Fergus Johnston facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fergus Johnston
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| Born | 21 May 1959 Dublin, Ireland |
| Genres | Classical music |
| Instruments | Composer |
Fergus Johnston (born May 21, 1959) is a talented Irish composer. A composer is someone who writes music. He is also a member of Aosdána, which is a special group in Ireland that honors artists who have made important contributions to the arts.
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Life and Career of Fergus Johnston
Fergus Johnston was born in Dublin, Ireland. His father, Roy H. W. Johnston, was a scientist (a physicist) and also involved in politics. Fergus studied music at Trinity College Dublin, where he earned both a bachelor's and a master's degree. He also has a PhD in composition from the National University of Ireland, Maynooth.
Early in his studies, he learned to play the flute and clarinet at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. In 1985, a group called the European Community Youth Orchestra asked him to write a piece of music for an orchestra. He got to work on this with the famous composer György Ligeti. From 1989 to 1991, he was the leader of the Association of Irish Composers.
Johnston writes many different kinds of music. He creates pieces for large orchestras and for smaller groups of instruments (called ensembles). Some of his music even includes electronic sounds! He has also written two operas, which are plays where the story is told mostly through singing.
His music has been played at many important events and festivals around the world. These include the Asolo Musica Festival in Italy, the International Society for Contemporary Music Festival, and the Sonorities Festival of Contemporary Music in Belfast. His work has also been featured at Raidió Teilifís Éireann's Living Music Festival in Ireland.
Selected Musical Works
Fergus Johnston has created a wide range of musical pieces. Here are some of his notable works, divided by the type of performance or instruments they are for:
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Stage Works These are pieces written for the stage, like operas:
Orchestral Works These are pieces written for a full orchestra, which includes many different instruments:
Chamber Music These are pieces for a small group of instruments, usually one player per part:
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Solo Instrumental Works These are pieces written for just one instrument:
Vocal Works These are pieces written for singers:
Choral Works These are pieces written for a choir (a group of singers):
Electro-acoustic Works These pieces combine traditional instruments with electronic sounds:
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Recordings of His Music
You can listen to Fergus Johnston's music on several recordings:
- Samsara, performed by the Ruse Philharmonic Orchestra, released in 1996.
- Kaleidophone, performed by Concorde, released in 1997.
- Je goûte le jeu ..., performed by the Irish Chamber Orchestra, released in 1998.
- A collection of works including Árd Fhearta, Carn, Signals, and Samsara, featuring various performers, released in 2001.
- Three Bulgarian Pieces, performed by Vox 21, released in 2009.
- Piano Trio, performed by the Fidelio Trio, released in 2015.
Honours and Awards
Fergus Johnston has received several awards and recognitions for his work:
- 1989 – He received the Macaulay Fellowship from the Arts Council of Ireland, which is a grant given to talented young artists.
- 1992 – He was chosen to be a member of Aosdána, Ireland's special academy for artists.
- 1996-2001 – He served on the Board of Directors for the National Concert Hall of Ireland, helping to guide this important music venue.
