Fergus Johnston


Fergus Johnston is an Irish composer and member of Aosdána.

Life and career

Johnston was born in Dublin, Ireland, the son of the physicist and political activist Roy H. W. Johnston, and studied for both a degree in music and a master's degree in Music and Media Technology at Trinity College Dublin. He also has a PhD in composition from the National University of Ireland, Maynooth. Initially, he had also studied at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin. In 1985, he was invited by the European Community Youth Orchestra to write an orchestral piece under the guidance of György Ligeti. From 1989 to 1991, he was Chairman of the Association of Irish Composers. He completed his education with the English composer Robert Hanson.
Johnston's output includes works for both orchestra and smaller ensembles, some works of which include electronics, and two operas. His music has been performed at many venues and festivals including the 1985 Asolo Musica Festival in Italy, the 1996 International Society for Contemporary Music Festival, the 2001 Sonorities Festival of Contemporary Music in Belfast, and Raidió Teilifís Éireann's 2005 Living Music Festival. His use of the system is unusual among Irish composers, his compositional process typically includes a significant element of pre-planning.

Selected works

StageBitter Fruit, chamber operaThe Earl of Kildare, opera
Orchestral worksSamsara
  • Flute Concerto Je goûte le jeu..., for string orchestraWind Symphony, for wind bandThrough Hollow Lands Binn an tSíorsholais Wexford Suite Brahms Begins the Day Scenes and Interludes from 'The Earl of Kildare
Chamber musicTimon of Athens, incidental music, 2fl, 2cl+bcl, bn, vn, gui, perc, 3 speakersReflections, ob, 2cl, bn, hp, vib, str qtBrass Quintet Episodes 1, fl, trb, egui, percEpisodes 2, fl, ob, clSignals!, vn, dancers Incantations, cl+bcl, percCusp, vn, pf
  • Kaleidophone, 2vn, va, vc, hp, percGabor Haenjo’s Variations on a Theme by Paganini, cl, vc, pfCarn, 2pfLíofa, fl, cor ang, bcl, hn, str qtOpus Lepidipterae, fl, pf/arec, gui/fl, hpd
  • Piano Trio Toccata, Fugue, and A Camel's Swan-Song, vc, pf
  • String Quartet, vn, va, vc, db
Solo instrumental
  • Three Pieces for Double Bass Pavan and Galliard, guitar
  • Two Pieces for Solo Flute
  • Prelude & Passacaglia, violinPsyche, alto recordercreepy crawlies, piano
  • Prelude, piano
  • Three Piano Pieces Éagaoineadh, pianoThe Oul’ Winda Rag, pianoRashad's Words, percussionLord Leonard Gray, His March, pianoThree Bulgarian Dances, organMiniatures for Scott, piano
VocalTwo T’ang Poems, soprano and chamber orchestraThe Wisdom of the World, mezzo and Irish harpAfter a Childhood Away from Ireland, soprano and pianoFive Oriental Texts, soprano and chamber orchestra
ChoralThree Songs on Words by e.e.cummings, S, fl, cl, bnnow I lay , satbPraise Music , satbSine musica nulla vita, ssatbThe Little Snowgirl, A, B, children's vv, female vv, orch
  • Psalm 84, satb & organ
Electro-acoustic'Morríghan, baroque fl, hpd, live electronicsMéadú, vn, pf, tapeÁrd Fhearta, 2ob, 2fl, 2cl, 2bn, 2tpt, 2trb, tb, bronze-age hn, live electronics

Recordings

  • Samsara, performed by Ruse Philharmonic Orchestra, Tsanko Delibosov, on: Vienna Modern Masters VMM 3035.
  • Kaleidophone, performed by Concorde, on: Contemporary Music Centre CD02.
  • Je goûte le jeu..., performed by Irish Chamber Orchestra, Fionnuala Hunt, on: Black Box Music BBM 1013.
  • Árd Fhearta; Carn; Signals; Samsara, performed by Reamonn Keary, Shirin Goudarze-Tobin & Frantisek Jaros, Ruse Philharmonic Orchestra, Tsanko Delibosov, on: Monumental Music MOMU 014.
  • Three Bulgarian Pieces, performed by Vox 21, on: RTÉ lyric fm CD 123.
  • Piano Trio, performed by Fidelio Trio, on: Metier MSV 28556.

Honours and awards