The excellent Ragazze Quartet from Amsterdam have released a new video of an extract from Garth Knox’s 2nd string quartet “4 into 20”. This quartet was commissioned by and dedicated to the Ragazze Quartet. The third movement, which is featured in the video, is called Lockdown Blues and was a musical reaction to the frustration and boredom of the first COVID lockdown in Spring 2020
Radio Broadcast of Pocket Concerto
The German State radio network SWR has broadcast a program dedicated to Garth Knox, featuring a recording of his Pocket Concerto, performed by Gunter Teufel, viola (the dedicatee of the work) and Tristan Cornut, cello. The program is completed by performances of ‘Solo for Viola d’Amore’ by Georg Friedrich Haas and ‘Das Andere’ by Horatio Radulescu played by Garth Knox himself.
You can hear it here
Garth Knox Teaching Courses summer 2021
Garth Knox will be teaching at the Musicalta Academy in Alsace, France from 1st to 10th of August 2021. A course of individual lessons, with possibilities for chamber music, concerts, and many possibilities for recreation (relaxation courses, swimming pool, sports etc). Set in the vineyards of Alsace at the foot of the Vosges mountains.
more info here
Garth Knox will also participate in the Geneva International String Academy in Switzerland, making a special one-day teaching event on 7th of July 2021
see teaser here
Semi-live Concert on 18th December : Saariaho and Knox
Diffusion of a concert given on 5th December 2020 at the Conservatoire de Romainville. Includes works by Philippe Hersant, Hyun Hwa Cho, Patrice Rault, Marco Suarez Cifuentes. Garth Knox will perform Vent Nocturne for viola and electronics by Kaija Saariaho and Quartet for One by Garth Knox.
The concert will be streamed on 18th December at 20.00 (French time) and you can see it here.
Music Course in Feb 2021, Lucern
Garth Knox will be one of the professors on this 5 day course for contemporary music in Lucern Switzerland. As well as individual and class tuition on viola, he will be animating a workshop involving improvisation, exploration and group composition.
info: HSLUM
Concert in Estonia: Broadcast and Interview
On 20th October 2020, Garth Knox was invited to give a concert with the Ensemble U in Tallin, Estonia. There is a short television presentation of this event here .
The entire concert, recorded by Estonian Radio, can be heard here
Program :
Lauri Jõeleht (1974) – “Chant Harmonique” (2014/2020) viola and ensemble
starting at 00:07:40
Garth Knox (1956) – “Wild Animals” (2011) viola and ensemble
starting at 00:25:40
Salvatore Sciarrino (1947) – “Codex Purpureus” (1983) string trio
starting at 00:42:20
Morton Feldman (1926-1987) – “The Viola in My Life II” (1970)
starting at 00:52:45
Performed by Garth Knox, (viola) with the Ensemble U :
Tarmo Johannes (flute), Helena Tuuling (clarinet), Merje Roomere (violin), Levi-Danel Mägila (cello), Taavi Kerikmäe (piano)
Vambola Krigul (percussion).
Premiere of Concerto for Viola by Luis de Pablo
The first performance of the Concerto for Viola by Luis de Pablo was given by Garth Knox in the opening concert of the Venice Bienale on 25th September 2020. Performed by the Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto, conductor Marco Angius with viola soloist Garth Knox, to whom the work is dedicated.
A podcast of the performance can be heard here. (Viola Concerto begins at 00.19.50)
Quartet for One: new video by Lawrence Power
One of a series of ‘Lockdown Commssions’ organised by Lawrence Power, this newly commissioned piece by Garth Knox plays out the fantasy of a viola player who gives a string quartet concert all on his own, playing all the parts!
Teaching Course in Slovenia in August
Garth Knox will be teaching for 4 days (27th to 31st August) on a viola and chamber music course in Ljublijana, along with Emile Cantor and Maja Roma.
New composition ‘Pocket Concerto’ now published
Garth’s new concerto for viola has been published by Schott. It’s called the Pocket Concerto because instead of the solo viola playing with a full orchestra, this piece is written to be played with just a single cello as the only accompaniment. No more balance problems – here’s a piece you can play at home with a friend instead of having to find sponsors to hire an orchestra and a hall!
It’s already been adopted by some competitions like the Amsterdam Viola Prize, and the upcoming Cecil Aronowitz Competition in Birmingham. The sheet music can be purchased here : Schott Music
A complete performance by Garth Knox with Marion Martineau on cello can be seen here