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Bolens Nicolas

(01. 10. 1963)

Bolens Nicolas
Bolens Nicolas
1716 Route d’Arculinge
74930 Reignier-Esery
France

Mobile: +41 (0)79 776 42 22

   

Genre: Classical Music
Professional activity: Composers
Biography
* 01. 10. 1963 Genf.

Nicolas Bolens was born in Geneva and began his musical education with the composer and pianist Arié Dzierlatka. Despite his deep interest in sciences, he decided as a young man to continue his artistic studies at the academy of music where he graduated with a piano diploma and a composition award with special mention from the class of Jean Balissat. He profited from the guidance of Eric Gaudibert, Rudolph Kelterborn, Klaus Huber, Edison Denissov and many more.
In 1990 his work 'Impact' for strings, percussion and piano was premiered by the Ensemble Contemporain du Conservatoire de Genève. In 1993 he was a prize winner in the Concours pour Jeunes Compositeurs organised by the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne; he also received awards from several foundations (Leenaards, Banque Cantonale Neuchâteloise ...) and accepted numerous commissions from the Trio Grumiaux, the Nouvel Ensemble Contemporain/ NEC, the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande and others.
His more recent studies took him into the field of musical information technologies and digital technology under the tutelage of Eric Daubresse, musical assistant at the IRCAM. These technologies have been reflected in in his works since 2004. Parallel to his work as a composer, Nicolas Bolens taught piano and improvisation at the Institut Jaques-Dalcroze and composition at the conservatory of Geneva (in collaboration with Eric Gaudibert). Nicolas Bolens currently teaches counterpoint, composition and 20th century writing at the Haute Ecole de Musique in Geneva.
He was the president of the Swiss Association of Musicians from 2004 to 2007 .


Work list

Musique pour Orchestre de Chambre (1992)

Instrumentation: (2(pic).2(ca).2(bcl).2/2.2.0.0/pf/8.6.4.4.3)

A single-movement work in which the extensively divided strings create a mass effect.

Duration: 15' 00"

SME/EMS
Postfach 7851
CH-6000 Luzern 7
Schweiz
info@musinfo.ch
www.musinfo.ch
CHF: 53.30
Instants - Silences (1992)

Instrumentation: for two pianos

This piece makes good use of silence and rests as well as resonance enhanced by use of the third pedal. The notation is partly aleatoric, partly metric. The playing techniques are traditional.

Duration: 5' 00"

SME/EMS
Postfach 7851
CH-6000 Luzern 7
Schweiz
info@musinfo.ch
www.musinfo.ch
CHF: 14.00
Jeux d'Ombres (1993)

Instrumentation: for violin, viola, violoncello and piano

A single-movement work, originally belonging to a triptych for piano quartet titled '3 Essays'. With the exception of one passage where the piano part is independent of the strings, the notation and playing techniques are traditional.

Duration: 6' 00"
Editions Papillon
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10 Microcosmes (1994)

Instrumentation: for violin, viola, violoncello and piano

A suite consisting of ten extremely short pieces. The traditional writing utilises various organ points to signal expectation. Frequent bar changes. Traditional playing techniques.

Duration: 10' 00"

SME/EMS
Postfach 7851
CH-6000 Luzern 7
Schweiz
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CHF: 18.60
Trois Tableaux (1994)

Instrumentation: for violin, violoncello and piano

Each of the three acts presents a different combination of the three instruments. The first act is metrically notated and is to be played in very strict time. In the second, the string parts are metrically independent of the piano. In the third, all instruments play independently of each other; metrically notated, the violin acts as leader, and the others follow. Traditional playing techniques and occasional use of quarter-tones.

Duration: 16' 00"

SME/EMS
Postfach 7851
CH-6000 Luzern 7
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CHF: 24.60
Sur quelques Mots de Rainer Maria Rilke (1995)

Instrumentation: for string quartet

This string quartet is based around five pieces, each taking a verse from one of Rilke's 'Orpheus Sonnets': 'Animal from the stillness...', 'And slept inside me', 'Forlorn she therefore speaks...', 'The sleep of the world...', and 'But for the air, but for the heavens...'. The first piece uses almost exclusively the lowest open strings of each instrument. The last piece is played extremely slowly. Traditional notation and playing techniques.

