ASL 2014: Guest Composer, Edward Top

Acknowledged by a Dutch newspaper as The Horror Composer, Edward Top’s music grapples with existential questions such as man against nature or reference and association.  Recurring motifs include the grotesque, paranoia, and nostalgia.  Top’s music is inspired by paintings of Hyronymus Bosch, James Ensor and Francisco Goya.  His work expresses both the balance and struggle between different musical traditions and styles, using historical references and rich harmonic texture in detailed orchestrations.
Born in The Netherlands in 1972 Edward Top has lived and worked in London, Bangkok, and Rotterdam.  With his wife and baby boy he now lives in Vancouver where he is Composer-in-Residence with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. He studied composition with Peter-Jan Wagemans at the Rotterdam Conservatoire in Holland where he also majored in violin.  He later studied musicology at King’s College London.  He also worked with composers Pierre Boulez, Luciano Berio, Peter Eötvös and George Benjamin.
Besides his responsibilities as the Composer-in-Residence with the Vancouver Symphony, he will assume the position of Head of Composition at the Vancouver Academy of Music in 2014. Edward has received commissions of the Schoenberg Ensemble, Holland Symfonia, Calefax, Vocaal LAB, Doelen Ensemble, Raschèr Saxophone Quartet, The Tempest Flute Ensemble and Standing Wave and his works are performed by the Dutch Radio Philharmonic, Netherlands Ballet Orchestra andPeter Rundel, Tokyo Sinfonietta, Ensemble NOISE at San Diego New Music and the Formalist String Quartet in Los Angeles. TheDoelen String Quartet has recorded his two quartets on CD.