Profile

Biography

Roger Marsh studied at the University of York in the early seventies. His composition PhD (1974) was supervised by Bernard Rands. He spent two years (1976-78) at the University of California, San Diego, on a Harkness Fellowship. From 1978 to 88 he lectured at the University of Keele, and was for three years Head of Department there, before returning to York, where he is currently Professor of Music. His music has been performed and broadcast widely. A work for piano and orchestra, Stepping Out, was premiered at the BBC Prom season in 1990. An orchestral piece Espace was premiered at the Huddersfield Festival in 1994. A work for percussion quartet, Sukeroku (2000), composed for 'Backbeat Percussion', has been extensively toured by them and was recorded in Japan along with a work for O-Tsuzumi and Percussion quartet, Atsumari (2004) (CD: NF61801). His setting of all of Albert Giraud's Pierrot Lunaire - 50 Rondels Bergamasques was released in 2007 on NMC records (NMC127), and a major article on Giraud was published in twentieth century music (CUP) also in 2007. A setting of Dante, 'Il Cor Tristo', was premiered by the Hilliard Ensemble in Perugia, Italy, in September 2008, and a new work for the ensemble 'de ereprijs' was performed in Arnhem, Holland, in October 2009. Roger Marsh directs the ensemble Black Hair which specialises in the theatrical realisation of contemporary music. An extended music theatre piece, 'Rising', was premiered by the group in May 2010.  In 2010 he composed music for a major BBC Radio 3 production of Goethe's Faust. Roger is also known for his abridgements and productions of all the novels of James Joyce for Naxos Audiobooks, including Joyce's 'Ulysses' - unabridged on 22 CDs (2004).

Departmental roles

• Concert Committee (Chair)
• Senior Management Committee
• Careers Officer

Research

Overview

• Composition
• Music Theatre
• Contemporary Music
• Japanese Music

Current projects

• New work 'What Charlie Did Next' for the ensemble 'de ereprijs' to be premiered in Arnhem October 29th 2009
• Lullaby for soprano and marimba on NMC Songbook CD (NMC D 150)
• New Dante setting for the Hilliard Ensemble - 'Il Cor Tristo' - premiered in Perugia at Sagra Musicale Umbra festival, September 15th 2008. Performance in York October 28th 2009 (see concerts diary)
• Joyce's Women: a presentation at the Sunday Times Literary Festival April 1 2008 - more information...

Grants

• Learning and Teaching Projects Fund (2009) for 'Devising Tristram Shandy' (Practical Project 2009)
• Innovation in Research Pump-priming Fund award (2005) for project to develop pilot Interactive DVD of sections of Pierrot Lunaire.
• Teaching Innovation Development award (2004) to explore group composition teaching using smart-board technology
• AHRB Small Grant in the Creative and Performing Arts (2004) to support project Interactive live composition using advanced real-time digital transformation processes.
  

Publications

Selected publications

• A Multicoloured Alphabet: Rediscovering Albert Giraud’s Pierrot Lunaire Twentieth-Century Music (March 2007), 4.1: 97-121 Cambridge University Press
• Marsh, R. Heroic Motives: Sound and sign in the music of Brian Ferneyhough. Musical Times, Feb 1994. 3 pages with musical examples.
• Marsh, R. Every Bloody Note: the recent music of Benard Rands. Musical Times, August 1995. 6 pages with musical examples.
• Marsh, R. New Pathways - the Sequenzas and Chemins of Luciano Berio. Consequenze; Rotterdamse Kunststichting, Muziekcahiers series. Nov 1995. 10 pages with musical examples. (Published in English and Dutch)
• Marsh, R. Foxes and Vixens: the recent music of Vic Hoyland. Tempo, Dec 1998. 4 pages with musical examples.

Full publications list

• Also new entries for the Revised New Grove Dictionary of Music on Bernard Rands and Vic Hoyland.
• Also several commissioned CD and festival programme notes on the music of Luciano Berio.
• Invited conference paper Sight and Sound: the composer and the clicktrack. Form and Forming in Music: Anglia Polytechnic University, Cambridge. April 8/9 2000
• Joyce performance: readings and music including 'Not a soul but ourselves' at the London 2000 Joyce Symposium, Goldsmiths College June 24 2000.
• Article in The Independent: Finnegans Wake: The purest blarney you've never heard.