Duration: 20' 00"
Editions Papillon
Route d'Annecy 46
CH-1256 Troinex/Drize
Suisse
Tel. +41 (0)22 343 35 42
Fax +41 (0)22 343 35 42
editionp@worldcom.ch
www.editionspapillon.ch/
"... Et derrière moi marchent les étoiles." (1996)

Instrumentation: for violin and symphony orchestra (3(2 pic).3(ca).3(bcl).3(cbn)/4.3.3.1/3perc/hp.pf/10.8.6.5.4)

A work in three movements, written for the Tibor Varga Competition in 1996. Notation is traditional. The soloist's part contains a few cadenzas, which are written without bar lines.

Duration: 20' 00"

SME/EMS
Postfach 7851
CH-6000 Luzern 7
Schweiz
info@musinfo.ch
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CHF: 44.70
Variations (1996)

Instrumentation: for four-handed piano

Here, all six variations are based on an original theme. In traditional notation and relatively easy to perform.

Duration: 7' 00"

SME/EMS
Postfach 7851
CH-6000 Luzern 7
Schweiz
info@musinfo.ch
www.musinfo.ch
CHF: 13.80
Quatro Sonetos de Amor (1996/2009)

Instrumentation: for vocals (soprano) and piano

Texts: Pablo Neruda

Duration: 15' 00"

SME/EMS
Postfach 7851
CH-6000 Luzern 7
Schweiz
info@musinfo.ch
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CHF: 18.60
Trois Chants (1996)

Instrumentation: for soprano solo

To the poems of Adonis.

Duration: 8' 00"

SME/EMS
Postfach 7851
CH-6000 Luzern 7
Schweiz
info@musinfo.ch
www.musinfo.ch
CHF: 15.00
Il Croco (1997)

Instrumentation: for vocals (B) piano and violoncello

Texts: Giovanni Pascoli

Duration: 5' 00"

SME/EMS
Postfach 7851
CH-6000 Luzern 7
Schweiz
info@musinfo.ch
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CHF: 12.60
6 Airs de circonstance (1997)

Instrumentation: for voice (baritone or mezzo-soprano) and piano

Texts: Stéphane Mallarmé

Duration: 5' 00"

SME/EMS
Postfach 7851
CH-6000 Luzern 7
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CHF: 13.20
Hommage à L.v.B. (1997)

Instrumentation: for string quintet or string orchestra

'Hommage à L.v.B.' is a didactical work based on the final part of Beethoven's third symphony. It is aimed at conductors who wish to make technical progress and master most of the difficulties inherent in a performance of the classical work.

Duration: 7' 00"

SME/EMS
Postfach 7851
CH-6000 Luzern 7
Schweiz
info@musinfo.ch
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CHF: 14.40
Once Asleep (1997)

Instrumentation: for choir, soloists (Soprano, Baritone) and orchestra (0.0.2.2/0.2.0.0/str)

Texts: William Shakespeare

Based the sonnet 154 by William Shakespeare.

Duration: 8' 00"

SME/EMS
Postfach 7851
CH-6000 Luzern 7
Schweiz
info@musinfo.ch
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CHF: 17.40
D'un Rêve II (1997/2009)

Instrumentation: for guitar

Duration: 8' 00"

SME/EMS
Postfach 7851
CH-6000 Luzern 7
Schweiz
info@musinfo.ch
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CHF: 13.20
En mi Cielo (1998)

Instrumentation: for tenor and guitar

Texts: Pablo Neruda

Duration: 4' 00"

SME/EMS
Postfach 7851
CH-6000 Luzern 7
Schweiz
info@musinfo.ch
www.musinfo.ch
CHF: 11.40
Suite pour Neuf Instruments (1999)

Instrumentation: for wind quintet and string quartet

Duration: 11' 00"

