Violist Composer
16th December, Zurich
Concert with Lawrence Power, Diemut Poppen and the viola class of Zurich University for the Arts. Program to include Viola, viola by George Benjamin, ‘Stranger’ for viola and viola d’amore, ‘Marin Marais Variations’ and Viola Spaces by Garth Knox
Info : ZHDK Continue reading “Concerts archive 2019”
The International Viola Society have awarded their Silver Clef 2020 to Garth Knox for lifetime achievement and contribution to the viola world.
Garth Knox donnera des cours d’alto, de musique de chambre et d’improvisation en banlieue parisienne à Chatou, du 23 au 30 avril 2022. D’autres activités sont proposées dans ce stage organisé par Musicalta. Ouvert à tous les repertoires et à tous les niveaux.
info: musicalta
A live solo recital by Garth Knox (viola and viola d’amore) can be seen here at 17.00 (UK time) on Sunday 7th November. Part of the activities surrounding the Cecil Aronowitz Viola Competition, of which Garth is a member of the jury, along with Thomas Reibl and Matthew Jones
Garth Knox will be coaching viola and chamber music in Switzerland at the Lucerne Academy for Contemporary Music from 7th to 11th February 2022. Open to all.
info : HSLU
The Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris has commissioned a piece from Garth Knox. As part of an exhibition of the historical manuscripts (texts and music) of their archives, seven composers were asked to compose pieces based on the melodies contained in these manuscripts. Recordings of these pieces are played during the exhibition, which runs from 17th September 2021 at the Centre Culturel Irlandais. Garth’s piece is for multi-tracked viola d’amore.
Info: Irish Centre
Garth Knox has released a new single on streaming platforms: ‘Ghosts’ for solo viola d’amore by Ed Bennet, performed (live) by Garth Knox.
You can stream it here
This is the first track on a new CD: ‘The Night with… live Volume 2‘, performed by various artists. Info here.
Here’s what Garth Knox says about the piece in the liner notes:
In this piece Ed found a very clever way to get round what could potentially be a major weakness of the viola d’amore and turn it into strength; namely that when you tune it up in D major (which is the standard tuning for both sets of strings) you really get a lot of D major, and not much else. Or rather, the D major chord sounds incredibly well, but it’s hard to get away from it and after a while it can end up sounding sugary sweet. Ed makes the most of this resonance, then finds a few distinctly ‘not D major’ chords to fight against it. The rest is done with ghostly resonance, which, filtered through the sympathetic strings of the viola d’amore, sounds really otherworldly.
It was a good experience to play this piece in the setting of ‘The Night with…’ where the performances happen in pubs or casual venues where the music has to be delivered with all the conviction of a stand-up comedian. The material has a natural clarity which speaks to all types of listener.
This track will also be my debut vocal recording, as in certain places I have to sing along discreetly with the resonance (that’s the weird ‘ghost’ singing you can hear in places) . A pub is an ideal place to let out your inner singer!
On 2nd July 2021, The Ragazze Quartet presented the world première of Garth Knox’s second string quartet “Four into Twenty” in an online concert as part of the West Cork Chamber Music Festival. You can read a review by Adrian Smith in the ‘Journal of Music’ here.
The excellent young violist Sara Kim has posted an exciting new video of ‘Moto Perpetuo’, the third movement of ‘Homage to Ysaÿe by Garth Knox
Sheet music available here.
Garth Knox is the specially invited online guest of the Hong Kong New Music Ensemble on 24th April.
Program to include live performances of several of his pieces by members of the HKNME : ‘Stranger’ featuring Monica Johnston on viola d’amore, Wild Animals with William Lane on viola, Viola Spaces, Marin Marais Variations with Rebecca Tang, Joelion Keung, Wai-bun Chan, Louie Lau (violas)), plus a masterclass involving three students from Hong Kong and a viola recital by Rebecca Tang and William Lane of new pieces for viola by young composers:
FRENKEL, Edo: Poetic Forms 1 (2020)
TONG, Cheuk Yan Charlotte: Desert (2020)
KOH, Emily: mega[byte] (2020)
LUNN, Ben: a gift (2018)
followed by a live forum with Garth Knox and the composers.
info: HKNME