A composer and pianist whose work historically reflects musical cultures throughout the globe. |
MATTHEW de Lacey DAVIDSON, D.M.A. - COMPOSER / PIANIST
ARTIST'S STATEMENT The influences upon my works encompass almost every country and every culture. The late Romantic view that supposed "originality" is the most important criterion to being an interesting artist does not hold water for me. Not only is it more emotionally honest to acknowledge one's influences, it produces works of higher caliber in my opinion. The approach of Bach and Shakespeare (too highly unoriginal but extremely profound talents) should be good enough for any of we mere mortals. RECENT RECORDINGS:
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What people are saying | To contact Matthew Davidson | Upcoming Concert Events |
Radio broadcasts and interviews | Concerts given at the following locations | List of works
Matthew Davidson (b. 1964, Toronto, Canada; now resident Montreal, Canada) holds degrees from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, the University of Toronto, Canada, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Apart from concertizing in Canada, New Zealand and the United States, with ragtime, early jazz, "classical" and contemporary music concerts, he actively promotes the work of other composers (both as performer and impresario) and his work has received radio broadcasts in New Zealand, North America and Europe. Dr. Davidson studied piano privately with John Powell and Rae de Lisle in New Zealand (through whom a lineage may be traced to Franz Liszt), with Bruce Greenfield and Phillipa Ward at the Wellington Polytechnical Institute's Executant Music Course in New Zealand, privately with Lawrence Pitchko and Harold Heap in Canada and with William Heiles at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the U.S.
As a composer, his works encompass almost every medium, including book, music and lyrics for two musical comedies, chamber music, improvisatory works, theatre pieces, electronic and orchestral music. Davidson is the recipient of commissions and awards from Victoria Universitry, the Queen Elizabeth II (New Zealand national) arts council, the American (formerly Minnesota) Composers' Forum, the University of Illinois, Meet the Composer/California, The Elgin Cultural Arts Commission, and has been associated with the Anthony De Mare (New York piano virtuoso of twentieth century music),
Rudolf Haken,
and with the Kronos Quartet. He has studied theory with Alexander Rapoport at the Royal Conservatory of Music (through whom a lineage may be traced to the Hochschule fur Musik in Vienna) and his principal composition teachers have been Jack Body in New Zealand, John Beckwith in Canada (through whom a lineage may be traced to Nadia Boulanger) and Salvatore Martirano in the United States.
His music is published by Honeyrock Publications in Everett, Pennsylvania and the Composers Association of New Zealand. His unpublished works are distributed by the New Zealand Music Centre, the Canadian Music Centre, and the Bibliotheque Internationale de Musique Contemporaine in Paris, France. His complete works are held in archive at the Alexander Turnbull Library division of the New Zealand National Library.
Some of his compact discs (e.g. the original Mastersound issue of "The Graceful Ghost") have become collector's items, and regularly sell on the internet for over $100.00. He has released thirteen compact disc recordings to date for
STOMP OFF RECORDS, the MASTERSOUND label, and CAPSTONE RECORDS.
He is a member of BMI (Broadcast Music, Incorporated).
His music is published by Honeyrock Publications in Everett,
Pennsylvania, and the Composers Association of New Zealand. His
unpublished works are distributed by the
New Zealand Music Centre, The American Composers Alliance, and the Canadian Music Centre. Scores, articles, and archival materials are located in the
Alexander Turnbull Library
/New Zealand National Library, Attn: Music Librarian, P.O. Box 12349, Wellington, New Zealand.
NEXT PUBLIC CONCERT:
played by the Zukofsky Quartet on June 18, 2009 (ACA Summer Festival)
"...this new disk by...Matthew Davidson is extraordinary."
- Steve O'Keefe, Cadence magazine, from his critique of The Graceful Ghost: Contemporary Piano
Rags
"...his [Davidson's] stunning premier performances...mark...this
pianist for landmark status and accolades -- adjectives for which one reaches
for the Thesaurus: prodigious, consummate,
mighty. Well -- sublime."