Compositions

• Rising (2010) music theatre for ensemble.  Premiere by Black Hair, York, May 2010.
• A Lyke Wake  Dirge (for choir). Premiere by The 24 in Beijing, China, April 2010.
• Lullaby (2009) for voice and marimba.  CD recording NMC Songbook.
• What Charlie Did Next (2009) for ensemble. Premiere by ensemble 'de ereprijs', Arnhem, Holland, October 29th 2009.
• Il Cor Tristo (2008) for male vocal quartet. Premiere September 15th 2008 by the Hilliard Ensemble at the Sagra Musicale Umbra, Perugia, Italy.
• Sankyoku (2004) for alto flute, guitar and percussion. First performance April 2004 by The New Music Players, Bristol University.
• Atsumari (2003) for O-Tsuzumi and percussion quartet. Comissioned by Backbeat Percussion Quartet with Shonosuke Okura. First performance in the Media Dome, Fukuoka, Japan, November 2003. CD recording Hiten: NF61801
• From Every Sides (2003) for octet: (percussion quartet and clarinet quartet) for Backbeat and Chinook Quartets. First performance RNCM March 21 2003
• Pierrot Lunaire: Part 2 (2002) Settings of the final 28 poems from Albert Giraud's 1884 collection; for combined vocal ensembles, with some instruments. First performance: Lyons Concert Hall, York. November 13/14/15 2002.
• Wiegenlied (2002) for tenor and prepared piano. Composed for John Potter and Nicky Losseff and first performed by them at the York Spring Festival of New Music, May 2002.
• More Silly Love Songs (2002) for soprano and ensemble. 3 songs: 'I Love the Way', 'Western Wind' and 'Hold me Tight'. First performance given by the Cornelius Cardew Ensemble, York, March 2002.
• Pierrot Lunaire: Part 1 (2001) Settings of the first 22 of Albert Girauds collection 'Pierrot Lunaire'for combined vocal ensembles. Composed for the Hilliard Ensemble Festival, Schloss Engers, Koblenz. August 2001
• Hold Me Tight (2000) for three voices. Composed for 'Trio Mediaeval'.
• Sukeroku (2000) for percussion quartet. Commissioned by Backbeat with funds from the Arts Council of England. Premiere at the Royal Northern College of Music, Feb 5 2000.
• Canto 1 (1999) for eleven solo strings. Premiered by the Goldberg Ensemble, conducor Malcom Layfield, Huddersfield Festival Nov 24 1999.
• Slow Right Arm (1997) for baroque violin and double bass. Commissioned by Maya Homburger and Barry Guy. Premiere at Huddersfield Festival of Contemporary Music, 28 November 1997.
• Spin (1997) for piano solo and 9 instruments. Commissioned by Ensemble Telemaque, Marseille. Premiere by Telemaque at Cite de la Musique, Marseille, 21 November 1997. Further performance at Ancona Festival, Italy, 29 September 1998. Performance by Capricorn, conductor Roger Marsh, University of York, Oct 21 1998.
• Sozu Baba (1996) a theatre piece for soprano solo. Text by Judith Woolf (English Department, University of York). Commissioned by Janice Jackson (Utrecht). Premiere at the Kikker Theatre, Utrecht, 31 March 1997. (20 mins).
• Heathcote's Inferno (1996) for symphonic wind orchestra. Commissioned by the Royal Northern College of Music. Premiere at the RNCM on Oct 25 1996. RNCM Wind Orchestra, conductor Clark Rundell. (17 mins). CD recording on Doyen (DOY CD127)
• Waiting for Charlie (1995) for 15 instruments. Commissioned by the City of Apeldoorn (Netherlands) for 'de ereprijs' ensemble. Premiere in Alpeldoorn April 5 1996. Subsequent performances and broadcast on Dutch Radio. Performance in Moscow and Wroclaw September 1996. Recorded in public concert at BBC Radio Theatre, London, 11 January 1998. BBC Radio 3 broadcast 16 January 1998. (14 mins) CD 'Going Up'. De ereprijs ensemble. KLIM OP 007
• A little Snow (1994) for solo voice. Text by Nicanor Parra. Premiere by Anna Myatt at the Purcell Room, London, June 10 1994. (5 mins)
• Espace (1993/4) for large orchestra. Composed during leave supported by Arts Council of England Composers Bursary. Premiere at Huddersfield Town Hall during Huddersfield Festival of Contemporary Music, 26 Nov 1994. English Northern Philharmonia, conductor Diego Masson. Broadcast BBC Radio 3 27 Nov 1994. (17 mins).
• Hoichi (1992) for solo alto flute with live electronics. Commissioned by Jos Zwaanenburg (Hilversum). Premiere at Middelburg Festival, Netherlands, 3 July 1992. Broadcast BBC Radio 3 April 1994.
