{{short description|British experimental composer (born 1969)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} '''Bryn Harrison''' (born 1969 in [[Bolton]], [[England]]) is a British experimental [[composer]]. His works have been widely performed by international ensembles and he was a recipient of the 2013 Paul Hamlyn Foundation Award for Composers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://artreview.com/news/news_14_nov_paul_hamlyn_award_winners_announced/|title=Paul Hamlyn Award winners announced / ArtReview|website=artreview.com|language=en|access-date=2018-09-08}}</ref> He is currently [[Reader (academic rank)|Reader]] in Composition at the [[University of Huddersfield]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://pure.hud.ac.uk/en/persons/bryn-harrison|title=Bryn Harrison — University of Huddersfield Research Portal|website=pure.hud.ac.uk|language=en|access-date=2018-09-08}}</ref>
His music deals with ideas of repetition and memory by using "recursive musical structures"<ref>{{Cite book|title=Overcoming Form: reflections on immersive listening.|last=Richard.|first=Glover|date=2013|publisher=University of Huddersfield Press|others=Harrison, Bryn.|isbn=9781862181205|oclc=945782374}}</ref> and sometimes extended durations, such as the 45-minute ensemble work ''Repetitions in Extended Time'' (2008) and the 76-minute piano piece ''Vessels'' (2013).<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.anothertimbre.com/vessels.html|title=Vessels|last=Reynell|first=Simon|website=www.anothertimbre.com|language=en-gb|access-date=2018-09-08}}</ref>
== Education == Harrison initially studied at the [[Leeds College of Music]] (1988–91), before completing a [[master's degree]] under composer [[Gavin Bryars]] at [[De Montfort University]], Leicester. In 1999 he was selected to compete for the [[Gaudeamus International Composers Award]] in the Netherlands. He also studied briefly with [[Christian Wolff (composer)|Christian Wolff]] and [[Alvin Lucier]] in 2001 at the [[Ostrava Days]] in the Czech Republic.<ref name=":0" /> He was awarded a [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]] degree by the [[University of Huddersfield]] in 2007.
== Career == Harrison established an early relationship with the [[Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival]], where his music was presented in 1993 and 1995, before he received festival commissions in 1999 and was the festival's featured composer in 2008.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nmcrec.co.uk/composer/harrison-bryn|title=Harrison, Bryn {{!}} NMC Recordings|website=www.nmcrec.co.uk|language=en|access-date=2018-09-08}}</ref> Ensembles and soloists who have performed his music include [[Ensemble recherche]], [[Klangforum Wien]], the [[London Sinfonietta]], the [[London Symphony Orchestra]], Apartment House, [[Plus-minus ensemble|Plus-Minus]], Asamisimasa, [[ELISION Ensemble|ELISION]], EXAUDI, the pianists Philip Thomas and Mark Knoop, and the violinist [[Aisha Orazbayeva]].<ref name=":2" />
== Style == Harrison's work is influenced by the music of [[Morton Feldman]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Ashgate research companion to experimental music|date=2009|publisher=Ashgate|others=Saunders, James, 1972 December 12-|isbn=9780754662822|location=Farnham, England|pages=223|oclc=311310354}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2006/nov/18/classicalmusicandopera.music|title=Lost in music|last=Fox|first=Christopher|date=2006-11-17|website=The Guardian|language=en|access-date=2018-09-08}}</ref> Feldman and Harrison's works share a general quietness and contemplativeness,<ref>{{Cite news|title=All rubbish? On yer bike|last=Driver|first=Paul|date=30 November 2008|work=The Sunday Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bachtrack.com/en_GB/review-songs-by-strauss-de-falla-novello-leeds-lieder|title=Made in Yorkshire at Leeds Lieder+|website=bachtrack.com|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-09-08}}</ref> a static texture<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/jul/14/bryn-harrison-receiving-approaching-memory-cd-review-orazbayeva-knoop|title=Harrison: Receiving the Approaching Memory CD review – a perfect slice of gossamer music|last=Molleson|first=Kate|date=2016-07-14|website=The Guardian|language=en|access-date=2018-09-08}}</ref> and a concern with repetition or, in Harrison's words, "use of recursive musical forms which challenge our perceptions of time and space by viewing the same material from different angles and perspectives."