John Oliver (composer)
Encyclopedia
John Oliver is a Canadian composer
, guitar
ist, and conductor
. An associate of the Canadian Music Centre
and a member of the Canadian Electroacoustic Community
, his music has been performed throughout North America and Europe. In a 1989 article in The Music Scene
, Oliver stated that he intended his music "to make sense without falling back on traditional models".
, Oliver is the son of Vancouver playwright Thelma Oliver (aka Melissa Cameron). He studied the guitar privately with Robert C. Jordan from 1972-1977. He attended the San Francisco Conservatory of Music
from 1977-1979 where he studied guitar with George Sakellariou and composition with John Adams. He transferred to the University of British Columbia
in 1979 where he earned a Bachelor of Music
in 1982 and was a pupil of Stephen Chatman
. He went on to pursue graduate studies in music composition at McGill University
where he earned a Master of Music
in 1984 and a Doctor of Musical Arts
in 1992. His teachers at McGill included Bruce Mather and John Rea
. From 1988-1989 he studied in Brussels with Philippe Boesmans
and studied psychoacoustics on his own in the library at the Centre Pompidou in Paris.
), and Fields Before Us (1990, Lori Freedman). In 1983 he helped found Montreal's Group of the Electronic Music Studio, serving as the organization's co-director through 1987. In 1988 he was awarded first prize and the Canada Council
's grand prize for his El Reposo del Fuego at the CBC National Radio Competition for Young Composers. In 1989 his Anamnèse amnésique for orchestra and Aller-Retour for chamber ensemble won two categories in the PROCAN Young Composers' Competition.
From 1989-1991 Oliver served as the composer-in-residence of the Canadian Opera Company
(COC). While there he wrote the opera Guacamayo's Old Song and Dance which uses a libretto
by the composer's mother that is based on various Guatemalan legends and pays special attention to the culture and politics of the people of Guatemala. The work incorporates pre-recorded sounds of the Guatemalan countryside and uses a score for five singers, winds, brass, guitar, percussion, and live electronics. The opera premiered in Toronto on 26 February 1991 and was subsequently broadcast on CBC Radio
on 19 October 1991. The opera also served as Oliver's doctoral composition.
Oliver's accomplishments at the COC led to his appointments as composer-in-residence of the Vancouver Opera
(1992-1996) and Music in the Morning (1993-1995). His work at Music and the Morning included compositions written for Russell Braun
, the CBC Vancouver Orchestra, and the St. Lawrence String Quartet. He has since been commissioned to write works for numerous ensembles and organizations, including the National Arts Centre Orchestra and the Vancouver Symphony, and has gained a reputation for integrating musical instruments from various musical cultures in his compositions . He has also worked actively as a performer of his own works and has sometimes conducted his own music.
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist, and conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
. An associate of the Canadian Music Centre
Canadian Music Centre
The Canadian Music Centre holds Canada's largest collection of Canadian concert music. The CMC exists to promote the works of its Associate Composers in Canada and around the world....
and a member of the Canadian Electroacoustic Community
Canadian Electroacoustic Community
Founded in 1986, La Communauté électroacoustique canadienne / The Canadian Electroacoustic Community is Canada’s national electroacoustic / computer music / sonic arts organization and as such is dedicated to promoting this progressive art form in its broadest definition: from “pure” acousmatic...
, his music has been performed throughout North America and Europe. In a 1989 article in The Music Scene
The Music Scene (magazine)
-External links:* *...
, Oliver stated that he intended his music "to make sense without falling back on traditional models".
Early life and education
Born Edward John Clavering Oliver in VancouverVancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, Oliver is the son of Vancouver playwright Thelma Oliver (aka Melissa Cameron). He studied the guitar privately with Robert C. Jordan from 1972-1977. He attended the San Francisco Conservatory of Music
San Francisco Conservatory of Music
San Francisco Conservatory of Music, formerly the California Conservatory of Music, founded in 1917, is a music school, with an enrollment of about 400 students. It was launched by Ada Clement and Lillian Hodgehead in the remodeled home of Lillian's parents on Sacramento Street. It was called the...
from 1977-1979 where he studied guitar with George Sakellariou and composition with John Adams. He transferred to the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
in 1979 where he earned a Bachelor of Music
Bachelor of Music
Bachelor of Music is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of program of study in music. In the United States, it is a professional degree; the majority of work consists of prescribed music courses and study in applied music, usually requiring a...
in 1982 and was a pupil of Stephen Chatman
Stephen Chatman
Stephen Chatman is an American composer residing in Canada.-Biography:Chatman was born in Faribault, Minnesota, and studied with Joseph R. Wood and Walter Aschaffenburg at the Oberlin Conservatory and with Ross Lee Finney, Leslie Bassett, William Bolcom, and Eugene Kurtz at the University of...
