Uzor Charles
(27. 04. 1961)
Genre: Classical Music
Biography
* 27. 04. 1961.
Charles Uzor was born in Udo Mbaise in Nigeria. At the age of seven, during the Biafra War, he came to Switzerland. In 1982, following his 'Matura' studies in St Gallen, he studied music in Rome followed by studies in oboe and composition at the conservatories of Berne and Zurich. In 1986 he met the oboist Gordon Hunt in Assisi and was encouraged to take up a post-graduate study at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Charles Uzor received his recital diploma and a master's in composition from the University of London in 1990. He returned to Switzerland and began his dissertation on Melody and Inner Time-consciousness (finished in 2005).
Charles Uzor's work encompasses opera, dance, orchestra and choral works, his main interest, however, lies with works for small formations and song. In 1993 until 1998 he worked in close collaboration with Daniel Beriger and the Swiss ensemble La Notte, who specialised in performing his compositions, and the with the guitar quartet quasi fantasia, the Carmina Quartet and the clarinettist Wolfgang Meyer. From 1998 onwards there followed projects with the Percussion Art Ensemble Bern, Philipp Egli (dance theatre), Markus Eisenmann (painting), Astrid Kaminski (language) and the Nouvel Ensemble Contemporain (NEC). In 2010 the NEC performed his violin concert 'For Aung San Suu Kyi' under the baton of Pierre-Alain Monot (soloist Rahel Cunz).
Charles Uzor was born in Udo Mbaise in Nigeria. At the age of seven, during the Biafra War, he came to Switzerland. In 1982, following his 'Matura' studies in St Gallen, he studied music in Rome followed by studies in oboe and composition at the conservatories of Berne and Zurich. In 1986 he met the oboist Gordon Hunt in Assisi and was encouraged to take up a post-graduate study at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Charles Uzor received his recital diploma and a master's in composition from the University of London in 1990. He returned to Switzerland and began his dissertation on Melody and Inner Time-consciousness (finished in 2005).
Charles Uzor's work encompasses opera, dance, orchestra and choral works, his main interest, however, lies with works for small formations and song. In 1993 until 1998 he worked in close collaboration with Daniel Beriger and the Swiss ensemble La Notte, who specialised in performing his compositions, and the with the guitar quartet quasi fantasia, the Carmina Quartet and the clarinettist Wolfgang Meyer. From 1998 onwards there followed projects with the Percussion Art Ensemble Bern, Philipp Egli (dance theatre), Markus Eisenmann (painting), Astrid Kaminski (language) and the Nouvel Ensemble Contemporain (NEC). In 2010 the NEC performed his violin concert 'For Aung San Suu Kyi' under the baton of Pierre-Alain Monot (soloist Rahel Cunz).
Work list
Impromptu (1984/88)
Instrumentation: for oboe solo
Duration: 3' 00"
Manuscript
Canto I (1985/87)
La Notte bella
Instrumentation: for soprano solo
Texts: Giuseppe Ungaretti
Duration: 6' 00"
Manuscript
Instrumentation: for soprano solo
Texts: Giuseppe Ungaretti
Duration: 6' 00"
Manuscript
Canto I (1985/87)
La Notte bella
Instrumentation: for soprano and ensemble (fl.2ob.cl/hn/pf/va.3vc) electronic tape ad libitum
Texts: Giuseppe Ungaretti
Duration: 12' 00"
Manuscript
Instrumentation: for soprano and ensemble (fl.2ob.cl/hn/pf/va.3vc) electronic tape ad libitum
Texts: Giuseppe Ungaretti
Duration: 12' 00"
Manuscript
Canto IV (1985/87)
Finale
Instrumentation: for alto and piano
Texts: Giuseppe Ungaretti
Duration: 4' 00"
Manuscript
Instrumentation: for alto and piano
Texts: Giuseppe Ungaretti
Duration: 4' 00"
Manuscript
Canto I (1985/87)
La Notte bella
Instrumentation: for soprano and harp
Texts: Giuseppe Ungaretti
Duration: 8' 00"
Manuscript
Instrumentation: for soprano and harp
Texts: Giuseppe Ungaretti
Duration: 8' 00"
Manuscript
Mouvement (1988)
Instrumentation: for piano trio
Duration: 10' 00"
Manuscript
Scherzo (1988)
Cartesian Meditations
Instrumentation: for piano trio
Duration: 12' 00"
Manuscript
Instrumentation: for piano trio
Duration: 12' 00"
Manuscript
Impromptu IV (1988)
Instrumentation: for oboe and piano
