Garth Knox facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Garth Knox
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Knox performing on the viola d'amore, 2008
Photo: Claire Stefani |
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| Background information | |
| Born | 8 October 1956 Dublin, Ireland |
| Genres | Contemporary classical music |
| Occupation(s) | violist, composer |
| Instruments | Viola, viola d'amore |
| Years active | 1983– |
| Labels | Naïve Records, ECM Records, Zeitklang records |
| Associated acts | Pierre Boulez, Ensemble InterContemporain, Arditti Quartet |
Garth Knox is a talented violist and composer from Dublin, Ireland. He was born on October 8, 1956. He is well-known for playing and writing contemporary classical music, which is a type of music created in our modern times.
Contents
About Garth Knox
Early Life and Musical Journey
Garth Knox grew up in Scotland, even though he was born in Ireland. He was the youngest of four children, and everyone in his family played a musical instrument, especially string instruments like violins and cellos. Garth chose the viola as his main instrument.
He studied music at the Royal College of Music in London. After finishing his studies, he joined a famous music group in Paris called Ensemble InterContemporain in 1983, where he played until 1990. Then, he became a member of the Arditti Quartet in London from 1990 to 1997. These groups are known for playing new and challenging classical music.
Garth has worked with many of the world's most important composers, helping them perform their new pieces for the very first time. Today, he is a solo musician, playing both the viola and the viola d'amore, which is a special string instrument. He lives in Paris, France.
Garth's Recordings and Music
Garth Knox has made many recordings throughout his career. He recorded a lot with the Ensemble InterContemporain and the Arditti Quartet. He also has several solo albums.
His first solo CD, called Works for Viola, won a special award in Germany called the Deutscher Schallplattenpreis. Another one of his CDs is named Spectral Viola. In 2008, his Viola d'Amore CD was even named "record of the month" by a well-known British music magazine called Gramophone.
In 2012, Garth released another album called Saltarello. A saltarello is a fast Italian dance from the 14th century. On this album, Garth plays the fiddle, viola, and viola d'amore. He is joined by Agnès Vesterman on cello and Sylvain Lemêtre on percussion. The music on Saltarello is very diverse, ranging from very old medieval tunes by composers like Hildegard von Bingen to more modern pieces by composers like Kaija Saariaho, and even some of Garth's own compositions. This album was praised by many music critics, including those who usually review jazz music.
External Links
- Official website: http://www.garthknox.org/
- Garth Knox on the road on the American Viola Society website.