• The Bodhi Tree for trombone and soprano. Commissioned by Barrie Webb and Nicola Walker Smith. First performance St. Paul's Hall, Huddersfield, May 1992.
• Kagura (1991) for 15 players. Commissioned by the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group in association with Keele University and West Midlands Arts. First performance at the Adrian Boult Hall, Birmingham, Sept 29 1991. Recorded by the BBC. Details of a more recent performance, here at York, are available.
• Stepping Out (1990) for piano and orchestra. Commissioned by the BBC for the 1990 Prom season. 1st performance at the Royal Albert Hall, Aug 31 1990. Broadcast live and recorded for later broadcast, BBC Radio 3. Duration 14 minutes.
• Love on the rocks (1989) Music Theatre for voices and amplified flute quartet. Commissioned by the Arts Council of Great Britain. 1st performance at the 1990 Huddersfield Festival of Contemporary Music, (Nov 26) with subsequent performances in London (Dec 4, 5&6). Duration 30 mins. Concert version for voice, cl, vn, pf, perc, vcl (2000) premiered at Dartington College of Arts, May 2000.
• The Big Bang (1989) A dramatic oratorio for voices and instruments.1st performance at the Norwich Festival of Contemporary Church Music, Norwich Arts Centre, July 1 1989. Duration: 2 hours.
• Dying for it (1988) for nine instruments 1st performance by Akanthos Ensemble, Phoenix Art Centre, Leicester, 23 February 1990.
• Ferry Music (1988) for clarinet, cello and piano Commissioned by GLAA for the Muhlfeld Trio. 1st performance at the Purcell Room, London, October 6th 1988. Duration: 9 minutes.
• Easy Steps (1987) for solo piano. Commissioned by Reading University for Anthony Williams. 1st performance Reading University. 4 March 1988. Duration: 10 mins.
• The Song of Abigail (1986) Commissioned by the BBC for Lontano ensemble. 1st performance 7 March 1987 at St John's, Smith Square. Broadcast April 1987, Radio 3. Duration: 20 minutes.
• Music for piano and Wind instruments (1986) Commissioned by the University of York with funds from Yorkshire Arts. 1st performance by Anemone, 17 March 1986. Subsequent performance by Lontano for BBC Radio 3, November 3 1987. Duration: 12 mins.
• Samson (1983) A dramatic oratorio for voices. Commissioned for VOCEM by the Arts Council of Great Britain. 1st performance at the 1984 Nettlefold Festival, 20 October 1984. Duration: 30 mins.
• The Wormwood and the Gall (1981) Mezzo-soprano and 6 instruments. Commissioned by the Arts Council of Great Britain. 1st performance at the Wigmore Hall, London, by Linda Hirst with Lontano. 6 July 1981. Duration 14 mins.
• Still (1980) for full symphony orchestra. Commissioned by the Feeney Trust for the CBSO. 1st performance at Birmingham Tow Hall, 13 November. Duration: 12 mins.
• A Psalm and a Silly Love Song (1979) Soprano, mezzo and 6 instruments. Commissioned by Elms Concerts. 1st performance by Lontano 25 April 1979, Collegiate Theatre, London. Duration 13 minutes.
• Not a soul but ourselves..... Commissioned by the Arts Council of Great Britain for the Extended Vocal Techniques Ensemble, San Diego. 1st performance in San Diego 29 November 1977. Subsequent performances worldwide, and recording on WERGO (WER 60094) by Electric Phoenix. Duration: 16 mins.
• Variations for trombones (1977) Commissioned by Los Angeles trombonist Miles Anderson. 1st performance at Los Angeles City Art Museum, 5 February 1979.

Recordings

All compositions published by Peters Edition London (1993 onwards) and Chester Novello (before 1993).

• Pierrot Lunaire: 50 Rondels Bergamasques Hilliard Ensemble, Ebor Singers, Juice, Red Byrd, Linda Hirst, Joe Marsh. NMC Records D127 (click link to go to catalogue page with audio excerpts)
• Atsumari/Sukeroku: Noh drummer Shonosuke Okura with Backbeat Percussion. Recorded in Japan 2003. CD: NF61801
• Ferry Music (for clarinet, cello and piano). The Muhlfield Trio. On Clarinet Classics CC0007
• Heathcote's Inferno (for Wind Orchestra). RNCM Wind Orchestra, conductor Timothy Reynish On Doyen: DOY CD127
• Love on the Rocks (for amplified voices and electric flute quartet). Midland Music Theatre with the Tibia Flute Quartet. On Erasmus WVH 154
• Waiting for Charlie (for 15 players). de ereprijs ensemble.
• Lullaby for Soprano and Marimba on NMC Songbook CD (NMC D 150)

Teaching

Undergraduate

• Composition
• Music Theatre
• Words and Music