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{{short description|British/American composer|bot=PearBOT 5}}{{EngvarB|date=February 2018}}{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2018}}

factoids

Oscar Bettison (born 19 September 1975) is a British/American composer known for large-scale chamber and large ensemble works. He has been described as possessing "a unique voice". His work has been described as having "An unconventional lyricism and a menacing beauty"WEB,weblink Soundcheck CD Picks of the Week | Soundcheck, WNYC, 21 July 2020, and "pulsating with an irrepressible energy and vitality, as well as brilliant craftsmanship."WEB,weblink Stockhausen, Cage, and Bettison at Green Umbrella concert – by Bachtrack for classical music, opera, ballet and dance event reviews, He is a member of the composition faculty at the Peabody Institute.WEB,weblink Oscar Bettison, Bettison has recently been named a 2017 Guggenheim Fellow by the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation.WEB,weblink John Simon Guggenheim Foundation - Oscar Bettison, Gf.org, 22 August 2018,

Early life and education

Bettison was born in Jersey to a British father and a Spanish/Catalan mother. He started playing and composing music at an early age and, at the age of nine joined the Purcell School in London. After completing an undergraduate at the Royal College of Music with Simon Bainbridge, he studied with Robert Saxton at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama for his Master's. In 2000, he went to the Royal Conservatory of The Hague to study with Louis Andriessen and Martijn Padding, something which Bettison describes as a "formative experience." He stayed on in The Hague to complete another Master's degree and then went to Princeton University for his PhD studying with Steven Mackey.WEB,weblink Oscar Bettison - Composer: Biography, Oscarbettison.com, 21 July 2020, {{Self-published source|date=April 2017}} He has been the recipient of a number of awards including a 2018 Fromm Commission, Chamber Music America Commissioning Award (2013), the Yvar Mikhashoff Commissioning Fund Prize (2009), a Jerwood Foundation Award (1998), the Royal Philharmonic Society Prize (1997), the first BBC Young Composer of the Year Prize (1993) as well as fellowships to both the Tanglewood and Aspen music festivals. Since 2009, he has served on the composition department of Peabody Institute. His music is published by Boosey & Hawkes.WEB,weblink Oscar Bettison, Boosey.com, 21 July 2020,

Selected works

WEB,weblink Oscar Bettison - Composer: Works, Oscarbettison.com, 21 July 2020, {{Self-published source|date=April 2017}}

• O Death (2005–07) for ensembleWEB,weblink SONiC Snapshots: Oscar Bettison and Rebecca Stenn/Konrad Kaczmarek, Daniel J., Kushner, Huffingtonpost.com, 19 October 2011, WEB,weblink O Death - Oscar Bettison, by Ensemble Klang, Ensembleklang.bandcamp.com, 21 July 2020,
• B & E (with aggravated assault) (2006) for ensembleNEWS,weblink Ensemble ACJW and Brooklyn Rider - Music Review, Vivien, Schweitzer, The New York Times, 14 June 2011, 22 August 2018,
• Gauze Vespers (2008) for ensemble
• The Afflicted Girl (2010) for ensembleNEWS,weblink Work by the People and for the People, 26 February 2010, The New York Times,
• Apart (2012) for percussion WEB,weblink Apart by Oscar Bettison, Cathy van, Eck, 19 June 2017, Microphonesandloudspeakers.com, 21 July 2020,
• Livre des Sauvages (2012) for large ensembleWEB,weblink Odd instruments are music to composers' ears, Rick, Schultz, 8 April 2012, Los Angeles Times, WEB,weblink LA Phil New Music Group Opens the 2011/12 Green Umbrella Series, BWW News Desk, WEB,weblink Oscar Bettison on 'Livre des sauvages' - CSO Sounds & Stories, Csosoundsandstories.org, 21 July 2020,
• An Automated Sunrise (for Joseph Cornell) (2014) for ensembleWEB,weblink Fall preview: the (classical) music of our time, James, Chute, Sandiegouniontribune.com, 5 September 2014, NEWS,weblink James Baker Leads the Talea Ensemble at Roulette, Vivien, Schweitzer, 28 September 2014, The New York Times,
• Threaded Madrigals (2014) for solo violaWEB,weblink Threaded Madrigals, Nyphil.org, 2020-07-22,
• Sea Shaped (2014) for OrchestraWEB,weblink Music review: Elgar rescues Berkeley Symphony's season opener, Sfchronicle.com, 3 October 2014, 21 July 2020,
• String Quartet (2015)WEB,weblink Family ties bind final Festival of Contemporary Music concerts - The Boston Globe, BostonGlobe.com, 21 July 2020, NEWS,weblink At Tanglewood, Premieres Aplenty, Allan, Kozinn, 28 July 2015, The Wall Street Journal,
• Presence of Absence (2016) for mezzo soprano and large ensembleWEB,weblink The Presence of Absence, Dagindebranding.nl, 21 July 2020,
• Pale Icons of Night (2018) for violin and ensemble WEB,weblink Bettison Writes Violin Concerto for Courtney Orlando and Alarm Will Sound, Boosey.com, 21 July 2020,
• Remaking a Forest (2019) for Orchestra WEB,weblink Brahms' Second &124; Official Oregon Symphony Tickets &124; September 28, 29 & 30, Orsymphony.org, 21 July 2020,

References

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External links

• Oscar Bettison's page at Boosey & Hawkes biography, works list, recordings and performance search.
• Oscar Bettison's Peabody Institute faculty profile video
• Oscar Bettison on Livre des Savages
• Oscar Bettison interview on Composition Today
• Oscar Bettison on New Music Box
• Oscar Bettison interview on The Huffington Post
• Oscar Bettison's Profile at the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation
• Oscar Bettison's Official Website

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