Dr. Nicholas Brown
Ussher Assistant Professor in Sonic Arts, Music
Biography
Nicholas Brown (GB) is an artist-composer, performer and researcher. He currently holds the post of Ussher Assistant Professor in Sonic Arts at Trinity College Dublin and is an Associate Researcher at the Orpheus Institute, Ghent. He was educated at Oxford University (BA, 1996; DPhil, 2006) and Manhattan School of Music, New York (MM, 1998). He has previously held lectureships in music at St Catherine's College, Oxford University (2002-05); Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance, London (2007-9); the University of East Anglia, Norwich (2009-14) and served as Senior Lecturer in Music and Director of Performance Studies at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge (2014-16).
Nicholas's work has been widely presented at international festivals such as Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival; BBC Proms (London); Three Choirs Festival (UK); Sonorities (Belfast) and at venues including Lincoln Center (New York); Ishibashi Memorial Hall (Tokyo); the Barbican Centre (London); Concertgebouw Brugge (Belgium); Scenkonstmuseet (Stockholm); and Turner Contemporary (Margate). He has also written film music, including a score commissioned by the British Film Institute for a DVD release (Mad Love, BFIVD515) that received critical acclaim in the Los Angeles Times
Recent work includes Chit-chat (2017), an interactive installation for Science Gallery, Dublin that transforms a visitor's vocalization into birdsong; Vanishing Points (2017) for clavichord, mobile phones and live electronics; and Structural Cohesion (2019), a site-specific work for singers, choir and live electronics that was recently performed at Concertgebouw Brugge, Belgium, featuring voice students from The Royal Conservatoire Antwerp.
As a performer, Nicholas has conducted his music at venues including Lincoln Center (New York); The National Gallery (Washington D.C.); London's Barbican Centre; and has performed as a pianist at venues including Wigmore Hall and Kings Place in London. As a writer and researcher, he has published journal articles and book chapters on issues in contemporary music/audiovisual culture in journals such as Organized Sound and Contemporary Music Review.
Publications and Further Research Outputs
Peer-Reviewed Publications
The Composer's Domain: Method and Material in, editor(s)Jonathan Impett , Sound Work: Composition as Critical Technical Practice, Leuven, Leuven University Press, 2021, [Nicholas Brown]
Game-show; or, the Playful Work of the Voice in, editor(s)William Brooks , Experience:Music:Experiment - Pragmatism and Artistic Research, Leuven, Leuven University Press, 2021, pp141 - 155, [Nicholas Brown]
Nicholas Brown, 'Theory Across Time', Contribution to EdX Online Course (MOOC) by Orpheus Institute, Ghent, Belgium, titled, 'Artistic Research in Music', Katholieke Universiteit Leuven & EdX.org, 2020
Nicholas Brown, 'On the Division of a String', Eight-channel sound installation-performance for performer and monochord, First performance at Open Circuit, Orpheus Institute, Ghent, Belgium, September 1, 2019, -
Nicholas Brown, 'Structural Cohesion', Site-specific, large-scale work for two singers, choir, piano and live electronics, First performance co-produced by Concertgebouw Brugge and Orpheus Institute, Ghent in collaboration with Antwerp Conservatoire, Concertgebouw Brugge, Belgium, November 21, 2019, -
Electroacoustic Composition and Silent Film in, editor(s)Barton, R. and Trezise, S. , Music and Sound in Silent Film: From the Nickelodeon to the Artist, London, Routledge, 2018, pp187 - 197, [Nicholas Brown]
Nicholas Brown, 'The Undulatory Theory of Light', Three-channel sound installation, Turner Contemporary, Margate. Part of Oscillate Festival of Experimental Music and Sound, June 2, 2018, -
Nicholas Brown, What can network theory tell us about polyphony?, The Power of Networks, Ghent, Belgium, February 21-22, 2018
Nicholas Brown, 'Vanishing Points', Composition for clavichord, electronics and distributed (web) audio, World premiere performance given by Nicholas Brown (clavichord) at the Orpheus Institute, Ghent, Belgium. Part of 'Open Circuit', Ghent, Belgium, Sept 3 , 2017, -
Nicholas Brown, 'Chit-chat', Four-channel interactive sound installation, Exhibited as part of Science Gallery Dublin's summer exhibition, 'SOUND CHECK', June 10 - Sept 24, 2017, -
Nicholas Brown, Composition Pedagogy in an Age of Electronic Media, Composition as Critical Technical Practice, Orpheus Institute, Ghent, Belgium, November 22, 2016
Nicholas Brown, 'On the Production of True Consonance', 8-channel sound installation for automated monochord, loudspeakers and MaxMSP, Exhibited at Helmore Building, ARU, Cambridge, UK, April 23, 2016, -
Nicholas Brown, 'Starfish', Composition for tenor & piano with live electronics, First performed by James Geer (tenor) and Nicholas Brown (piano) at Mumford Theatre, Cambridge, UK. February 12, 2016, -
