"Tim Ewers - composer, lecturer, researcher - is one of the most interesting of that generation of English composers born in the late 1950's. His works, large scale or for small forces, steadfastly display to the ear an exciting blend of intuition and intellect. One element that reiterates itself in his music is melos - an element that nowadays is often ignored or abused. It is difficult to recall a period in the history of West European classical music when melos has not played a predominant rôle in a piece whether its inflection is contrapuntal, harmonic or rhythmic.
Proof of what is here claimed for Ewers may be witnessed in two examples of his composition, chosen at random. First, Altiplano for Orchestra, inspired by a visit to South America. This tone poem expresses feelings at the sight of the Bolivian Andes with the sweep from plain to jagged mountain peak. Second, and in contrast, Following On for oboe and piano. A highly imaginative exploitation of the attributes of the oboe, happily in partnership with its keyboard companion. If one knows that Ewers is a consummate oboist of concert platform standard, such a work is no surprise.
Ewers' experience as creator, administrator, fixer, player and composer of the much praised Varèse Ensemble, which flourished in the 1980's has enabled him to particularly appreciate the needs of both player and listener. Simply examine the score or listen to ...blue, indigo, violet for brass quintet or Blackheath Counterpoint for small orchestra."
Stanley Glasser Emeritus Professor of Music, Goldsmiths' University of London.
Proof of what is here claimed for Ewers may be witnessed in two examples of his composition, chosen at random. First, Altiplano for Orchestra, inspired by a visit to South America. This tone poem expresses feelings at the sight of the Bolivian Andes with the sweep from plain to jagged mountain peak. Second, and in contrast, Following On for oboe and piano. A highly imaginative exploitation of the attributes of the oboe, happily in partnership with its keyboard companion. If one knows that Ewers is a consummate oboist of concert platform standard, such a work is no surprise.
Ewers' experience as creator, administrator, fixer, player and composer of the much praised Varèse Ensemble, which flourished in the 1980's has enabled him to particularly appreciate the needs of both player and listener. Simply examine the score or listen to ...blue, indigo, violet for brass quintet or Blackheath Counterpoint for small orchestra."
Stanley Glasser Emeritus Professor of Music, Goldsmiths' University of London.
Born in Welwyn Garden City in 1958, I was encouraged from an early age by my music teacher mother to play the piano and violin but only found my ideal instrument when, at the age of sixteen, I took up the oboe. The piano and violin soon fell by the wayside but, in addition to the oboe, I also took up the saxophone, playing in a variety of youth orchestras, chamber ensembles and rock bands before going to study music at the University of Surrey (1976-79).
At University, I intended to specialise in performance on the oboe, but finding myself to be one of twelve oboists in a Department of forty meant that performing opportunities were in short supply and I developed an interest in composition that had started whilst at school. In this, I was encouraged by my teachers; Reginald Smith-Brindle and Robin Maconie and was awarded the Joyce Dixey Composition Prize in my final year.
In 1979, with two fellow Surrey graduates, Martin Pring and Tim Stephenson, I founded the Varèse Ensemble, a chamber orchestra specialising in the performance of contemporary classical music. The Varèse Ensemble performed frequently (1979-85) at the Southbank Centre and other major venues and gave the first performances of many of my early works. During the late 1980's, I worked closely with the new music group Quorum, producing a number of pieces for them. In 1994 their broadcast performance, on Radio 3, of Squaring the Circle was chosen for Midnight Oil's pick of the year programme.
After gaining a Masters degree in composition from the University of London in 1982, I was asked to join the teaching staff at Goldsmiths' College and continued to work there until 1995. Since 1994, I have worked at Kingston University and am now Principal Lecturer and Director of Studies for Music. In 1996, I was awarded a Doctorate in composition by the University of Nottingham.
Commissions, performances and recordings are a continuing part of my life: in 2001, the London Schools Symphony Orchestra's performance at the Barbican Centre of Altiplano was filmed for an Arts Channel documentary and the concert review by Roderic Dunnett in the Independent acclaimed the work a masterpiece. More recently I have completed pieces for Jane Manning and her Minstrels, for the Delta Saxophone Quartet, The Fibonacci Sequence and for the Liverpool Philharmonic 10/10 Ensemble. CD recordings of many of my pieces are commercially available and details are provided on the 'releases' page.
Many of my scores are now available to view in Sibelius format from this site and you can also listen to MP3 recordings of a wide selection of them.
At University, I intended to specialise in performance on the oboe, but finding myself to be one of twelve oboists in a Department of forty meant that performing opportunities were in short supply and I developed an interest in composition that had started whilst at school. In this, I was encouraged by my teachers; Reginald Smith-Brindle and Robin Maconie and was awarded the Joyce Dixey Composition Prize in my final year.
In 1979, with two fellow Surrey graduates, Martin Pring and Tim Stephenson, I founded the Varèse Ensemble, a chamber orchestra specialising in the performance of contemporary classical music. The Varèse Ensemble performed frequently (1979-85) at the Southbank Centre and other major venues and gave the first performances of many of my early works. During the late 1980's, I worked closely with the new music group Quorum, producing a number of pieces for them. In 1994 their broadcast performance, on Radio 3, of Squaring the Circle was chosen for Midnight Oil's pick of the year programme.
After gaining a Masters degree in composition from the University of London in 1982, I was asked to join the teaching staff at Goldsmiths' College and continued to work there until 1995. Since 1994, I have worked at Kingston University and am now Principal Lecturer and Director of Studies for Music. In 1996, I was awarded a Doctorate in composition by the University of Nottingham.
Commissions, performances and recordings are a continuing part of my life: in 2001, the London Schools Symphony Orchestra's performance at the Barbican Centre of Altiplano was filmed for an Arts Channel documentary and the concert review by Roderic Dunnett in the Independent acclaimed the work a masterpiece. More recently I have completed pieces for Jane Manning and her Minstrels, for the Delta Saxophone Quartet, The Fibonacci Sequence and for the Liverpool Philharmonic 10/10 Ensemble. CD recordings of many of my pieces are commercially available and details are provided on the 'releases' page.
Many of my scores are now available to view in Sibelius format from this site and you can also listen to MP3 recordings of a wide selection of them.