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://research.hud.ac.uk/institutes-centres/cerenem/brynharrison/|title=Time, Memory and Recursive Structures - University of Huddersfield|website=research.hud.ac.uk|language=en|access-date=2018-09-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180908164938/https://research.hud.ac.uk/institutes-centres/cerenem/brynharrison/|archive-date=2018-09-08|url-status=dead}}</ref> Other composers for whom Harrison has expressed an admiration include [[John Cage]], [[Laurence Crane]], [[Tim Parkinson]], [[James Saunders (composer)|James Saunders]], Richard Glover, [[Howard Skempton]], [[Christopher Fox (composer)|Christopher Fox]], [[Linda Catlin Smith]], [[Martin Arnold (composer)|Martin Arnold]], and [[Cassandra Miller]].<ref name=":1" />
Harrison has also been influenced by visual artists such as [[Brice Marden]], [[Agnes Martin]], James Hugonin and the painter and printmaker Mike Walker, with whom he has collaborated.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Ashgate research companion to experimental music|date=2009|publisher=Ashgate|others=Saunders, James, 1972 December 12-|isbn=9780754662822|location=Farnham, England|pages=289|oclc=311310354}}</ref> The artwork of [[Bridget Riley]] has been an especially important source for Harrison's work, in works such as ''Six Symmetries'' (2004), in which Harrison traced musical notation from geometric contours similar to those in Riley's 1960s paintings.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Ashgate research companion to experimental music|date=2009|publisher=Ashgate|others=Saunders, James, 1972 December 12-|isbn=9780754662822|location=Farnham, England|pages=287–290|oclc=311310354}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/may/31/london-sinfonietta-review|title=London Sinfonietta/Collon – review|last=Jeal|first=Erica|date=2011-05-31|website=The Guardian|language=en|access-date=2018-09-08}}</ref>
== Significant works ==
* ''Passing Light'' (2014) for ensemble and electronics. 40-minute work commissioned by the London Sinfonietta for the [[Spitalfields Music|Spitalfields Festival]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/id/eprint/30059/|title=Passing Light (2014)|last=Harrison|first=Bryn|date=2014|website=eprints.hud.ac.uk|language=en|access-date=2019-05-05}}</ref> * ''Receiving the Approaching Memory'' (2014) for violin and piano. 40-minute work for violinist Aisha Orazbayeva and pianist Mark Knoop, released on the label Another Timbre.<ref name=":3" /> * ''Vessels'' (2012) for piano. Revised to a 76-minute version in 2013, released on the label Another Timbre.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cookylamoo.com/boringlikeadrill/2014/05/bryn-harrisons-vessels.html|title=Boring Like A Drill. A Blog. » Bryn Harrison's "Vessels"|access-date=2019-05-05}}</ref> *''Surface forms (repeating)'' (2009) for ensemble. Written for [[ELISION Ensemble|ELISION]].<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=https://johnsonsrambler.wordpress.com/2010/04/05/10-for-10-bryn-harrison/|title=10 for '10: Bryn Harrison|date=2010-04-05|website=The Rambler|language=en|access-date=2019-05-05}}</ref> *''Repetitions in Extended Time'' (2008) for ensemble. 43-minute work commissioned by [[Plus-minus ensemble|Plus Minus]].<ref name=":4" /> <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.brynharrison.com/works.html|title=Bryn Harrison - Works List|website=www.brynharrison.com|access-date=2018-09-08}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{Official website|http://www.brynharrison.com/|Bryn Harrison}} – official site
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Harrison, Bryn}} [[Category:1969 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Experimental composers]] [[Category:21st-century British composers]]