David Lancaster

David Lancaster, composer,first encountered contemporary music when - as a young cornet player - he took part in a performance of Harrison Birtwistle's 'Grimethorpe Aria' at a brass band summer school. Music studies at York and Cambridge Universities and at Dartington Summer School (with Peter Maxwell Davies) followed, but Birtwistle remained a strong influence. David consolidated his composing career during a three-year appointment as Composer-in-Residence at Charterhouse and he gained a number of important awards and commissions, including Lloyds Bank Young Composer Award, Michael Tippett Award, LCM Centenary Prize and the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival Composer Award; the Parke Ensemble devoted a London concert series to his work. David's chamber opera 'Lulu' was performed to large audiences at the Edinburgh Fringe.His music has been played by many of the leading exponents of new music (including the Kronos Quartet, Lontano, Electric Phoenix, Gemini and No Strings Attached), in concerts and festivals all around the UK including London's South Bank Centre and the Edinburgh Festival. Since 1994 he has been a senior lecturer atYork St John University; he is now in charge of a flourishing Music department where he teaches composition, world music, music technology and performance to postgraduate level.

David has long been interested in composing for contemporary dance: he formed and directed the innovative music/dance company Cascando and later formed a successful working relationship with choreographer Stuart Martin.

In recent years David's music has undergone a gradual simplification of style: influenced by a wide range of musical genres, including popular and world musics, he aims to communicate more directly with performers and audiences. Although his output includes music for solo voice, chorus and mixed instrumental groups, he has remained faithful to his musical roots and continues to compose for brass band: his 'Cuba' won the Black Dyke Composer award in 2003 and his compositions and arrangements have proved popular with bands of all grades, all around the world.

In 2009 baritone Paul Carey-Jones gave the first performances of his song cycle ‘Memories of Place’ (in which David collaborated with York-based poet Daniela Nunnari); in 2010 ‘Bliss’ was performed by the Elysian singers and ‘Fallen’ was sung at Canterbury Cathedral.

In March 2011’Vertigo’was played by the Tippett String Quartet as part of the Partners in Suspense project (which celebrated the partnership of Hitchcock and Hermann) and in May there was a major retrospective of his music at York St John University, including the first complete performance of ‘The Enemy Within’.

In June 2011 his saxophone quartet ‘Swan’ was given its premiere by the Lunar Sax Quartet and in July ‘Memory of Place’ is to be recorded for CD release on the Cadenza label.

David is currently composer-in-residence with Laudamus Chamber Choir and with the EYMS Band.