Erika Fox facts for kids

Erika Fox (born on October 3, 1936) is a British composer and teacher. She was born in Vienna, Austria, and grew up in an Orthodox Jewish family. In 1939, when she was just three years old, Erika moved to England as a refugee.

In England, she studied how to compose music at the Royal College of Music. Her teachers included Bernard Stevens, Jeremy Dale Roberts, and Harrison Birtwistle.

Early Career and Success

From the 1970s, Erika Fox was very active in the world of modern music. She worked with famous groups like the Fires of London and the Nash Ensemble. She also worked with the Dartington International Summer School and the Society for the Promotion of New Music.

For about 20 years, her music was quite popular. Some of her well-known pieces from this time include the Kaleidoscope quartet (written in 1983 for flute, harp, vibraphone, and cello) and her puppet music drama called The Bet (from 1990). The Bet was performed in many places, including the Purcell Room and the Almeida Theatre. However, her music became less known in the mid-1990s.

Renewed Interest in Her Music

Recently, there has been new interest in Erika Fox's music. In 2019, her first music recordings were released on a CD. In 2020, her orchestral piece Osen Shomaat was recorded by the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

A new piano concerto, David Spielt Vor Saul, was ordered by the BBC. A concerto is a piece of music for a solo instrument (like a piano) and a large group of musicians. This new work was first performed on January 13, 2022, in Glasgow. Julian Jacobson played the piano, and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra performed it, led by Geoffrey Paterson.

Musical Style and Teaching

Erika Fox's music has a special sound. It mixes the lively tunes of Eastern European folk music with old religious chants and Jewish Chassidic music.

Besides composing, Erika Fox has also taught music. She taught at the Centre for Young Musicians in Pimlico and at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She also visited the University of Auckland in New Zealand as a composer and teacher.

Selected Musical Works

Erika Fox writes music for different types of performances, including stage shows, singing, and instruments. Her compositions often include parts of traditional Jewish music. Here are some of her works:

• Nine lessons from Isaiah (1970)
• Paths Where the Mourners Tread (1980), for a small group of instruments
• Kaleidoscope (1983), a quartet for four instruments
• Shir (1983) for a large group of instruments
• On Visiting Stravinsky's Grave at San Michele (1988), for piano
• The Dancer, Hotoke (1991), a short opera with words by Ruth Fainlight
• The Moon of Moses (1992), for solo cello
• Osen Shoomaat (1985), for 36 solo string instruments
• The Bet (1990), a puppet music drama with words by Elaine Feinstein
• Malinconia Militare (2003), for a small group of instruments
• Café, Warsaw 1944 (2005), for a small group of instruments
• Several Fanfares (2020), for solo trumpet
• Lament 2020 (2020), for contrabass flute and piano
• David Spielt Vor Saul (2021), for piano and a group of instruments