Associate Dean of the School of Creative and Performing Arts and Head of the Creative Campus Professor Stephen Davismoon explored the methods behind compositional work in his Inaugural Professorial Lecture.
Colleagues gathered in the Capstone Theatre to hear Professor Davismoon present his lecture ‘In Search of Musical and Sonic Authenticity’.
Special guests Sarah Watts (Bass Clarinet, The University of Nottingham) and Lauryna Sableviciute (Piano, Royal Northern College of Music) performed live ‘Timeless Shades of Green’, which is dedicated to the birth of Stephen’s son.
Speaking about the piece, Professor Davismoon said: “It was composed in the late winter and early spring months while anticipating the birth of my son; the sense of waiting; the changes in the weather; the rhythm of his growth and activity are all expressed through the pitch content of a contemporary approach to an ancient Gloria plainchant.”
This form of composition reflects Professor Davismoon’s style as a composer – striving to compose work that is related to life experiences and “the possibilities of my aesthetic vision, invention or dreams”.
In his lecture, Professor Davismoon discussed the philosophical ideas of Multiplicity, Phenomenology and Hauntology; the techniques associated with sound ecology, computer music modelling and the practice of interactive electronic music.
Professor Davismoon was born in London. He completed his undergraduate studies in music at the University of Southampton in 1990, specialising in composition with Ric Graebner and Classical Guitar privately with Antonio Albanes (then of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama). In 1997, he completed his Doctorate in Composition at the University of Edinburgh, studying with Nigel Osborne, Peter Nelson and Edward Harper.
He began his academic career in Scotland which became his home for 20 years, initially lecturing at the University of Edinburgh; the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, the University of Glasgow, he secured his first permanent academic post at Edinburgh Napier University, where he remained for nearly 10 years - latterly appointed as Head of Music. He then went on to take up a Professorship (Chair of Contemporary Composition) and Head of Department roles at the University of Salford and most recently for the Department of Performing Arts at Edge Hill University.