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Kevin Malone
Social concerns, without political interests, often form the basis of his work. This is evident in the orchestral works Something Wicked This Way Comes (a carnival of persecution) and Metropolis (an "overture" for the futuristic society in the silent film by Fritz Lang). Blues structures, rock rhythms and pop-song structures often invade his classical, even baroque, approach (as in Carnival at Wicken Bonhunt for recorder and harpsichord, and Fear of Flying for violin, clarinet and piano) creating an energetic, eclectic and clearly communicative style. Malone's music has been performed and broadcast in major European and American cities and festivals including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Paris, Moscow, Kiev, London, Manchester and Zagreb. In Britain, he was the only composer represented for the 50th Anniversary celebrations of the Society for the Promotion of New Music (Suspicious Motives for string orchestra) and for the Composers' Guild of Great Britain (Conjuror for flute). In addition, he has written extensive electronic scores for touring theatre and dance productions. Most recent works include The Last Memory for clarinet and digital delay unit premièred in Manchester by Roger Heaton and recorded on CD, A Mind in Your Eye electronic score for choreographer Neil Fisher, Godzilla for electronic tape and any number of mixed instruments, and Metrotechnic Suicide, a multimedia performance work for saxophonist and computers regarding the nature of technologically-based music in today's society (which will be revived for The Green Room, Manchester 23 May 1997). Upcoming premières include The Radio Song for soprano, any treble instrument and piano (Manchester University, April 1997), Our Kitchen 1900 for children's choir (Chester Music Society Youth Choir), and a Cantata for the Southwell Choral Society. The most recently broadcast works on BBC Radio 3 include Shangri-La for string ensemble and Postcards from St Nick for children's choir. Programme Note: Fear of Flying Fear of Flying for violin, clarinet and piano was written in 1995 for Psappha and first performed at Manchester Metropolitan University in October of that year. The title refers to conflict experienced by many (emerging) university composers between a desire to write music influenced by personal interests and the necessity to write music for audiences of new music who usually consist of academically trained musicians. If properly and wittily approached, this conflict can be a positive compositional factor. Thus, Fear of Flying is the musical phobia about really letting go amidst restraints of real (or imagined) expectations. Strict musical canons and lyrical arching rhythms co-exist with driving ostinatos and chord progressions from rock music. Cast in a single eight minute movement, the piece refers to many different stylistic paths from minimalism to free sound scuplting, from industrial rock to neo-classicism. Kevin Malone's photograph was taken by Robert Carpenter Turner First Performance Details The first performance of Fear of Flying was given on 9th October 1995 at Manchester Metropolitan University, Alsager Faculty. The work was performed by Psappha: Clarinet - Dov Goldberg, Violin - David Routledge and Piano - Richard Casey. Contact Details Kevin Malone can be contacted directly at:
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Kevin Malone studied with such diverse composers as Morton Feldman, Leslie
Bassett, William Bolcom and Stanley Glasser. He holds a PhD in Composition from
the University of London, a Masters Degree in composition from the University of
Michigan, and a Bachelors Degree in Musical Theory from the New England
Conservatory of Music in Boston. He also researched music composition for a
year in Paris as a Fulbright Fellow. He is a Senior Lecturer in Music at
Manchester Metropolitan University in Alsager.Copyright ©2001 Psappha