Nicholas Brown, From the Temporality of Pulse to the Generation of Sounds, The Making of Musical Time, Orpheus Institute, Ghent, Belgium, February 25-26, 2015
Nicholas Brown, 'On the Generation of Sounds', Electroacoustic lecture-performance after Robert Grosseteste, First presented/performed at the Cambridge Festival of Ideas, UK, 2015, -
Composing as a Way of Doing Philosophy in, editor(s)Darla Crispin & Bob Gilmore , Artistic Research in Music: A Sourcebook, Leuven, Leuven University Press, 2014, pp225 - 230, [Nicholas G Brown]
Nicholas Brown, The Composer's Art in an Age of Digital Mediation, Composition in the 21st Century, Trinity College Dublin, March 5-7, 2014
Nicholas Brown, 'Chant', Installation. Exhibited as part of 'From Birdsong to Light', Hungate Medieval Art, St Peter Hungate, Norwich, 2013, -
Nicholas Brown, 'Medicatio', Interactive sound installation. Exhibited as part of 'From Birdsong to Light', Hungate Medieval Art, St Peter Hungate, Norwich, 2013, -
Nicholas Brown, 'From Birdsong to Light', Solo exhibition of sound installations, St Peter Hungate, Norwich, UK, Hungate Medieval Art, May 24 - June 16, 2013, -
Nicholas Brown, Composing the Performer: On the relationship between the work of making a work of music and the idiosyncrasies of a performer's practice, Artistic Experimentation in Music, Orpheus Institute, Ghent, Belgium, April 27-28, 2011
Nicholas Brown, Being Among the Living: On the Inter-relationships Between Performers, Witnesses & Environment in 'As I Have Now Memoyre', Organised Sound, 16, (2), 2011, p176 - 183
Nicholas Brown, 'On the Operations of the Sun', First performed by Musica Beata at the Three Choirs Festival, Worcester, August 13, 2011, -
Nicholas Brown, 'Bird Chamber', Sound installation, featured as part of the inugural Greenwich International String Quartet Festival, Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, London, April 17-19, 2009, -
Nicholas Brown, 'As I Have Now Memoyre', Performance-installation for two singers and live electronics. Co-produced by Sound and Music & Kings Place, London and first performed on February 10, 2009 as part of 'The Sound Source' series at King's Place, 2008, -
Nicholas Brown, 'The Soul Finds Rest in Unity', Installation at the George Hotel, Huddersfield as part of Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, 2007, -
Nicholas Brown, 'The Bravery of Women', Composition for violin/voice, electronics and video. First performed by Monica Germino at Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, 2007, -
Nicholas Brown, The Flux Between Sounding and Sound: Towards a Relational Understanding of Music as Embodied Action., Contemporary Music Review, 25, (1-2), 2006, p36 - 45
Nicholas Brown, 'An Audience with the Trees', First installed at Addison's Walk, Magdalen College, Oxford as part of the College's May Morning celebrations, 2005, -
Nicholas Brown, Notes on Rosa, Review of Rosa - A Horse Drama. An opera by Louis Andriessen and Peter Greenaway, Commissioned by Lincoln Center, New York for the U.S. film premiere of Peter Greenaway's film 'The Death of a Composer: Rosa, a Horse Drama' at Walter Reade Theater, Lincoln Center, New York., 2004
Nicholas Brown, 'Songs from the Sky', Commissioned by Bristol Bach Choir. First performed at St Mary Redcliffe, Bristol, conducted by Peter Leech, 2004, -
Nicholas Brown, 'Vivaldi's Menagerie', Violin concerto commissioned by Orchestra of St John's, London. First performed as part of 'Music in the Abbey', Dorchester Abbey, England, 2003, -
Nicholas Brown, 'After Death', Music for the 1915 silent film by Evgenii Bauer, London, British Film Institute, 2002, -
Nicholas Brown, 'Silence is Golden', Performance piece for violinist-actor, Oliver Lewis. Premiere: Great Hall, Dartington International Summer School, 2002, -
Nicholas Brown, 'Dancing in the Aisles', For saxophone and piano. First performed by Sarah Field and Simon Lepper at the British Saxophone Congress, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff, 2002, -
Nicholas Brown, 'On Jealousy', For tenor, piano and video. First performed by Mark Milhofer, Magdalen College Auditorium, Oxford, accompanied by Paul Plummer (piano), 2002, -
Nicholas Brown, 'Bookcruncher', Music for the film by Dan Wilde. , 2002, -
Nicholas Brown, 'The Truck', Music for the film by Jasper Goldman, 2002, -
Nicholas Brown, 'Lady Windermere's Fan', Music for the 1916 silent film by Fred Paul, London, British Film Institute, 2001, -
Nicholas Brown, 'Mirabile Misterium', Commissioned by the Choir of Magdalen College, Oxford, for its Christmas Carol Service, 2001, -
Nicholas Brown, 'Two Pieces Concerning Time', Commissioned as part of the PRS/NFMS 'Adopt-a-Composer' Scheme, UK for the Phoenix Singers of Shrewsbury, England., 2001, -
