This is a matrix in the original sense of "source". It is a "small-world" network, meaning that the nodes (people) inside it are — mirroring human society — within a few steps of everybody else inside it. The matrix was built to allow regional Brazilian musicians to be discoverable steps away from everybody else in the arts world, and by logical necessity this m.o. requires not only that the great Brazilians be matrixed, but so far as possible, all working artists in our time. Ergo:
THIS MATRIX, THOUGH BRAZIL-BORN, IS UNIVERSAL
This David Braid matrix node is steps away from the entire planet by the well-known small-world ("6 degrees") phenomenon dictating that in human society you yourself are within several degrees of David Braid.
1 DEGREE FORWARD: David Braid (node) ROUTES TO THESE ARTIST NODES
Are these David Braid's personal recommendations?
CURATION STATUS
- → Routes by The Matrix
Who & Where
- Name: David Braid
- City/Place: London
- Country: United Kingdom
Life & Work
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Bio:
David Braid was born in Wrexham and grew up in Colwyn Bay on the North Wales coast. His earliest introduction to music was through piano lessons with his mother when around eight years old, later taking violin and guitar lessons. He was involved in various musical activities during his early teens ranging from playing in rock bands to fiddle playing in the school band for the Welsh folk dancers, before focusing primarily on classical guitar and starting to compose in his later teens.
David studied at The Royal College of Music from 1990-94, taking joint-first study in Guitar with Charles Ramirez and Composition with Edwin Roxburgh; also attending the composition classes of George Benjamin.
On completion of his studies, David moved to Poland for two years, spending a year at the Cracow Academy of Music studying composition with the late Marek Stachowski and a second year of private study with Zbigneiw Bujarksi.
During his two years in Cracow he wrote a Violin Concerto and a work for chamber orchestra, ‘Cause and Reaction’ (both since withdrawn). David later undertook further composition study, with Robert Saxton at The University of Oxford.
David works have been broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 and performed in the US, Germany, Poland, Russia, Denmark, Sweden, South America. Major UK performances have taken place at Wigmore Hall and The Purcell Room, King’s Place, et al.
Recently, the string orchestra version of his setting of Pablo Neruda’s poem Mañana, ‘Morning’ was premiered in Moscow. The original version, for soprano and string quartet received its UK premiere at the Wigmore Hall sung by Grace Davidson and features on his new CD with Toccata Classics. ‘Morning’ was also broadcast on Australian radio in summer 2011.
Steve Reich said of this work: ” ‘Morning’. Integration of voice with string quartet beautifully done – particularly first entrance. Writing for instruments is solid and sounds very good to me. Very honest stuff”.
David is the recipient of numerous awards and scholarships including: The John Longmire Prize for Composition, Royal College of Music; The Jack Morrison Prize for Guitar, RCM; The Composition Prize for Youth Orchestra, Murcia, Spain; The Fine Arts Sinfonia Composition Prize (London); The Waterson Scholarship, University of Oxford; the Oppenheim/Downes Memorial Scholarship; The University Graduate Scholarship, University of Oxford and SPNM Short-listed composer 2001, among others.
As well as concert music, David has written film scores, most recently for Polish animation: ‘Blask’ (Illumination) and the short film: ‘Compartment’. He also wrote the tutorial book/CD, ‘Play Classical Guitar’ that has entered three editions including a Spanish translation (Backbeat Books, 2000).
Composers that David cites as having the most effect on his work are: “Sibelius – for his incredible formal logic and expansive use of time; Lutosławski – for the multi-functionality of his musical material plus near-perfect formal processes and Per Nørgård – for showing how complex processes (such as his infinity series) can be used to help create genuine beauty”.
Other musical interests and influences of David’s include his love of vinyl recordings, especially older rarities, he says: “I learn so much from performers, Glenn Gould and Julian Bream for example, also earlier ones such as harpsichordist Wanda Landowska and the English pianist Solomon, who incidentally was a friend of my great uncle in the 1950s. Many of these players had such an intelligent and thought-through approach to phrasing and pacing. They perhaps have had as much influence on me as any composer. There are also a highly refreshing bunch of new players around who are able to bring a very focused and informed approach to the repertoire in a wholly new way – this is extremely encouraging”.
Contact Information
- Email: davidbraid@hotmail.co.uk
Media & Markets
- ▶ Buy My Music (downloads/CDs/DVDs): http://divineartrecords.com/composer/david-braid/
- ▶ Buy My Music 2 (downloads/CDs/DVDs): http://toccataclassics.com/product/braid-chamber-and-instrumental-music/
- ▶ Charts/Scores: http://davidbraid.net/scores/
- ▶ Twitter: Braid_Ensemble
- ▶ Website: http://davidbraid.net
- ▶ Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/album/4kjhZ8yQS0qAfJFCFHOECK
- ▶ Spotify 2: http://open.spotify.com/album/1CORtksMfr3aZUmLI1vjxi
- ▶ Spotify 3: http://open.spotify.com/album/1vrVdw0dkNCI5WK8PLKqon
- ▶ Spotify 4: http://open.spotify.com/album/0EyvpcQc79ONVr6g6yHYZ8
- ▶ Articles: http://davidbraid.net/news-reviews-interviews/
More
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Quotes, Notes & Etc.
Education:
M.Litt. (Composition), University of Oxford, St. Anne’s College.
M.Mus. (Composition), Royal College of Music, London.
Private study, Prof. Zbigniew Bujarski, Cracow, Poland (Fugue/Counterpoint).
Diploma (Composition/Conducting), Cracow Academy of Music, Poland.
Dip.RCM. (Composition/Guitar), Royal College of Music, London.
Clips (more may be added)
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The Fugue of Art
294 views
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Touch
347 views
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Light without Shadows
290 views
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Fugue for my Friends
253 views
THE MATRIX WAS BUILT HERE, inspired in (the kabbalah-inspired fiction of) Borges' El Aleph, that in the pillar in Cairo's Mosque of Amr, where the universe in its entirety throughout all time is perceivable as an infinite hum from deep within the stone... The Brazilian "aleph" doesn't hum...it sings!
Sprawled across broad equatorial latitudes
Stoked and steamed and sensual in the widest sense of the word
Limned in prosody and cadenced song
brəˈzɪl / from "brasa" / Latin for "ember"
w/ David Dye for U.S. National Public Radio
Given the immense untapped power of the small-world phenomenon, from Brazilians the matrix was expanded to include nodes per jazz artists, given jazz's common roots with Brazilian music (nodes based in publicly available information; some artists we informed — Bob Mintzer, Kamasi Washington, David "Fuse" Fiuczynski, Vijay Iyer, Greg Osby — and got thumbs up, others we'll get to), and moved on from there. Artists/academics/"creative people" are welcome to create their own nodes and curate (connect to other artist nodes, so that others may follow). BTW, our logo is a cortador de cana, cane cutter. It was designed by Walter Mariano, professor of design at the Federal University of Bahia to reflect the origins of the music the shop specializes in.
MUCH MORE on all of this in the window below (which, if you are logged in, will instead contain instructions on recommending), and in the window within that window (which includes a "radio" called by The Guardian one of "10 of the best music radio stations around the world"):
