Artists

Graham Hair divides his time between Scotland and Australia with frequent visits to the United States. In Scotland he is Professor Emeritus (formerly Gardiner Chair in Music) of Glasgow University's Music Department and a Research Fellow of its Centre for Music Technology (Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering). Recent visits to the US include several 2003-2007 to Radford University and to Boston College. In Australia, he has been Adjunct Professor at Monash University in Melbourne 1999-2005, and at the Australian National University in Canberra since 2006.

Hair is principally a composer, but is also involved in performance and research. During 2003-2007 he was Australia Council Composition Fellow, which funded him to write several works for Australian soloists, ensembles and choirs. He has directed Scottish Voices since 1991. A particular research interest is in 'Empirical Performance Studies' in which the methods of science and technology are used to discover information about musical performance, which is difficult to access using the methodologies of the humanities and the 'coded knowledge' embodied in performing traditions alone.

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Gregory Hall (b. 1959) was born in San Francisco, CA. He holds a B.A. degree in Music from the University of California, Santa Barbara (1982), completing studies with Emma Lou Diemer and Peter Racine Fricker, and a Diploma degree in Composition from the Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia, PA (1986), where he studied with Ned Rorem. In 2000 he was elected to the membership of the American Composers Alliance (ACA). His works are published by the ACA. He is a Fellow of the Ucross Foundation, a member of the American Composers Forum, and the American Music Center. He is the recipient of numerous commissions. Mr. Hall's Water: 2 Poems of W.S. Merwin for Soprano and Orchestra will appear in Vol. 13 of ERMMedia's Masterworks of the New Era CD series. He has composed nearly forty works for varied ensembles, and has participated in concerts by the ACA, Society of Composers, Inc., Gamper Festival, The Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States, and the Ought-One Festival. His MAX algorithm 21st Century Baroque for computer and sampling device(s) appeared on the MAX list CD-ROM. Mr. Hall's works have been reviewed several times in the New Music Connoisseur, and in the New York Times. He has reviewed CD's for the Contemporary Record Society (CRS) Society News Magazine. Mr. Hall is listed in Marquis' Who's Who in America and Who's Who in the World.

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Kim Halliday (b. 1961) is an accomplished composer with a wide experience of writing music for film, television, theatre, multimedia and concert stage. His work includes scores for feature films, short films, documentaries and television, as well as pieces for multi-media, Internet and live performance.

In feature films, his work includes composing and playing on Credo, a horror film set in London, and on Pink Pumpkins At Dawn, a coming of age drama set in New Jersey. Halliday also worked on Still Crazy, assisting Clive Langer, and on a variety of projects for the Directors Guild of Great Britain, including music for theatre workshops, a series of Shakespeare workshops and the DGGB Showreel.

His work in short films includes B Movie Status, a short horror film, The Method, a film about films in a dystopian future, and Skin Flick, a comedy about aspirations and porn films, all three of which won prizes. He has also scored many other shorts, ranging in content from serious drama, through comedy, sci-fi, and even a couple of forays into musicals. Most directors who have worked with Halliday have done so more than once. Halliday�s agenda in film and media work is to provide the director with what they want � the music is just a constituent part, not more important than the whole.

Halliday�s work is designed to comfort and disturb in equal measure, and in order to achieve this he mixes conventional instruments with studio effects and unconventional sounds � for Credo he recorded sounds on location to build into a percussion set that was used throughout the score, and for other shorts, for example, he has used only voices, altered and edited, or only a single piano. For other pieces he has used found sound, recorded sound, and recycled material to obtain the required mood. He also has a growing collection of strange and wonderful instruments (a duduk, a waterphone and an autoharp, for example) that have been used on many occasions.

He has also provided music for documentaries, television, video and multimedia projects, along with sound design and music for theatre, including work for the OneWorldBirth project, (a free online video resource for birth professionals, activists and parents) and for the Writers Guild and Amnesty International.

