BRETT DEAN

LPO COMPOSER-IN-RESIDENCE & COMPOSER MENTOR

Australian composer Brett Dean has been the LPO’s Composer-in-Residence since September 2020. During his three-year residency he has also taken on the role of Composer Mentor to the LPO Young Composers Programme, providing guidance and expertise to the five participants each year, and conducting the annual Debut Sounds showcase. Tonight's concert marks the culmination of his residency, which has been a wonderfully fruitful and mutually enjoyable three years. Dean will be succeeded as Composer-in-Residence and Composer Mentor by Tania León from September 2023.

With The Lpo

The LPO worked closely with Dean on his opera Hamlet, which was premiered at Glyndebourne in 2017, winning both the 2018 South Bank Sky Arts Award and the International Opera Award for Best New Opera. In 2020 the LPO and Vladimir Jurowski gave the UK premiere of The Players for orchestra and accordion, and in 2021 the world premiere of a new version of Notturno inquieto (Rivisitato). In February 2022 the Orchestra performed Dean’s Viola Concerto under Hannu Lintu with soloist Lawrence Power, and in April 2022 gave the UK premiere of his Cello Concerto under Edward Gardner, with soloist Alban Gerhardt. October 2022 saw a performance of Three Memorials under Karina Canellakis, and January 2023 Amphitheatre under Enrique Mazzola. Most recently, in April this year, the Orchestra and Edward Gardner gave the world premiere of In spe contra spem with soprano soloists Emma Bell and Elsa Dreisig.

Background

Brett Dean began composing in 1988, initially concentrating on experimental film and radio projects and as an improvising performer. It was through works such as his clarinet concerto Ariel’s Music (1995), which won an award from the UNESCO International Rostrum of Composers, and Carlo (1997) for strings, sampler and tape, that he gained international recognition. Today Dean enjoys a busy performing career as violist and conductor, performing his own Viola Concerto with the world’s leading orchestras. He is a natural chamber musician, frequently collaborating with other soloists and ensembles to perform both his own chamber works and standard repertoire.

Recent Highlights

September 2022 saw the world premiere of In This Brief Moment for double chorus and orchestra at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall. Also this season Dean conducted the Swedish Chamber Orchestra and soprano Jennifer France in two recorded concerts at Örebro Concert Hall, including performances of his own composition And once I played Ophelia Other premieres this season include the Australian premiere of the piano concerto Gneixendorf Music; A Winter’s Journey with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra; the world premiere of a new work for the Bavarian State Orchestra; and the German premiere of In This Brief Moment with the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra. Dean’s opera Hamlet also returned for a run of performances at the Bavarian State Opera in June 2023.

PROFILE ©BOOSEY & HAWKES/INTERMUSICA