Philip Venables

Philip Venables
Philip Venables in London, 2016
Born	1979 (age 36–37) Chester
Nationality	British
Occupation	Composer
Notable work	Operatic adaptation of 4.48 Psychosis (2016) Bound to Hurt (2015) Illusions (2015)
Website	philipvenables.com

Philip Venables (born 1979) is a British composer best known for his operatic and theatrical works with themes of sexuality, violence and politics.

Life and career

Born in Chester, Venables studied at Jesus College, Cambridge and the Royal Academy of Music,^[1] where he studied under Philip Cashian and was awarded the DipRAM diploma and the Manson Fellowship in Composition.^[2]

Venables' orchestral works include Arc, written for the BBC Philharmonic; String Quartet for the Duke Quartet at Wigmore Hall; Hyaline, for the London Symphony Orchestra; and The Revenge of Miguel Cotto for the London Sinfonietta. His operatic and vocal works include In America et ego, performed at the Bregenz Festival; UNLEASHED, for the Grimeborn Festival; and Thalidomide for the BBC Singers.^[3] His artistic collaborations have included Bound to Hurt, with Turner Prize winner Douglas Gordon;^[4] and Illusions, with avant-garde cabaret artist David Hoyle.^[5]

Venables wrote the 2016 operatic adaptation of 4.48 Psychosis by Sarah Kane for the Royal Opera at the Lyric Hammersmith. Authorised by Kane's estate as the first operatic adaptation of her work, the opera was well received by critics.^[6][7]

Venables is the Doctoral Composer in Residence at the Royal Opera House and Guildhall School of Music and Drama.^[1] In 2016, he became an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music.^[8]

Venables identifies as queer and many of his works touch on LGBT culture.^[9][5] He lives in London and Berlin.^[10]

Works

Year	Title	Genre	For	Reference
2006	String Quartet	Ensemble	String quartet	ISMN 979-0-57036-076-5[11]
2006	K, prelude to Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet, K581	Ensemble	Clarinet in A and string quartet	ISMN 979-0-57036-079-6[12]
2006-11	Piano Studies (The boy with the moon in his eyes)	Solo	Piano	ISMN 979-0-57036-078-9[13]
2007	Thalidomide	Vocal	24 voices	[14]
2008	Time Stands Still, after John Dowland	Vocal	Soprano and guitar	ISMN 979-0-57036-162-5[15]
2008	ANIMA	Ensemble	14 players	ISMN 979-0-57036-087-1[16]
2009	Fight music	Ensemble	8 players	ISMN 979-0-57036-094-9[17]
2009	Len's music	Ensemble	Solo cello, viola, clarinet, horn	ISMN 979-0-57036-109-0[18]
2010	Metamorphoses after Britten	Solo	Any solo wind instrument	ISMN 979-0-57036-226-4[19]
2010	I ____ the body electric	Vocal	Male singer and male speaker with piano or another instrument	ISMN 979-0-57036-192-2[20]
2011	Flipp	Duo	Two saxophones of the same type	ISMN 979-0-57036-339-1[21]
2011	Klaviertrio im Geiste	Ensemble	Piano trio	ISMN 979-0-57036-233-2[22]
2011	Fuck Forever	Vocal	Male speaker, piano, cello and woodblock	ISMN 979-0-57036-303-2[23]
2011	numbers 76–80 : tristan und isolde	Vocal	4 voices (SATB) and string quartet	ISMN 979-0-57036-304-9[24]
2011	numbers 91–95	Vocal	Speaker and two tape recorders, harp, flute and woodblock	ISMN 979-0-57036-302-5[25]
2012	The Revenge of Miguel Cotto	Vocal	Ensemble, two male vocalists, percussion and tape	[26]
2015	Illusions	Ensemble	Video playback (projection) and 9 players	[5]
2016	4.48 Psychosis	Opera	Orchestra and 6 vocalists	[6][7]

References

1. "Philip Venables announced as Doctoral Composer-in-Residence at Guildhall School of Music and Drama — News — Royal Opera House". www.roh.org.uk.
2. "Philip Venables - University of York Music Press". www.uymp.co.uk.
3. "Philip Venables — People — Royal Opera House". www.roh.org.uk. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
4. Wainwright, Oliver; Fox, Imogen; Sample, Ian; Service, Tom (28 September 2015). "Meet the Turner prize shortlist, from the musician to the mind-reader". the Guardian. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
5. Hind, Rolf (12 September 2015). "Queer pitch: is there such a thing?". the Guardian.
6. Ashley, Tim (25 May 2016). "4.48 Psychosis review – Venables brings Sarah Kane's savage text to musical life". the Guardian.
7. "4.48 Psychosis review". The Independent. 26 May 2016. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
8. "2016 Honours are announced - Royal Academy of Music". www.ram.ac.uk.
9. "Erotic gods make sweet music | Sexuality". Topics.
10. "Philip Venables". philipvenables.com. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
11. "String Quartet by Philip Venables | University of York Music Press". www.uymp.co.uk.
12. "K by Philip Venables | University of York Music Press". www.uymp.co.uk.
13. "Piano Studies (The boy with the moon in his eyes) by Philip Venables | University of York Music Press". www.uymp.co.uk.
14. "Thalidomide". British Music Collection.
15. "Time Stands Still by Philip Venables | University of York Music Press". www.uymp.co.uk.
16. "ANIMA by Philip Venables | University of York Music Press". www.uymp.co.uk.
17. "Fight music by Philip Venables | University of York Music Press". www.uymp.co.uk.
18. "Len's music by Philip Venables | University of York Music Press". www.uymp.co.uk.
19. "Four Metamorphoses after Britten for solo clarinet by Philip Venables | University of York Music Press". www.uymp.co.uk.
20. "I _ the body electric by Philip Venables | University of York Music Press". www.uymp.co.uk.
21. "Flipp by Philip Venables | University of York Music Press". www.uymp.co.uk.
22. "Klaviertrio im Geiste by Philip Venables | University of York Music Press". www.uymp.co.uk.
23. "Fuck forever by Philip Venables | University of York Music Press". www.uymp.co.uk.
24. "numbers 76-80: tristan und isolde by Philip Venables | University of York Music Press". www.uymp.co.uk.
25. "numbers 91-95 by Philip Venables | University of York Music Press". www.uymp.co.uk.
26. "The London Sinfonietta's Blue Touch Paper programme -MusicalCriticism.com (Concert review)". www.musicalcriticism.com.

External links

Official website