- Max Morath, Vanguard Recording Artist
"He has...achieved a fine reputation as a concert pianist...and...his chamber music experience has given him exceptional insight into the workings of solo and chamber string music."
"…very charming, sophisticated, and very innovative..."
2009: Menuet pour le violon solo (c. 3'')
2008: Sonatine Pastorale pour le piano (c. 11'')
2008: Papillons (15 short pieces for piano solo) (c. 20'')
2008: Music for Piano with Orchestra (c. 30'')
2008: Menuetto (piano arrangement of Mov't 3 of Schubert's 5th symphony) (c.3")
2007: The Owl and The Pussy Cat for SATB choir (c. 3")
2006: Music for String Trio (Violin, Viola, Violoncello) (c. 15")
2006: Music for Viola and Piano (c. 15")
2006: Nonsense Music (Mezzo Soprano and Piano) (c. 4")
2002: Six Chorale Preludes for piano solo (c. 14")
2000: After Brahms: Nine Concert Tangos for piano four hands (c. 9")
1999: Trois Oeuvres de Rameau - For orchestra [arrangements of harpsichord works by Jean Philippe Rameau] [revised slightly 2009] (c. 10")
1999: Four Songs for unaccompanied clarinet in Bb (c. 12")
1997: Nicklettes (orchestral suite for children) (10")
1996: Nicklettes (solo piano suite for children) (10")
1995: In the Land of Wonderful Dreams (five movement suite for solo piano) (c. 25")
1993: Stolen Music for a flute player solo flute and/or piccolo (10")
1993: Etudes for Piano, Book I (five movements, c. 14")
1993: Etudes for Piano, Book II (five movements, c. 25")
1992: Millet Music for as many musicians as possible (work for multiple percussionists) (Indeterminate length)
1991: "#5" for analog tape (6")
1991: I had five long years for string quartet (8")
1990: The Minute Passacaglia for analog tape (1")
1989: Le Poème Inattendu for Large Orchestra (c.25")
1989: Three Elusive Rags for piano solo (10")
1988: Signor Grinderino for analog tape (7:45")
1988: Between the Lines for analog tape (8:02")
1988: Music for String Quartet (revised 1996) (6")
1988: Deux Plaisanteries for (Eb) alto sax and piano (5")
1985: Magyar Rondo for solo viola (6")
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Compositions | |||
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MUSIC FOR PIANO WITH ORCHESTRA - 3rd Movement |
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| MUSIC FOR PIANO WITH ORCHESTRA - 3rd Movement.mp3 - complete | |||
| MUSIC FOR PIANO WITH ORCHESTRA - 3rd Movement.pdf - complete | |||
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Please visit this website: http://sounz.org.nz/works/show/18243 | |||
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MUSIC FOR PIANO WITH ORCHESTRA - 4th movement |
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| MUSIC FOR PIANO WITH ORCHESTRA - 4th movement.mp3 - complete | |||
| MUSIC FOR PIANO WITH ORCHESTRA - 4th movement.pdf - complete | |||
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Please visit this website: http://sounz.org.nz/works/show/18243 | |||
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SONATINE PASTORALE (3rd movement - excerpt) |
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| SONATINE PASTORALE (3rd movement - excerpt).mp3 - complete | |||
| SONATINE PASTORALE (3rd movement - excerpt).pdf - complete | |||
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Please see the following website: | |||
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"Le Rappel des Oiseaux" from TROIS OEUVRES DE RAMEAU |
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| "Le Rappel des Oiseaux" from TROIS OEUVRES DE RAMEAU.mp3 - complete | |||
| "Le Rappel des Oiseaux" from TROIS OEUVRES DE RAMEAU.pdf - complete | |||
©2009 by Matthew Davidson
All Rights Reserved
Matthew Davidson is a member of Society of Composers, Inc. SCI is dedicated to the promotion of composition, performance, understanding and dissemination of new and contemporary music.