Halliday studied Media Music at the London Film School in the early 1990s and has since worked with many LFS alumni on projects ranging from 2 minute trailers through to the full score for Credo. Before attending the Film School, Halliday was involved in all kinds of bands playing guitar, saxophone and keyboards, and is widely experienced in studio programming techniques, having his own recording facilities near to Heathrow Airport to the west of London.

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Canadian musicians ALLEN HARRINGTON (saxophone) and LOTTIE ENNS-BRAUN (organ) began performing together in 2005. Since then, they have given many recitals and have been featured on Winnipeg's Westminster Organ Series and at the 2016 Royal Canadian College of Organists' National Convention. They are praised for their flexible programming, which frequently features living composers as well as encompassing music from as early as the Baroque era. Allen is an associate professor at the University of Manitoba's Desautels Faculty of Music, where he teaches saxophone, bassoon, and chamber music. Outside his university teaching career he maintains a busy schedule as a soloist, orchestral and chamber musician, and adjudicator. He has recently released two CDs: Metropolis (2014) and The Postcard Sessions (2016), both on the Ravello Records label.

Lottie is the director of music and organist at Young United Church in Winnipeg, university organist for the University of Manitoba, and an active member of the Royal Canadian College of Organists. She is heard regularly as a solo recitalist and frequently collaborates as organist with choral and instrumental ensembles in Winnipeg and beyond.

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Canadian musicians Allen Harrington, saxophone and Laura Loewen, piano, established the Harrington/Loewen Duo in 2002. Praised for their musicality, tight ensemble, and virtuosic performances, the Harrington/Loewen Duo has performed throughout North America, and in Europe, Asia, and South America. Recipients of grants from the Canada Council for the Arts and the Manitoba Arts Council, they are committed to exploring the standard repertoire and actively commissioning new works. Allen is in high demand as a soloist, adjudicator, chamber and orchestra musician on both saxophone and bassoon. One of Canada's most expressive collaborative pianists, Laura performs with leading singers and instrumentalists across the country. Allen and Laura are professors at the University of Manitoba's Desautels Faculty of Music in Winnipeg, Canada.

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Joshua Harris holds degrees in music composition from Appalachian State University, Brigham Young University, and a Ph.D. from the University of North Texas. He began his career teaching high school band and choir before turning to composition full time. He is currently on the music faculty at Sweet Briar Collegein central Virginia. Previously he taught at Southeastern Oklahoma State University (2012-13), the University of North Texas (2009-2012), and Brigham Young University (2006-08).

Harris primarily composes music for a variety of chamber groups of both instruments and voices, often incorporating live computer interactivity. His work is grounded in a fascination with visual art, textures, sound spectra, non-linear narratives, and extreme temporal manipulations. It often deals with stasis and obsesses over fleeting, ephemeral moments. Harris�s compositional processes have also been heavily influenced by studio techniques of electroacoustic composers.

He has been commissioned by the Barlow Endowment for Music Composition (The Wanderer), The Nova Ensemble at UNT (OCT 21 2015), Akropolis Reed Quintet (Geryone�s), Virginia Wesleyan University, and many individual performers. He also composed the score for the 2017 film King Rat. His concert work has been performed throughout the United States and South Korea. When he is not composing he enjoys writing about art and music, traveling with his wife and two daughters, and thinking about the formal structure of sitcoms.

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Eric Honour has developed an international reputation as a composer, saxophonist, and audio engineer. A member of the Athens Saxophone Quartet, he performs regularly throughout Europe and the United States, and has presented lectures and master classes at many leading institutions.

Honour's music has been described as "fast, frenetic, and fiendishly difficult" and performed around the world by such notable artists as Quintet Attacca, Winston Choi, the Thelema Trio, and Quartetto Musicattuale. His work as a composer has been recognized in many competitions, published by Roncorp, and recorded on the Capstone and Innova labels. In addition to serving as professor of music and director of the Center for Music Technology at the University of Central Missouri, his work as an audio engineer and producer appear on the Everview, North Star Appli, Innova, and Ravello labels.

