Metropolis Ensemble | Groanbox: David Bruce

PERFORMERS

David Bruce

composer, born 1970

David Bruce is developing a growing international reputation as a composer, particularly in the field of opera and vocal music. His work has attracted the attention of some of the world's leading musicians, including Dawn Upshaw, who has performed his Piosenki on a number of ocassions (including at Carnegie's Zankel Hall and with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra) and for whom he is currently writing a new song-cycle with ensemble (Chamber Music Society of the Lincoln Center commission). Other supporters of Bruce's work include Osvaldo Golijov, who nominated him for the Lili Boulanger Memorial Prize (awarded 2008); as well as clarinettist Todd Palmer and the St Lawrence String Quartet who performed his Carnegie Hall commission Gumboots in October 2008.

Other current commissions include a solo harp piece for Bridget Kibbey's Carnegie Hall recital debut (April 2009); and a development commission from the Royal Opera House's ROH2 for a new chamber opera.

Bruce's work in opera has attracted considerable attention. His chamber opera Push! was commissioned by the Genesis Foundation and premiered by Tête à Tête in London and on tour in the UK in 2006. Push! was Critic's Choice for 2006 in both The Telegraph and Classical Music Magazine and received universal critical acclaim. His hour-long chamber opera A Bird in Your Ear (2008) was commissioned by Bard College, NY for Dawn Upshaw's students on the Graduate Vocal Program, and has gone on to be selected for both the finals of the National Opera Association's Chamber Opera competition 2008, and New York City Opera's VOX 2009 project. Both competitions result in presentation performances of the opera in 2009.

His song-cycle for baritone, soprano and ensemble Piosenki, described as "masterful" by Albany Times Union, was commissioned by Carnegie Hall and has since had numerous performances in the US, including three performances at Carnegie Hall itself in just its first 18 months.

Other previous commissions include an acclaimed series of mini-operas: Out of the Ordinary, for The Opera Group, Has it Happened Yet? (2002) for ENO Studios and Tête à Tête; Seven Tons of Dung for Tête à Tête (1999); incidental music to the Trestle Theatre Company's show The Smallest Person (2004); and instrumental pieces for the London Sinfonietta, BBC Symphony Orchestra, and the Presteigne and Lake District Summer Music Festivals.

As well as the Lili Boulanger Memorial Award (2008), other prizes include the Royal Philharmonic Society Composition Competition in 1994, the Adam Prize (Kings College) and the Herberts Howellls Prize (RCM).

David Bruce was born in Connecticut, USA to English & Welsh parents (he holds both UK and US citizenships). He began his undergraduate studies in music in 1988 at Nottingham University (composition tutors included Jim Fulkerson and Nicholas Sackman), before moving on to the Royal College of Music (1991–93) where he obtained a Masters Degree in Composition, studying with Tim Salter and George Benjamin; and a PhD in Composition at King's College, London (1995–99), under the supervision of Sir Harrison Birtwistle.

Complementing his work as a composer, Bruce runs the music and technology company Red Balloon Technology Ltd whose sites include the popular sheet music site 8notes.com, the melody search engine Tunespotting.com and the composers' site CompositionToday.

Visit David's site...