Oscar Bianchi

Swiss Contemporary Classical Composer

Winner of the 2005 Gaudeamus prize, Italian-Swiss composer Oscar Bianchi is quickly becoming recognized by critics, fellow musicians, and audiences as one of the most idiomatic and dynamic composers of his generation. His music, which is characterized by dense textures, vivid imagination, and dramatic tension has already been played to critical acclaim by major ensembles such as ICTUS; Les Percussions de Strasbourg; Nieuw Ensemble; Neuevocalsolisten Stuttgart and Ensemble l'Itineraire in important venues like MUSICA Strasburg, IRCAM Centre-Pompidou, Abbaye du Royaumont, Eclat-Stuttgart, Ars Musica, Muziekgebouw, World New Music Days, Tages Fur Neue Musik-Zurich, and Merkin Hall NY. His works have been featured on national radio stations in Switzerland, Belgium, France, Holland, Italy, Sweden, Greece and he is also in demand as a lecturer at Lugano Conservatory, PAAD Spain and Belgian radio RTBF'3. Highlights of season 2007-2008 are masterwork MATRA, a concert-length cantata premiered by ICTUS ensemble with Neuevocalsolisten Stuttgart at festival MUSICA Strasbourg, as well as ensemble piece Trasparente, premiered by Algoritmo ensemble at Venice Biennale. Further projects will feature new works for Klangforum Wien, QNG quartett and a new Opera in collaboration with Ictus ensemble and Theatre-Musique. Recently the recipient of a fellowship from the ICTUS Ensemble (2005-2007), Mr. Bianchi is presently a Faculty Fellow at Columbia University of New York, where he is working towards a PhD in composition. During his studies of composition, choral music, conducting, and electronic music at the G. Verdi Conservatory in his native Milan, he performed regularly as a pianist in rock-jazz groups and also composed music for national Italian TV. He subsequently moved to Paris to participate in the yearlong composition cursus organized by IRCAM. Mr. Bianchi has had additional opportunities to work with many of the foremost figures in contemporary composition at master classes and residencies organized by: Abbaye du Royaumont, Darmstadt Ferienkurse, Stuttgart Eötvös course, Città di Castello, Stockholm International Composition Course and the Atlantic Center for the Arts.