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Hubert Howe was born in 1942 in Portland, Oregon and grew up in Los Angeles, California, where he began his musical studies as an oboist. He was educated at Princeton University, where he studied with J. K. Randall, Godfrey Winham and Milton Babbitt, and from which he received the AB, MFA and PhD degrees. He was one of the first researchers in computer music and became Professor of Music and Director of the Electronic Music studios at Queens College of the City University of New York. He also taught at the Juilliard School from 1974 through 1994. In 1988-89 he held the Endowed Chair in Music at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. From 1989 to 1998, 2000 to 2001, and Fall 2007 he was Director of the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College.

He has been a member of the Society of Composers, Inc. since its founding in 1965. He served as President of the League of Composers- International Society for Contemporary Music, U.S. section from 1970 until 1979, in which capacity he directed the first ISCM World Music Days ever held outside of Europe. He has been a member of the International Computer Music Association and directed the International Computer Music Conference at Queens College in 1980. He is a member of BMI and has been a member of the American Composers Alliance since 1974, where he served as President from 2001 to 2011.

For more information, please visit http://qcpages.qc.cuny.edu/hhowe/.

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Elaine Huckle's (b. 1947) first singing efforts took place at her local church when she was 7 years of age, where she sang "O Come all ye faithful" as a solo. Her parents walked home in disbelief, newly aware that their daughter could sing rather well.

So she soon found herself singing solo at Eisteddfods and gaining many certificates at festivals. Eventually she sang solo at the age of 11 for all the local schools at Wembley Town Hall in London. Huckle was unable to go to a music college and formally trained as an engineering draftswoman. Her love of singing never diminished, and she continued to study the craft at Trinity College in London; this was a good start, and she found herself singing with a band, performing at places like the Dorchester Hotel, Caf� Royal, Cumberland Hotel, and many more.

Andrew Jackman, who arranged the music for You're A Lady, contacted Huckle and asked whether she would like to back Peter Skellern's music. She soon found herself singing on the BBC Program "Top of the Pops."

Huckle took a hiatus from signing to care for her two children, Kate and John. Shakespearean actor Sidney Bromley, who was lodging with Huckle at the time, advised her to return to singing because she had "a voice." She took this as a message, and returned to her studies. She eventually found herself singing with Pro Music Chorus in London, conductors such as Sir Charles Mackerras at the Palau de la Musica in Barcelona, and in the televised production of Benveunuto Cellini in Lyons. Unknown to her, she had undiagnosed coeliac disease and her energy levels were troubling. It was at this time she came second in a vocal competition, accompanied by Robert Keys. Huckle was later told that this amazing accompanist, who had worked with Maria Callas, had said she would make a singer.

This was a time of great change and personal development for Huckle. The coeliac disease was formally diagnosed, and her husband understood her love of music and commitment to her craft. After an interview, Huckle started studying again with Stuart Smith and Janet Edmunds, who taught vocal coaching at the Birmingham Conservatoire. Her studies soon developed into long-term friendships and musical relationships, which she values in many ways. The Birmingham Conservatoire has shown considerable interest in Huckle, and published an article about her in their official magazine.

Unfortunately, before Huckle moved to Birmingham, she found herself with breast cancer. Though she was devastated by the diagnosis, her surgeon said her way through was to sing, and she took him at his word. She sang and rested, and raised considerable funds for cancer charities by performing with schools such as King Edward VI at The Cathedral in Birmingham. Her music was sold in many cathedrals in England. Pro-Musica London also performed with her at this time at The Cathedral with Robert Hamwee, their conductor. She also performed for a charity helping Malawi, supported by many schools in Birmingham performing a kaleidoscope of different types of music from around the world. Huckle also performed for Sargent's Cancer Care for Children.

