9/17/2015

RolfWallinLongBiographyMusicSalesClassical

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Composers
Rolf Wallin
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Rolf Wallin
Born: 1957
Nationality: Norwegian
Publisher: Chester Music
Photo Benjamin Ealovega
RolfWallinisanexceptionallyversatilemusician,havingdistinguishedhimselfnot
onlyasoneofScandinavia'sleadingcomposerstoday,butalsoasaperformance
artistand,earlyinhiscareer,asatrumpeterinensemblesspanningearlymusicto
experimentaljazzandrock.Asacomposerhefreelycombinescomputergenerated
systemsandmathematicalformulaewithintuitiveapproaches,andthecomplexyet
veryplastictexturesofhismusicarereminiscentofcomposerssuchasXenakisand
Ligeti.Wallinsworklistincludesbothinstrumentalandelectroacousticworks,
absolutemusicandstagemusichiscontinuouscrossingofbordersbetweengenres
andstyleshasresultedinanumberoffruitfulcrossfertilizations.In1987Wallin
receivedtheNorwegianSocietyofComposers"CompositionoftheYear"awardfor
...thoughwhatmadeithasgoneformezzosopranoandpiano,aworkspunaround
OsipMandelstam'smodernisticpoem"Whoeverfindsahorseshoe"....thoughwhat
madeithasgonedrawsuponthevocalworksofLucianoBerioaswellasuponmore
harmonicallyorientedcomposerslikeOlivierMessiaen,butitisalsoasolid
testimonialtoWallinsown,originalapproachtomusicalcompositionandnotleast
tohisabilitytocombineconstructiveandintuitiveapproachesinanaesthetically
successfulway.
AnideathathasprovenespeciallyfruitfulforWallinistheuseofsocalled"fractal"
algorithmstogenerateamusicalrawmaterial,whichherefinesfurtherbymeansofacontinuousdialecticbetweensystematic
calculationsandhisownmusicalintuition.AmongWallinsmostimportantfractalbasedcompositions,wefindtheworksfor
chamberorchestraOndadighiaccio(1989)andBoyl(1995)andthechamberworksStonewave(1990),ning(1991),and
Solveetcoagula(1992).Severaloftheseworkshavereceivedinternationalacclaimandareregularlyperformedbothin
NorwayandabroadmostnotablythepercussionworkStonewave,whichreceivedtheBestWorkAwardatthe1992ISCM
WorldMusicDaysinWarsaw.Inadditiontotheuseoffractalalgorithmsasanorganizingprincipleforrhythmandmelody,
Wallinhasdevelopedaharmonygeneratingprincipleforwhichhehascoinedtheterm"crystalchords".Theseharmonic
crystalsarebasedupona3Dharmonicmodel,wherethreekeyintervalsareconstantlyrepeated,thusdefiningthree
dimensionsofacrystal.TheresultingsyntheticscalesgiveWallinabroadandvariedharmonicpalettewhichrangesfrom
"consonantatonality"tosharpdissonances.Wallinhasemployedcrystalchordsinanumberofworks:theConcertofor
ClarinetandOrchestra(1996)andTides(1998)forpercussionandorchestraGround(1997)forcelloandchamberorchestra
andAppearances(2002)forlargechamberensemble.Theseworksconsolidatedhisreputation,resultinginanumberof
commissionsandperformances.
In1998,hereceivedtheprestigiousNordicCouncilMusicPrizeforhisConcertoforClarinetandOrchestra.Inrecentyears,
Wallinhasmovedawayfromhiscrystalchordstoafreerworkingstyle,whichhasbroughthiminternationalrecognitionasthe
leadingNorwegiancomposersinceGrieg.HisorchestralworkAct(2004)andhisensembleworkTheAgeofWireandString
(2005)havereceiveddozensofperformancesaroundtheworld,whilehispercussionconcertodaswarschn!(2006)andthe
immenselypowerfulStrangeNews(2007)fornarratorandorchestrahavereceivedunanimouscriticalacclaim.
Forthe2006/7concertseasonWallinwasthefirstevercomposerinresidencewiththeOsloPhilharmonicOrchestra,who
alsorecordedaCDontheOndinelabel,andperformedActacrossEurope.Inadditiontohismanyorchestralandchamber
works,Wallinhascomposedalargenumberofmixedmediaworks(e.g.thepopularperformanceworksScratchforballoon
andYoforcomputerandcontrollersuit),installations(suchasFeelings,whereparticipantsgettohearthesoundoftheirown
brainwaves),andcreatedelectroacousticmusicforseveralofNorwaysforemostcontemporarydancegroups,
choreographersandvisualartists.HisdanceworkUrbanBestiary(2008)wasthefirstworkperformedinthenewOpera
HouseinOslowhenitopenedinApril2008.
Mostrecently,Wallinhasbeencomposingmusicfororchestras.In2010hewrotea30minuteworkManyworlds(whichhas
subsequentlybeendevelopedintoa3DprojectwithvideoartistBoyaBckman)andalsoatrumpetconcerto,FisherKing,for
thesoloistHkanHardenberger.Hiscurrentprojectiswritinghisfirstopera,whichwillbepremieredattheOsloOperaHouse
in2016.

http://www.musicsalesclassical.com/composer/longbio/RolfWallin

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9/17/2015

RolfWallinLongBiographyMusicSalesClassical
ThemusicofRolfWallinispublishedexclusivelybyChesterMusicLimited.
HallgjerdAksnes,(updatedbyChesterMusic)

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