Simon Bainbridge facts for kids
Simon Bainbridge (born August 30, 1952 – died April 2, 2021) was a British composer. He also taught music at important schools. He was a professor and head of composition at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He also visited the University of Louisville in the United States to teach.
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Simon Bainbridge's Early Life and Education
Simon Bainbridge was born in London, England. He showed his musical talent early on. His first big piece was called Spirogyra, which he wrote in 1970. He was still a student at the time. This music showed his love for detailed and rich sounds. This style became a key part of his work.
He went to Highgate School and then studied music at the Royal College of Music. After finishing there, he continued his studies with a famous composer named Gunther Schuller at Tanglewood in the United States.
His Music Style and Awards
Simon Bainbridge enjoyed American culture. You can hear this in some of his music. For example, his piece Concerto in Moto Perpetuo (1983) has simple, repeating patterns. His work For Miles (1994) was inspired by a type of jazz music called be-bop.
In the 1990s, his music became even more expressive. His piece Ad Ora Incerta (1994) was very special. It won him the Grawemeyer Award in 1997. This award is a big honor in music.
Teaching and Later Years
Simon Bainbridge led the composition department at the Royal Academy of Music. He held this important role from 1999 to 2007. In 2000, he became one of the first professors when the Academy joined the University of London.
Simon Bainbridge passed away on April 2, 2021. He was 68 years old. He was married to Lynda Richardson, who is a singer and vocal coach. They had a daughter named Rebecca Bainbridge, who is an actress. His ashes are buried in Highgate Cemetery in London, next to his brother Martyn.
Highlights of Simon Bainbridge's Career
Simon Bainbridge had many important moments in his career. Here are some of them:
- 1969–1974: He studied at the Royal College of Music in London. After that, he studied with Gunther Schuller at Tanglewood.
- 1976–1978: He was a special composer at the University of Edinburgh.
- 1983–1985: He worked as a composer-in-residence at Southern Arts. This meant he created music for them.
- 1997: He won the Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition for his piece Ad Ora Incerta.
- 2001: He became the head of composition at the Royal Academy of Music.
- 2002: There were special events in Cheltenham, Huddersfield, and London to celebrate his fiftieth birthday.
Key Musical Works by Simon Bainbridge
Simon Bainbridge wrote many different kinds of music. Here are some of his most important pieces:
- String Quartet no.1 (1972)
- Viola Concerto (1976)
- Fantasia for Double Orchestra (1984)
- Clarinet Quintet (1993)
- For Miles (1994) – This piece is for a trumpet and a small group of instruments.
- Ad Ora Incerta (1994) – This work includes four orchestral songs. They use poems by Primo Levi.
- Four Primo Levi Settings (1996) – These are also songs using poems by Primo Levi.
- Guitar Concerto (1998) – This is a concerto for guitar and a small group of instruments.
- Chant (1999) – This piece is for a choir and a large group of instruments.
- Voiles (2001) – This is for a bassoon and a string group.
Selected Recordings
You can listen to Simon Bainbridge's music on these recordings:
- Ad Ora Incerta; Four Primo Levi Settings – NMC D059
- Herbsttag – USK 1224CD