When visiting Israel, Huckle was asked to sing in the fields of Bethlehem "O Come all ye faithful," a performance bolstered by her childhood memories of singing the carol at Wembley. She also sang Weatherly's The Holy City on the Mount of Olives overlooking Jerusalem, which she regards as a precious moment in her life. On the return journey, arrangements were made for her to make a recording in the Church of the Ascension in Birmingham, which resulted in the Holy City album. Louis Demetrius Alvanis contacted Huckle to share his praise of the album, and arranged for her to sing at St. John's Smith Square in an evening recital. This was her debut performance on the professional stage as a classical singer.

Through the years Huckle's health gradually improved. She moved to bedford, where Alvanis continued his support and organized many solo recitals. Huckle has gone on to perform with talented musicians around the world, including recent performances of Rachmaninov, Ravel, and Saint-Saens alongside Ayako Yoshida. During her time in Bedford, she began recording some of her music, which has culminated in this album, TOWARD THE LIGHT. She has also supported the Classic FM Foundation and their works with the disadvantaged, and continues to perform in international concerts working with Alvanist and take master classes.

Huckle is now in good health and is taking the opportunity to sing to the fullest. She has been asked to perform in a musical comedy film in London, and has recently performed in a charity concert for Yorkshire Wildlife Park to show her support for the animal kingdom and conservation.
www.elainehuckleclassicalsinger.co.uk

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(b. 1977) — composer and sound artist — works in concert music, electronic instrument design, and multidisciplinary performances. The essence of her music builds on the unique moments where the parameters of this world are slightly altered to allow a glimpse of another reality to be present. It can be a moment where the timbre of purely acoustical writing gives surprising results or when electronics project sound into another domain, space, and reality.

She entered the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki in 2003 (M.M. 2011) to study with Paavo Heininen while also working towards a violin diploma at the Norwegian Academy of Music. Her studies in electronics continued at IRCAM Cursus 2012–13. She is currently a PhD candidate at UC Berkeley and CNMAT with Franck Bedrossian, Carmine Cella, Edmund Campion, Cindy Cox, Myra Melford, and Ken Ueno as her professors. She is also earning a Ph.D. in electro-acoustic music at the University of the Arts Helsinki.

Hynninen was awarded the Eisner Prize for Highest Achievement in the Creative Arts and the Nicola de Lorenzo Prize in Music Composition by the University of California, Berkeley. She is the recipient of numerous artist grants from the Arts Promotion Centre Finland and the Finnish Cultural Foundation. Her work has been described as “etherical” and “highly skillful,” that builds into “a strongly unifying musical arc” (Helsingin Sanomat), “fascinating experience,” and with “strong association to nature” (Hufvudstadsbladet).

Past commissions include: Orlando-fragments; It is always today (YLE, Finnish Broadcasting Company), Earthship (Divertimento Ensemble), Slutförvaringen – Kuinka puoliintuminen meitä liikuttaa (Helsinki Chamber Choir), Pepper’s ghost (Avanti! Chamber Orchestra), Glow within (Earplay), Trois Mondes (Susanne Kujala), winnowing (Jaana Kärkkäinen), …sicut aurora procedit (Mirka Malmi), Lightness of the Days; Flutterings (Camilla Hoitenga and Eija Kankaanranta), and Incandescence – Concerto for Oboe (Eeva-Kaisa Rönkä). Her upcoming works include chamber, orchestral, and electro-acoustic music for HYOID Contemporary Voices, Left Coast Chamber Ensemble, Eco Ensemble, Heather Roche, Eeva Rysä, Anna Kuvaja, and Jyrki Myllärinen. Her music has been performed in numerous festivals in Finland and abroad, including Musica nova Helsinki, Tampere Biennale, Nordic Music Days, EXPO Milan 2015, San Francisco Tape Music Festival, Mise-En Music Festival, NYCEMF, ECCO, Acanthes Festival, and ISCM to name a few.
maijahynninen.com

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