SME/EMS
Postfach 7851
CH-6000 Luzern 7
Schweiz
info@musinfo.ch
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CHF: 21.60
D'eau et de bois (2000)

Instrumentation: for marimba and string orchestra

Duration: 7' 00"

SME/EMS
Postfach 7851
CH-6000 Luzern 7
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CHF: 18.00
A Due (2000)

Instrumentation: for oboe, clarinet, violin and double bass

Composition by Eric Gaudibert / Nicolas Bolens.
This work is written by two hands, by two different composers who experimented in equally sharing the single instruments: the oboe and double-bass on the one hand side and the violin and the clarinet on the other.
The precisely written violin is the conducting element and the three other instruments are grouped accurately around it. A description of the tempi allows easy playing. This piece has a medium level of difficulty.

Duration: 7' 30"

SME/EMS
Postfach 7851
CH-6000 Luzern 7
Schweiz
info@musinfo.ch
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CHF: 14.40
Terres (2000)
7 Pictures

Instrumentation: for choir, piano and percussion

Traditional Spanish texts.

Duration: 50' 00"
Manuscript
La Rosa Enflorece (2000/2009)

Instrumentation: for three female voices (or female choir) and piano

After a Sephardi song. Extracted from "Terres".

Duration: 5' 00"

SME/EMS
Postfach 7851
CH-6000 Luzern 7
Schweiz
info@musinfo.ch
www.musinfo.ch
CHF: 12.60
Entre Rêve et... (2001)

Instrumentation: for violin solo

Duration: 8' 00"
Manuscript
D'un Rêve (2001)

Instrumentation: for violin solo

Duration: 8' 00"

SME/EMS
Postfach 7851
CH-6000 Luzern 7
Schweiz
info@musinfo.ch
www.musinfo.ch
CHF: 13.80
Une nuit, un beau matin (2001)

Instrumentation: for mixed a-cappella choir

Texts: Robert Rudin

Duration: 5' 00"
Manuscript
... Wie dein Atem (2002)

Instrumentation: for mixed a-cappella choir

Texts: Rainer Maria Rilke

To a sonnet with the title "Sonette an Orpheus".

Duration: 7' 00"

SME/EMS
Postfach 7851
CH-6000 Luzern 7
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info@musinfo.ch
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CHF: 12.00
La Vigie (2002)
Musical theatre

Instrumentation: for baritone, piano, percussion, violin and double-bass

Texts: Pierre-André Gamba

Duration: 29' 00"
Manuscript
Entre Deux (2003)

Instrumentation: for string sextet

Duration: 16' 00"
Manuscript
Cinq Divagations (2003)

Instrumentation: for saxophone, trombone, accordion, piano and percussion

Duration: 8' 00"

SME/EMS
Postfach 7851
CH-6000 Luzern 7
Schweiz
info@musinfo.ch
www.musinfo.ch
CHF: 22.20
Des deux Côtés du Temps (2004)

Instrumentation: for string quartet and piano

Duration: 10' 00"
Manuscript
Sept Manières (pour aborder le labyrinthe) (2005)

Instrumentation: for two Baroque violins, bass viola and harpsichord

Commissioned by the ensemble Les Nièces de Rameau.

Duration: 12' 00"
Manuscript
De Sept Manières (d'aborder le Labyrinthe) (2005)
Suite

Instrumentation: for 2 Baroque violins, bass viola and harpsichord

Duration: 9' 00"

SME/EMS
Postfach 7851
CH-6000 Luzern 7
Schweiz
info@musinfo.ch
www.musinfo.ch
CHF: 30.60
Poèmes et quelques pièces de Roland de Lassus (2006)

Instrumentation: for vocal quartet

Texts: Henri Michaux, Paul Eluard, Catherine Fuchs

Commissioned by the vocal ensemble Canticum.

Duration: 10' 00"
Manuscript
Plaines sur neuf Haïkus de Bashô (2006)

Instrumentation: for female choir, children's choir and flute

Commissioned by the vocal ensemble Polhymnia.