Nicholas Brown, 'The Lily-White Rose', For male vocal consort. First performed by the Orlando Consort at Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, 2000, -
Nicholas Brown, 'Stillness', First performed by the BBC Singers as part of an SPNM anniversary concert at St Paul's Knightsbridge, London, 1999, -
Nicholas Brown, 'The House of the Hanged Man', Piano trio. First performed at the Cathedral of St John the Divine, New York, 1998, -
Nicholas Brown, 'The Divine Image', For SATB choir and organ. Text by William Blake. Commissioned by St Peter's Church, Formby, Liverpool, 1997, -
Nicholas Brown, 'Miserere', Anthem for men's voices. First performed by the Choir of Magdalen College, Oxford, 1996, -
Nicholas Brown, 'The Magdalen Service', Written for and first performed by the Choir of Magdalen College, Oxford, conducted by Bill Ives, 1995, -
Non-Peer-Reviewed Publications
Nicholas Brown, The Impact of Digital Technology on the Standard Model of Musical Performance, Research Exchange Lunchtime Session, Long Room Hub, Trinity College Dublin, 6 December, 2016, Long Room Hub
Nicholas Brown, Presentation for sixth-form students on my professional practice as a composer working in film, Study day for sixth-form students, Arts Picturehouse, Cambridge, 5 February, 2015, Cambridgeshire Film Consortium
Nicholas Brown, Presentation on my creative work based on Robert Grosseteste's De Generatione Sonorum & De Operationibus Solis, Ordered Universe Symposium, Norman Chapel, Durham University, 26 November, 2015, The Ordered Universe Project
Nicholas Brown, Presentation-demonstration of physical computing and sensor technology in the context of my compositional practice, Dorkbot #2, Makespace, Cambridge, UK, 21 April, 2015, Dorkbot
Nicholas Brown, Practising Every Day: Musical Acts in our Daily Lives, Lunchtime Talk given as part of the exhibition, 'The Artist's Studio', Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, Norwich, UK, 20 May, 2010, Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts
Nicholas Brown, Guest speaker on the subject of collaborations between composers and performers, London Symphony Orchestra 'Discovery' series, LSO St Luke's, London, April, 2008, LSO / SPNM
Research Expertise
Description
Electroacoustic composition and improvisation; creative coding; network theory; installation and sound art; philosophy and aesthetics of music; ecological theories of perception; ludomusicology/game studies; computational creativityProjects
- Title
- Structural Cohesion
- Summary
- Creation of a new musical work by Nicholas Brown in association with Concertgebouw Brugge; Orpheus Institute, Ghent; and the Royal Conservatoire, Antwerp, Belgium. The project culminated in a site-specific performance on November 21, 2019 at Concertgebouw Brugge by voice students and international vocal artists, Maribeth Diggle and Natasha Lohan. Included a preliminary voice workshop, led by Natasha Lohan, for students from Antwerp Conservatoire.
- Funding Agency
- Co-produced/funded by Orpheus Institute, Ghent and Concertgebouw, Brugge
- Date From
- 06/2019
- Date To
- 11/2019
- Title
- Opening the Red Book: The digital Audio CD format from the viewpoint between musicology and media studies
- Summary
- I am academic mentor and PI for Dr Eamonn Bell's research project, 'Opening the "Red Book". The overall goal of Dr Bell's project is to produce an interdisciplinary account of the Audio CD format.
- Funding Agency
- Irish Research Council
- Date From
- 10/2019
- Date To
- 09/2021
- Title
- Sound Check
- Summary
- Advisor and contributing artist for Science Gallery Dublin's summer exhibition, Sound Check (June 9, - Sept 24, 2017) and subsequent show tour to Scenkonstmuseet, Stockholm (Feb 26 - Aug 18, 2019). https://dublin.sciencegallery.com/soundcheck
- Funding Agency
- Science Gallery Dublin/Scenkonstmuseet, Stockholm
- Date From
- 01/2017
- Date To
- 08/2019
Recognition
Representations
Peer Reviewer, Journal for Artistic Research
Peer Reviewer, 'Seismograf' journal for contemporary sound arts
Peer Reviewer, Technologies for Music Notation conference
Specialist Advisor (External Examiner), Composition Department, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance
Member, Validation Panel for FdA Music Practice & BA Creative Practices and Enterprise, City College, Norwich, UK
Member, Validation Panel, PGA Certificate, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, London
Awards and Honours
Apgar Scholarship, Magdalen College, Oxford University
Foundation for Sports and the Arts Scholarship
Performing Rights Society Foundation, Composer Bursary Award
PRS/NFMS, UK 'Adopt a Composer' scheme
Instrumental Scholarship, Magdalen College, Oxford University
Memberships
Associate Researcher, Orpheus Institute, Ghent, Belgium. Member, research cluster, 'Music, Thought & Technology'.
Fellow, Higher Education Academy, UK.
Writer-member, Performing Rights Society, UK
Writer-member, Mechanical Copyright Protection Society, UK