 #nationalrecitalhall
I’m excited to have my music featured in the C-Camerata International Festival for Contemporary Music, “Crossing Sounds”: three concerts in one day at the legendary Forum Music Taipei, with performances from the Geori Ensemble (Korea), Gunnar Berg Salzburg and C-Camerata Taipei. This is the incredible promotional video of the festival: https://tungchaoming.wixsite.com/c-camerata From the C-Camerata Website:…Continue Reading ““South of the Great Wall” 《城南荒原》quintet version premiere at C-Camerata International Festival for Contemporary Music (March ’24)”
I wrote the open score piece flourishing as incidental music to be used in the “Crossover Music Theatre” performance, put on by Nanhua University Dept. Ethnomusicology at the All Nations Cinema, Dalin, Chiayi, Taiwan on Christmas Day 2022. 我寫了一首「開放樂譜」《欣欣向榮》作為配樂，用於南華大學民族音樂學系於2022年聖誕節在台灣嘉義大林萬國戲院上演的《樂舞串流》跨域音樂劇場表演。 It was performed by mixed Chinese and Western instruments. There was very little rehearsal time, I…Continue Reading “Crossover Music Theatre incidental music “flourishing” 樂舞串流：《欣欣向榮》(Dec. ’22)”
I had a wonderful time with everyone at the TimeArt Studio, who premiered my piece (with me conducting) at Tunghai University in September. The performance had the added dramatic tension of knowing that just as the previous piece was ending, Taiwan experienced a sizeable earthquake that caused all the lighting rig and furniture to rattle! …Continue Reading “TimeArt Studio Premiere of “Walking by Willow Creek” at Tunghai University 時間藝術工作室：《漫步柳川》在東海大學之首演 2022.9.18″
This happened a while back but I’ve only just got hold of the concert programme. I was honoured to be made a guest conductor of the Taichung Chamber Choir in November 2020, and my first performance with the choir was as part of the Jazz @ Home concert in National Taichung Theatre on December 24…Continue Reading “Guest conductorship: Taichung Chamber Choir (Jazz @ Home concert, 24th Dec. 2020)”
The mother of a singer in the children’s choir wrote a moving and lively report of the UK tour, which I’ve translated into English and accompanied by photographs. Enjoy! 陶妈手记之那年夏天英国行 Mummy Tao (Snow)’s record of our Summer travel in the UK 为了参加Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod（兰戈伦国际音乐节），Holloway Children’s Choir（霍洛韦童声合唱团）师生及家长一行55人，在指挥卢长剑老师和“经济人”周婷婷的带领下，从中国到英国，穿越8266公里，天津-伦敦-兰戈伦-牛津，历时16天，9场演出，2场比赛，2次大师课，3次快闪，21首中外歌曲（7种语言），开启了一次意义非凡的快乐之旅。 The fifty-five members of the Holloway Children’s…Continue Reading “Holloway Children’s Choir UK Tour 2019: tour diary”
The Holloway Children’s Choir toured the UK in July 2019. I founded the Holloway Children’s Choir in Tianjin, China, in January 2018. The choir aims to introduce Tianjin children to the European, and especially the British choral tradition both liturgical and secular, and to involve Chinese children in the joys of music-making and choir-singing. We…Continue Reading “Holloway Children’s Choir competes and performs at Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod (July 2019)”
On the penultimate day of 2018, the Holloway Children’s Choir held a truly excellent concert to a sell-out audience at the Cathay Future Concert Hall, Tianjin. To see the programme of pieces we sang, scroll down to the bottom of the post for the poster (mostly in Chinese). Bolstered by our success applying for the…Continue Reading “Holloway Children’s Choir Winter Concert”
The Holloway Children’s Choir has had some fantastic news: we have been selected to compete in the Junior and Junior Folk competitions at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod next Summer! Info on the Eisteddfod can be found here: https://international-eisteddfod.co.uk/ I’m so proud of the children for this achievement, and I can’t wait to bring them to the…Continue Reading “Holloway Children’s Choir to Compete in the Llangollen International Eisteddfod 2019”
The Holloway Children’s Choir inaugural concert came after a term of very hard work from me and the children of the intermediate and advanced classes. They did a great job in spite of being slightly down on numbers (owing to my three week trip to the U.S., we had to organise the concert for…Continue Reading “Holloway Children’s Choir Summer Concert: Videos (July 2018)”
My children’s choir has been going well this semester. I founded it in February after the Tianjin Grand Theatre’s Mulan Children’s Choir ceased to exist (see here: http://georgehollowaycomposer.com/?p=789), and the choir is going from strength to strength. I absolutely couldn’t have done it without Zhou Ting Ting, and it’s been a huge learning experience for…Continue Reading “Holloway Children’s Choir Summer Concert (July 2018)”
Some of you will already know that I’ve recently set up my own children’s choir in Tianjin, the Holloway Children’s Choir. We had our first rehearsals this weekend. Most of my students from the now defunct Mulan have come with me on this new journey! I’m looking forward to teaching them Sumer is icumen in,…Continue Reading “Holloway Children’s Choir- inaugural rehearsals (March 2018)”
In January 2018, Tianjin International TV made a documentary about my life and work as composer, conductor and teacher in Tianjin. 在中国的朋友们，欢迎你们打开以下的链接观看天津国际频道Hello!天津的纪录片： http://tv.cntv.cn/video/VSET100183082927/35c76b659ddb4ad294aa3d03e454801f?from=timeline&isappinstalled=0 The full documentary: I’ve made a shorter edited version: Unfortunately it’s in Chinese! Apologies to my non-Chinese-speaking friends, but I encourage you to take a look anyway, as it’s beautifully shot!