Duration: 30' 00"-40' 00"
Manuscript
Ricercare (1988)
Instrumentation: for piano trio
Duration: 5' 00"
Manuscript
Ricercare (1989-1991)
Piano concert
Instrumentation: for piano solo, 2 harps, string orchestra (vn.va.vc.db) and percussion (4 players)
Duration: 14' 00"
Manuscript
Instrumentation: for piano solo, 2 harps, string orchestra (vn.va.vc.db) and percussion (4 players)
Duration: 14' 00"
Manuscript
Cadenza (1989)
Instrumentation: for piano solo
Duration: 3' 00"
Manuscript
White Paperflowers descending on Tienanmen Square (1989-1991)
Quintett
Instrumentation: for 5 celli
Duration: 12' 00"
Manuscript
Instrumentation: for 5 celli
Duration: 12' 00"
Manuscript
Canonic Variations on "Vom Himmel hoch" (1989)
Instrumentation: for organ
Duration: 8' 00"
Manuscript
Patmos (1992)
Instrumentation: for viola and piano
Duration: 37' 00"
Manuscript
Kolophon (1993)
Fragment
Instrumentation: for oboe, oboe d'amore, English horn and piano
Duration: 52' 00"
Manuscript
Instrumentation: for oboe, oboe d'amore, English horn and piano
Duration: 52' 00"
Manuscript
Echnaton's Hymnos to Aton (1995/97)
Eclipse
Instrumentation: for tenor solo and ensemble (wood, brass, large persussion (5 players), 2 harps, piano, string orchestra)
Texts: Echnaton / F. Kauf
Duration: 27' 00"
Manuscript
Instrumentation: for tenor solo and ensemble (wood, brass, large persussion (5 players), 2 harps, piano, string orchestra)
Texts: Echnaton / F. Kauf
Duration: 27' 00"
Manuscript
Melodies 1-3 (1996-1997)
Instrumentation: for piano
Duration: 22' 00"
Manuscript
Le dur désir de durer (1996-1997)
Dit d'un jour
Instrumentation: for piano
Duration: 2' 00"
Manuscript
Instrumentation: for piano
Duration: 2' 00"
Manuscript
Le temps déborde (1996)
Instrumentation: for organ
Duration: 10' 00"
Manuscript
Music (1997)
Madrigal
Instrumentation: for mixed choir and three percussion instruments
Texts: William Shakespeare
Duration: 3' 00"
Manuscript
Instrumentation: for mixed choir and three percussion instruments
Texts: William Shakespeare
Duration: 3' 00"
Manuscript
Zimzum (1998)
In memoriam Sergio Quinzio
Instrumentation: for 2 guitars (one guitar with sixth-tone scordatura and 10-stringed guitar)
Arrangement: Christian Bissig, Karin Rüdt.
Duration: 16' 00"
Instrumentation: for 2 guitars (one guitar with sixth-tone scordatura and 10-stringed guitar)
Arrangement: Christian Bissig, Karin Rüdt.
Duration: 16' 00"
Gitarrenforum Winterthur
c/o Bissig
Lustgartenstr. 9
CH-9000 St. Gallen
Lustgartenstr. 9
CH-9000 St. Gallen
Notre Vie (1998)
Instrumentation: for voices (2S2ABarB) and ensemble (trombone, large percussion (5 players), 2 harps, piano, string orchestra)
Texts: Paul Eluard
Duration: 20' 00"
Manuscript
Madrigal (1998)
Sonnet 8 "Music to hear"
Instrumentation: for voices (2S2ABarB) and ensemple (large percussion (3 players), 2 harps, piano, string orchestra)
Texts: William Shakespeare
Duration: 20' 00"
Manuscript
Instrumentation: for voices (2S2ABarB) and ensemple (large percussion (3 players), 2 harps, piano, string orchestra)
Texts: William Shakespeare
Duration: 20' 00"
Manuscript
Go (1999)
Ballet for 5 Dancers and 7 Instruments
Instrumentation: for clarinet (also bass clarinet), string quartet, piano, percussion
Duration: 25' 00"
Manuscript
Instrumentation: for clarinet (also bass clarinet), string quartet, piano, percussion
Duration: 25' 00"
Manuscript
Shakespeare's Sonnet 65 (1999)
Instrumentation: for string quartet and electronic tape
Texts: William Shakespeare
Duration: 35' 00"
Manuscript
Black Tell (2000)
Opera Interludes and Finale
Instrumentation: for soli (SATBarB), small choir, symphonic orchestra with large percussion
Texts: Nicolas Rhyner
Duration: 30' 00"
Manuscript
Instrumentation: for soli (SATBarB), small choir, symphonic orchestra with large percussion
Texts: Nicolas Rhyner
Duration: 30' 00"
Manuscript
La Princesse de Samarkand (2001)
Instrumentation: for large percussion (1 player)
Duration: 25' 00"
Manuscript
Petit Poucet (2002)
Instrumentation: for four-handed piano
Duration: 10' 00"
Manuscript
Das süsseste Leben (2003)
3 lieder after Novalis
Instrumentation: for three female voices and ensemble (cl/bcl, vn, va, vc, 2hp, 1-2perc)
"Sehnsucht nach dem Tode", "Ich weiss nicht was", "Das süsseste Leben".