Duration: 14' 00"
Manuscript
Quatuor à cordes n°2 "Tempus Fugit" (2006)

Commissioned by the Concours de Genève.

Editions Papillon
Route d'Annecy 46
CH-1256 Troinex/Drize
Suisse
Tel. +41 (0)22 343 35 42
Fax +41 (0)22 343 35 42
editionp@worldcom.ch
www.editionspapillon.ch/
T(h)ree Winds (2006)

Instrumentation: for three saxophones

Commissioned by Laurent Estoppey.

Duration: 7' 00"
Manuscript
Poèmes (2006)

Instrumentation: for four solo voices (SMezTB)

Texts: Henri Michaux, Paul Eluard, Catherine Fuchs

Composition integrating some profane pieces by Orlande de Lassus.

Duration: 10' 00"

SME/EMS
Postfach 7851
CH-6000 Luzern 7
Schweiz
info@musinfo.ch
www.musinfo.ch
Ou le mystère précipité hurlé (2007)

Instrumentation: for 8 solo voices (2S2A2T2B)

After "Un coup de Dés…" by Stéphane Mallarmé.

Duration: 18' 00"

SME/EMS
Postfach 7851
CH-6000 Luzern 7
Schweiz
info@musinfo.ch
www.musinfo.ch
CHF: 53.40
Con le dolci Stille (2007)

Instrumentation: for mixed a-cappella choir (SATB)

Texts: Dante Alighieri

To an extract from the Divine Comedy.

Duration: 9' 00"

SME/EMS
Postfach 7851
CH-6000 Luzern 7
Schweiz
info@musinfo.ch
www.musinfo.ch
CHF: 16.80
oh clara y luciente! (2007)

Instrumentation: for soprano, piccolo, clarinet, percussion, piano, violin and violoncello

Texts: Miguel de Cervantes

Duration: 4' 00"
Manuscript
Cercle (2009)

Instrumentation: for six female voices (2 sopranos, 2 mezzo-sopranos, 2 altos) and percussion instruments (6 Chinese blocks played by the singers, 7 terracotta bells or high-sounding gongs (one player))

Words deriving from the spoken language of the Lisu, a Tibetan-Burmese population.

Duration: 7' 00"

SME/EMS
Postfach 7851
CH-6000 Luzern 7
Schweiz
info@musinfo.ch
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CHF: 22.20
Drommi Vida'e Coro (2009)

Instrumentation: for soprano and harp

Popular text taken from a Sardinian lullaby.

Duration: 6' 00"

SME/EMS
Postfach 7851
CH-6000 Luzern 7
Schweiz
info@musinfo.ch
www.musinfo.ch
CHF: 12.00
SOLI (2009)

Instrumentation: for alto solo and string orchestra

Duration: 18' 00"

SME/EMS
Postfach 7851
CH-6000 Luzern 7
Schweiz
info@musinfo.ch
www.musinfo.ch
CHF: 37.80
Winds Inland (2010)

Instrumentation: for multi-percussion and real-time electronics

Percussion: 3 wood blocks, 5 temple blocks, 2 log drums, 2 bongos, 4 toms, 1 bass drum, 5 suspended cymbals / 1 performer
Electronics: A series of numbered events determine the modifications of the electronic processing. The events can be activated by the percussionist (via pedal or midi) or by a sound technician.
Equipment: 7 wireless micros, 8 loudspeakers arranged throughout the audience, 1 macintosh computer with Max MSP 5 software installed, 1 sound card with 8 line-in and 8 line-out.

Duration: 11' 00"

SME/EMS
Postfach 7851
CH-6000 Luzern 7
Schweiz
info@musinfo.ch
www.musinfo.ch
CHF: 27.60
Escapes (2012)

Instrumentation: for ensemble (ob, cl, sx, 3 perc, 3vn)

Duration: 13' 00"
Manuscript
Discography
Bibliography
Couturier, André: A la limite du silence. Entretien avec Nicolas Bolens, in: Dissonance 106 (2009), S. 40-43 [Internet]


Last updated: 2022-11-03 11:01:43