. He went on to pursue graduate studies in music composition at McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
where he earned a Master of Music
Master of Music
The Master of Music is the first graduate degree in Music awarded by universities and music conservatories. The M.Mus. combines advanced studies in an applied area of specialization with graduate-level academic study in subjects such as music history, music theory, or music pedagogy...
in 1984 and a Doctor of Musical Arts
Doctor of Musical Arts
The Doctor of Musical Arts degree is a doctoral academic degree in music. The D.M.A. combines advanced studies in an applied area of specialization with graduate-level academic study in subjects such as music history, music theory, or music pedagogy. The D.M.A...
in 1992. His teachers at McGill included Bruce Mather and John Rea
John Rea (composer)
John Rea is a Montreal-based composer who notably won the Jules Léger Prize for New Chamber Music in both 1981 and 1992. He obtained his Bachelors degree at Wayne State University , his Master of Music degree at the University of Toronto , and his PhD at Princeton University. His children's opera...
. From 1988-1989 he studied in Brussels with Philippe Boesmans
Philippe Boesmans
-Life:Boesmans was born in Tongeren and studied piano at the Conservatory in Liège, where he was also introduced to serial composing techniques by Pierre Froidebise. However, it was only after coming into contact with the "Liège Group" in 1957 that he began to write music, as a self-taught composer...
and studied psychoacoustics on his own in the library at the Centre Pompidou in Paris.
Career
During the 1980s Oliver was commissioned to compose numerous works, including Halloween (1980, Allison Voth), Before the Freeze (1984, Claude Schryer), Aller-Retour (1988, the SMCQ), New Bloom (1988, Robert AitkenRobert Aitken (composer)
Robert Morris Aitken, is a Canadian composer and flautist. He began his career as a teenager playing in a number of orchestras, notably becoming the youngest principal flautist in the history of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra in 1958 at the age if 19. In 1971 he abandoned ensemble performance...
), and Fields Before Us (1990, Lori Freedman). In 1983 he helped found Montreal's Group of the Electronic Music Studio, serving as the organization's co-director through 1987. In 1988 he was awarded first prize and the Canada Council
Canada Council
The Canada Council for the Arts, commonly called the Canada Council, is a Crown Corporation established in 1957 to act as an arts council of the government of Canada, created to foster and promote the study and enjoyment of, and the production of works in, the arts. It funds Canadian artists and...
's grand prize for his El Reposo del Fuego at the CBC National Radio Competition for Young Composers. In 1989 his Anamnèse amnésique for orchestra and Aller-Retour for chamber ensemble won two categories in the PROCAN Young Composers' Competition.
From 1989-1991 Oliver served as the composer-in-residence of the Canadian Opera Company
Canadian Opera Company
The Canadian Opera Company is an opera company in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest opera company in Canada and the third largest producer of opera in North America. The COC performs in its own opera house, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.-History:For 40 years until...
(COC). While there he wrote the opera Guacamayo's Old Song and Dance which uses a libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
by the composer's mother that is based on various Guatemalan legends and pays special attention to the culture and politics of the people of Guatemala. The work incorporates pre-recorded sounds of the Guatemalan countryside and uses a score for five singers, winds, brass, guitar, percussion, and live electronics. The opera premiered in Toronto on 26 February 1991 and was subsequently broadcast on CBC Radio
CBC Radio
CBC Radio generally refers to the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which are outlined below.-English:CBC Radio operates three English language...
on 19 October 1991. The opera also served as Oliver's doctoral composition.
Oliver's accomplishments at the COC led to his appointments as composer-in-residence of the Vancouver Opera
Vancouver Opera
Vancouver Opera is the second largest performing arts organization in British Columbia and the largest opera company in western Canada.It performs in the Queen Elizabeth Theatre accompanied currently by the Vancouver Opera Orchestra, one of two specialized opera orchestras in Canada...
(1992-1996) and Music in the Morning (1993-1995). His work at Music and the Morning included compositions written for Russell Braun
Russell Braun
Russell Braun is a Canadian operatic lyric baritone.Much sought-after as a soloist and for opera roles, Russell Braun performs regularly at the Metropolitan Opera, the Salzburg Festival, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, l'Opéra de Paris, the San Diego Opera, the San Francisco Opera and the Canadian...
, the CBC Vancouver Orchestra, and the St. Lawrence String Quartet. He has since been commissioned to write works for numerous ensembles and organizations, including the National Arts Centre Orchestra and the Vancouver Symphony, and has gained a reputation for integrating musical instruments from various musical cultures in his compositions . He has also worked actively as a performer of his own works and has sometimes conducted his own music.