# Bryn Harrison

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British experimental composer (born 1969)

**Bryn Harrison** (born 1969 in [Bolton](/source/Bolton), [England](/source/England)) is a British experimental [composer](/source/Composer). His works have been widely performed by international ensembles and he was a recipient of the 2013 Paul Hamlyn Foundation Award for Composers.[1] He is currently [Reader](/source/Reader_(academic_rank)) in Composition at the [University of Huddersfield](/source/University_of_Huddersfield).[2]

His music deals with ideas of repetition and memory by using "recursive musical structures"[3] and sometimes extended durations, such as the 45-minute ensemble work *Repetitions in Extended Time* (2008) and the 76-minute piano piece *Vessels* (2013).[4]

## Education

Harrison initially studied at the [Leeds College of Music](/source/Leeds_College_of_Music) (1988–91), before completing a [master's degree](/source/Master's_degree) under composer [Gavin Bryars](/source/Gavin_Bryars) at [De Montfort University](/source/De_Montfort_University), Leicester. In 1999 he was selected to compete for the [Gaudeamus International Composers Award](/source/Gaudeamus_International_Composers_Award) in the Netherlands. He also studied briefly with [Christian Wolff](/source/Christian_Wolff_(composer)) and [Alvin Lucier](/source/Alvin_Lucier) in 2001 at the [Ostrava Days](/source/Ostrava_Days) in the Czech Republic.[2] He was awarded a [PhD](/source/Doctor_of_Philosophy) degree by the [University of Huddersfield](/source/University_of_Huddersfield) in 2007.

## Career

Harrison established an early relationship with the [Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival](/source/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.[5] Ensembles and soloists who have performed his music include [Ensemble recherche](/source/Ensemble_recherche), [Klangforum Wien](/source/Klangforum_Wien), the [London Sinfonietta](/source/London_Sinfonietta), the [London Symphony Orchestra](/source/London_Symphony_Orchestra), Apartment House, [Plus-Minus](/source/Plus-minus_ensemble), Asamisimasa, [ELISION](/source/ELISION_Ensemble), EXAUDI, the pianists Philip Thomas and Mark Knoop, and the violinist [Aisha Orazbayeva](/source/Aisha_Orazbayeva).[5]

## Style

Harrison's work is influenced by the music of [Morton Feldman](/source/Morton_Feldman).[6][7] Feldman and Harrison's works share a general quietness and contemplativeness,[8][9] a static texture[10] 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."[11] Other composers for whom Harrison has expressed an admiration include [John Cage](/source/John_Cage), [Laurence Crane](/source/Laurence_Crane), [Tim Parkinson](/source/Tim_Parkinson), [James Saunders](/source/James_Saunders_(composer)), Richard Glover, [Howard Skempton](/source/Howard_Skempton), [Christopher Fox](/source/Christopher_Fox_(composer)), [Linda Catlin Smith](/source/Linda_Catlin_Smith), [Martin Arnold](/source/Martin_Arnold_(composer)), and [Cassandra Miller](/source/Cassandra_Miller).[4]

Harrison has also been influenced by visual artists such as [Brice Marden](/source/Brice_Marden), [Agnes Martin](/source/Agnes_Martin), James Hugonin and the painter and printmaker Mike Walker, with whom he has collaborated.[12] The artwork of [Bridget Riley](/source/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.[13][14]

## Significant works

- *Passing Light* (2014) for ensemble and electronics. 40-minute work commissioned by the London Sinfonietta for the [Spitalfields Festival](/source/Spitalfields_Music).[15]

- *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.[10]

- *Vessels* (2012) for piano. Revised to a 76-minute version in 2013, released on the label Another Timbre.[16]

- *Surface forms (repeating)* (2009) for ensemble. Written for [ELISION](/source/ELISION_Ensemble).[17]

- *Repetitions in Extended Time* (2008) for ensemble. 43-minute work commissioned by [Plus Minus](/source/Plus-minus_ensemble).[17]

