Dialog

Born in London in 1970, Nicolas Hodges received his piano training at Winchester College and the University of Cambridge under Robert Bottone, Susan Bradshaw and Sulamita Aronovsky. These studies were complemented by composition lessons with Michael Finnissy and Robin Holloway, which continue to shape his deep engagement with contemporary music to this day.

As a soloist, Hodges has worked with renowned orchestras such as the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Berlin Philharmonic, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. He regularly performs with conductors such as Marin Alsop, Daniel Barenboim, Susanna Mälkki, Jonathan Nott, François-Xavier Roth, Jukka-Pekka Saraste and Leonard Slatkin.

Hodges is a sought-after guest at the most important festivals for new music, including the Donaueschingen Music Days, the Festival d'Automne in Paris, the Salzburg Festival and many others. In chamber music, he is involved in the Trio Accanto, among others, and works with renowned musicians such as the Arditti Quartet, cellist Adrian Brendel and percussionist Colin Currie. His close artistic collaboration with leading contemporary composers plays a special role in his work. Works such as «Dialogues» (2004) by Elliott Carter, «In Seven Days» (2008) by Thomas Adès, and «Gigue Machine» (2011) and «Variations from the Golden Mountain» (2014) by Sir Harrison Birtwistle were written for him.

The focus of this evening is the world premiere of Rebecca Saunders' piano concerto «to an utterance». Hodges and Saunders have enjoyed an intense artistic partnership for many years. Numerous works, such as the double concerto «miniata», the duo «Choler», the trio «That Time and the solo pieces «crimson» and «Shadow» were composed especially for him.

In addition to his international concert activities, Nicolas Hodges has been teaching as a professor of piano at the Stuttgart University of Music since 2005 and is a regular lecturer at the Darmstadt Summer Courses for New Music.

A conversation with the artist, moderated by saxophonist Marcus Weiss, rounds off the evening.

With

Nicolas Hodges (piano), Marcus Weiss (moderation)

Program

Works by Peter Ablinger, Rebecca Saunders and Bill Hopkins

Info

«Dialog» is a concert series organised by the FHNW Academy of Music and sonic space basel, a platform for composition, performance, audio design and research, in collaboration with Gare du Nord.

Duration

75 minutes, no break

Prices

CHF 15.-/10.-/5.- (free choice at the box office or in advance)
Free admission for students of the Hochschule für Musik FHNW and the Musicology Department of the University of Basel

Links

→ nicolashodges.com
→ marcusweiss.net