127. Gavin Bryars - Innovation, pencils, stand up and a glittering career

In the first of two special episodes with esteemed and newly decorated composers, we sit down with Gavin Bryars, a composer who has led the way in innovation over a long and distinguished career. On Tuesday 12th November he received the Innovation Award in association with the Musicians Union at the Ivors Composers Awards, and we were lucky to get a chance to talk to him about this just a few days before.

We discuss his early days of art college, double bass and free jazz, his early iconic pieces The Sinking Of The Titanic and Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet and his creative relationship with Brian Eno. Over his career he has written five operas, twenty ballets and a long list of instrumental, orchestral and vocal works.

He has collaborated with many non-classical musicians over the years, including Tom Waits, Father John Misty, Charlie Haden, Bill Frisell, Natalie Merchant, Iarla O'Lionaird, Gavin Friday, Bertrand Belin and Mocke, and with many visual artists such as Bruce McLean, David Ward, Tim Head, James Hugonin, Bill Woodrow, Will Alsop, the Quay brothers, Juan Muñoz and Massimo Bartolini.

He divides his time between a Leicestershire village and Vancouver Island, and we discuss his approach to writing in various locations, and in particular the importance of just the right pencil for the job. There really is a lot of time spent talking about this particular pencil.

Gavin talks about the formative time he had working as the house bassist as Greasbrough Working Men's Club, performing in the backing band for Bob Monkhouse, Dusty Springfield and many others. The documentary he mentions is available to watch here: MEMORIES OF GREASBROUGH WORKING MEN'S CLUB

For more on Gavin Bryars, visit www.gavinbryars.com

For more on the Ivors Classical Awards 2024 visit https://ivorsacademy.com/awards/the-ivors-classical-awards/

Big thanks to Premier for setting up the interview.

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