You can see the documentary Tianjin International TV made about my rehearsals with the delightful Mulan Children’s Choir on this project here: Tianjin International TV: Hello! Tianjin documentary http://georgehollowaycomposer.com/?p=521 July 2018: Update I’ve got the videos of the three performances up online, you can see them here: For people in China, youku links below: http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMzcwNDY1OTk4NA==.html…Continue Reading “Opera for Children’s Choir: Cao Chong Weighs the Elephant 童声歌剧：曹冲称象 （2017）”
My beloved Mulan Children’s Choir. Rachmaninoff Glorious Forever Chen Yi A Ma Lei Hou, Ga Da Mei Lin (from Mountain Songs) Franck, Panis Angelicus Mozart, Ave Verum Yang Hong Nian (arr.), Jasmine Flower 杨鸿年（编） 茉莉花 Russian Song (composer unknown) Don’t be upset! (Russian song)
This is, to my mind, one of the most important educational contributions I’ve made at the Tianjin Conservatory of Music: coaching and rehearsing this piece was a transformative learning experience for the thirteen students that premiered the piece. I personally invested 60 or more hours in rehearsing Mosaic, from one-to-one coaching, to sectionals and full rehearsals. …Continue Reading “Mosaic (2017) for 13 instruments”
This piece for flexible ensemble has had many performances over the years. I’ve posted two videos of performances below, and a bandcamp link where you can hear the audio of what I think was the world premiere, by CoMA South. http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMzE2NDA0NDU2NA==.html?spm=a2hzp.8253869.0.0 http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMzE2NDA0MzQ3Mg==.html?spm=a2hzp.8253869.0.0
I worked on Chen Yi’s choral works with students from the composition, piano and Chinese vocal departments. We all really enjoyed learning and performing these pieces.
I wrote this piece for 13 performers (all Chinese instruments, including 2 percussionists playing Chinese percussion) for the TJCM 2015 May Music Festival. It was premiered by the Fan Yin Chinese instrument ensemble. The suona player plays from three different positions, at first from behind the audience, then in the middle of the audience, and…Continue Reading “Iceflow IV (2014) for Chinese instrument ensemble (13 players)”
This vocal work sets the poetry of Li Po (Li Bai) in Chinese. The world premiere performance from my “Music for Voices” composer portrait concert in Southampton in 2012, was sung by English performers, and I did my best to coach them in the mandarin pronunciation (although of course Li Po’s own pronunciation is nothing…Continue Reading “Brief Journey (2007) for soprano, alto, erhu (or violin) and piano”
This wonderful song cycle for soprano and chamber ensemble by the American composer Lawrence Moss sets Chinese poetry in English translation. http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMzE2NDU1MzQ1Mg==.html?spm=a2hzp.8253869.0.0
This song cycle was written for, and premiered by soprano Ruth Hopkins. A Spark Lights the Void Within was written in memory of Lydia Press. I wrote the texts of the three recitatives in the wake of Lydia’s passing away, and later chose the Cavafy and Shelley poems to accompany my own. Southampton University Strings premiered…Continue Reading “A Spark Lights the Void Within (2009) for soprano and string orchestra (or piano and double bass)”
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMzE2NDQ0MDcwNA==.html?spm=a2hzp.8253869.0.0 University of Southampton “New Works Festival” 2010, University of Southampton Contemporary Music Group, cond. George Holloway. This piece formed the basis for my expansion and re-imagining of Iceflow IV.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Kyrie, eleison. Kyrie, eleison. Kyrie, eleison. Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Christe, eleison. Christe, eleison. Christe, eleison. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. LORY be to God on high. And in earth peace towards men of good will….Continue Reading “Mass of St Michael (2010) SATB, organ and cello”
This recording is Julian Jacobsen’s intensely expressive and exacting performance from 2007 (Turner Sims Concert Hall). This was the first piece I completed during my Masters study with Michael Finnissy; it was on the basis of this piece that I was chosen for the SPNM Shortlist (2006-9). The final form of the piece was…Continue Reading “Selected “early” works”