Duration: 15' 00"
Manuscript
Instrumentation: for three female voices and ensemble (cl/bcl, vn, va, vc, 2hp, 1-2perc)
"Sehnsucht nach dem Tode", "Ich weiss nicht was", "Das süsseste Leben".
Duration: 15' 00"
Manuscript
qui ainsi me refait ... veoir seulement et oïr (2003)
Guitar quartet
Instrumentation: for octave guitar, terz guitar with sixth-tone scordatura, guitar and bass guitar
Duration: 12' 00"
Manuscript
Instrumentation: for octave guitar, terz guitar with sixth-tone scordatura, guitar and bass guitar
Duration: 12' 00"
Manuscript
a chantar ... (2003-2004)
Clarinet quintet
Instrumentation: for clarinet (also bass clarinet), string quartet and electronic tape
Duration: 30' 00"
Manuscript
Instrumentation: for clarinet (also bass clarinet), string quartet and electronic tape
Duration: 30' 00"
Manuscript
qui plus aime .... (2005-2006)
Quintet
Instrumentation: for percussion quartet and electronic tape
Duration: 15' 00"
Manuscript
Instrumentation: for percussion quartet and electronic tape
Duration: 15' 00"
Manuscript
Mother Tongue (2007)
Instrumentation: for female voice and ensemble (fl, cl, tbn, vn, va, vc, perc)
On Igbo proverbs.
Duration: 30' 00"
Manuscript
"For Aung San Suu Kyi" (2008-2010)
Concert
Instrumentation: for violin and ensemble (fl(pic).ob(ca).cl.bcl.hn/2perc/pf/va.vc.db)
Duration: 35' 00"-40' 00"
Manuscript
Instrumentation: for violin and ensemble (fl(pic).ob(ca).cl.bcl.hn/2perc/pf/va.vc.db)
Duration: 35' 00"-40' 00"
Manuscript
Mothertongue (2010-2019)
Instrumentation: Mezzosoprano, Ensemble (Clarinet/ Bass Clarinet, Horn, Percussion (Marimba, Vibraphone, Gongs, Cymbals), Piano, Lute/Theorbo, 2 Violins, Viola/Viola d'amore, Violoncello) & Tape
Texts: Paul Celan, Samuel Beckett, Markku Rauhavirta, Novalis
Cycle: I Wolfsbohne II Rain III Mother Tongue Fire/mimicri IV Tongues V Reigen
Duration: 50' 00"
Manuscript
Lieder für Bariton (2012)
Instrumentation: für Bariton und Klavier
Texts: Friedrich Kähr
Duration: 15' 00"
Manuscript
Kontrafaktur zu BWV 21 (2012)
Instrumentation: für Oboe und Orgel
Duration: 3' 00"
Manuscript
L'orée (2013)
Instrumentation: für Harfe solo
Duration: 1' 30"
Manuscript
sweet amygdala (2014)
Instrumentation: für Violine, Klavier und Tonband
Duration: 47' 00"
Manuscript
Instrumentation: S A T B a cappella
Texts: Ave maria (Westkirchl.)