[18]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Paul Hamlyn Award winners announced / ArtReview"](https://artreview.com/news/news_14_nov_paul_hamlyn_award_winners_announced/). *artreview.com*. Retrieved 8 September 2018.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_2-1) ["Bryn Harrison — University of Huddersfield Research Portal"](https://pure.hud.ac.uk/en/persons/bryn-harrison). *pure.hud.ac.uk*. Retrieved 8 September 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Richard., Glover (2013). *Overcoming Form: reflections on immersive listening*. Harrison, Bryn. University of Huddersfield Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781862181205](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781862181205). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [945782374](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/945782374).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_4-1) Reynell, Simon. ["Vessels"](http://www.anothertimbre.com/vessels.html). *www.anothertimbre.com*. Retrieved 8 September 2018.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:2_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:2_5-1) ["Harrison, Bryn | NMC Recordings"](https://www.nmcrec.co.uk/composer/harrison-bryn). *www.nmcrec.co.uk*. Retrieved 8 September 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** *The Ashgate research companion to experimental music*. Saunders, James, 1972 December 12-. Farnham, England: Ashgate. 2009. p. 223. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780754662822](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780754662822). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [311310354](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/311310354).{{[cite book](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_book)}}: CS1 maint: others ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_others))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Fox, Christopher (17 November 2006). ["Lost in music"](https://www.theguardian.com/books/2006/nov/18/classicalmusicandopera.music). *The Guardian*. Retrieved 8 September 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Driver, Paul (30 November 2008). "All rubbish? On yer bike". *The Sunday Times*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Made in Yorkshire at Leeds Lieder+"](https://bachtrack.com/en_GB/review-songs-by-strauss-de-falla-novello-leeds-lieder). *bachtrack.com*. Retrieved 8 September 2018.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:3_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:3_10-1) Molleson, Kate (14 July 2016). ["Harrison: Receiving the Approaching Memory CD review – a perfect slice of gossamer music"](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/jul/14/bryn-harrison-receiving-approaching-memory-cd-review-orazbayeva-knoop). *The Guardian*. Retrieved 8 September 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Time, Memory and Recursive Structures - University of Huddersfield"](https://web.archive.org/web/20180908164938/https://research.hud.ac.uk/institutes-centres/cerenem/brynharrison/). *research.hud.ac.uk*. Archived from [the original](https://research.hud.ac.uk/institutes-centres/cerenem/brynharrison/) on 8 September 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** *The Ashgate research companion to experimental music*. Saunders, James, 1972 December 12-. Farnham, England: Ashgate. 2009. p. 289. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780754662822](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780754662822). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [311310354](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/311310354).{{[cite book](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_book)}}: CS1 maint: others ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_others))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** *The Ashgate research companion to experimental music*. Saunders, James, 1972 December 12-. Farnham, England: Ashgate. 2009. pp. 287–290. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780754662822](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780754662822). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [311310354](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/311310354).{{[cite book](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_book)}}: CS1 maint: others ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_others))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Jeal, Erica (31 May 2011). ["London Sinfonietta/Collon – review"](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/may/31/london-sinfonietta-review). *The Guardian*. Retrieved 8 September 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** Harrison, Bryn (2014). ["Passing Light (2014)"](http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/id/eprint/30059/). *eprints.hud.ac.uk*. Retrieved 5 May 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["Boring Like A Drill. A Blog. » Bryn Harrison's "Vessels""](https://www.cookylamoo.com/boringlikeadrill/2014/05/bryn-harrisons-vessels.html). Retrieved 5 May 2019.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:4_17-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:4_17-1) ["10 for '10: Bryn Harrison"](https://johnsonsrambler.wordpress.com/2010/04/05/10-for-10-bryn-harrison/). *The Rambler*. 5 April 2010. Retrieved 5 May 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** ["Bryn Harrison - Works List"](http://www.brynharrison.com/works.html). *www.brynharrison.com*. Retrieved 8 September 2018.

## External links

- [Bryn Harrison](http://www.brynharrison.com/) – official site

Authority control databases International VIAF GND National Israel Catalonia Artists MusicBrainz People Deutsche Biographie Other Yale LUX

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