Duration: 30' 00"
Manuscript
Nach der Natur. Vorstudie (2015)
Instrumentation: Tape
Duration: 31' 00"
Manuscript
Instrumentation: Ondes Martenot, Percussion Quartet & Tape
Duration: 31' 00"
Manuscript
2 Songs on poems by Giorgos Seferis (2018)
I Kégounte t' áspra fíkia..../ II Kathós vadízi o chrónos
Instrumentation: Soprano, Piano, Sound Bowls
Texts: Giorgos Seferis
Duration: 12' 00"
Manuscript
Instrumentation: Soprano, Piano, Sound Bowls
Texts: Giorgos Seferis
Duration: 12' 00"
Manuscript
sephardic lilt/mimicri (2018/20)
for Astrid Kaminski
Instrumentation: Guitar, Accordion & Tape (2 Theorbos & Guitar)
The Acoustic Guitar and Accordion in communication with Tape, consisting of 2 Theorbos and Acoustic Guitar in sixth tone scordatura
Duration: 11' 00"
Manuscript
Instrumentation: Guitar, Accordion & Tape (2 Theorbos & Guitar)
The Acoustic Guitar and Accordion in communication with Tape, consisting of 2 Theorbos and Acoustic Guitar in sixth tone scordatura
Duration: 11' 00"
Manuscript
8'46'' George Floyd in memoriam (2020)
for any number of musicians with any instruments
Instrumentation: beliebige Anzahl SpielerInnen, SängerInnen (mindestens 1), beliebige Instrumente
- There must be at least 1 performer and 1 instrument (also voice); all instruments are optional. - The piece consists only in breathing; no sound should be played, no words spoken. - The piece must start with a natural breathing in or breathing out. - The piece must end with a natural breathing in or breathing out, however, the breathing should stop being audible 1 minute before the end of the piece, i.e. at 7’46’’. - If there are more than 1 performers the breathing can be choreographed, but it’s length, rhythm and dynamics should not be synchronized. - The breathing should slow down toward 7’46’’; the slowing down can start any time after 7’. - The breathing can be amplified by microphones; it’s loudness should however not surpass a natural sense of dynamics.
Duration: 8' 46"
Manuscript
Instrumentation: beliebige Anzahl SpielerInnen, SängerInnen (mindestens 1), beliebige Instrumente
- There must be at least 1 performer and 1 instrument (also voice); all instruments are optional. - The piece consists only in breathing; no sound should be played, no words spoken. - The piece must start with a natural breathing in or breathing out. - The piece must end with a natural breathing in or breathing out, however, the breathing should stop being audible 1 minute before the end of the piece, i.e. at 7’46’’. - If there are more than 1 performers the breathing can be choreographed, but it’s length, rhythm and dynamics should not be synchronized. - The breathing should slow down toward 7’46’’; the slowing down can start any time after 7’. - The breathing can be amplified by microphones; it’s loudness should however not surpass a natural sense of dynamics.
Duration: 8' 46"
Manuscript
Giorgos Seferis/mimicri (2020)
To Radiophono
Instrumentation: Violine & Tape (Mezzosopran, Ondes Martenot)
Texts: Giorgos Seferis
Eine Violine spielt zu einem Zuspielband, bestehend aus Mezzosopran, Ondes Martenot und Radiostimme.
Duration: 12' 00"
Manuscript
Instrumentation: Violine & Tape (Mezzosopran, Ondes Martenot)
Texts: Giorgos Seferis
Eine Violine spielt zu einem Zuspielband, bestehend aus Mezzosopran, Ondes Martenot und Radiostimme.
Duration: 12' 00"
Manuscript
Repertory
Johann Sebastian Bach: Oboenkonzert, F-Dur
Johann Sebastian Bach: Konzert, A-Dur für Oboe d'amore undStreicher
Johann Sebastian Bach: Sonate, g-moll für Oboe und Cembalo
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Oboenkonzert, C-Dur
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Oboen-Quartett, F-Dur
Carl Nielsen: 2 Fantasiestücke, op. 2 für Oboe und Klavier
Francis Poulenc: Sonate für Oboe und Klavier
Francis Poulenc: Trio für Oboe, Fagott und Klavier
Makoto Shinohara: Obsession für Oboe und Klavier
Richard Strauss: Oboenkonzert
Bibliography
Uzor, Charles: Melody and the phenomenology of internal time awareness, University of London, London 2004
Heisch, Michael: Unfassbare Schönheiten, in: Dissonanz 101 (2008) [Internet]
Meyer, Thomas: Zentrum / Peripherie, in: Neue Zeitschrift für Musik, November-Dezember 1997 6 (1997)