Alun Hoddinott

About Alun Hoddinott

Who is it?: Composer
Birth Day: August 19, 1929
Birth Place: Glamorgan, Welsh

Alun Hoddinott

Alun Hoddinott was born on August 19, 2011 in Glamorgan, Welsh, is Composer. Since his childhood days, Alun Hoddinott was attracted to music and he started learning the violin, which is considered to be the instrument of choice of a composer. His works started gaining attention while he was a student. His music was known for having deep sensuality and dark undertones. The author used to work in the dark recesses of night, thus most of his pieces were based in a nocturnal setting and the music used to perfectly blend with such settings. Apart from being a prolific composer, this musician was also an outstanding teacher. During his career at the ‘Cardiff College’, which was later known as ‘University College’, he polished many budding talents and provided them a platform in the form of ‘Cardiff Festival of Twentieth Century Music’. He was a generous personality who always encouraged their friends and colleagues to pursue their interests. As a composer, the man worked with a rare ferocity and generally baffled his contemporaries with the speed he composed. His works were of a diverse nature and had explored all forms of music including operas, symphonies and concertos. In the course of his glorious career, he had composed over 300 individual works including six operas. The ‘BBC National Orchestra of Wales’ organised the gala opening of the composer’s last work, ‘Taliesin’, at the ‘Swansea Festival of Music’ in 2009 after his death. To know more about the composer read on
Alun Hoddinott is a member of Musicians

Does Alun Hoddinott Dead or Alive?

As per our current Database, Alun Hoddinott has been died on March 12, 2008.

🎂 Alun Hoddinott - Age, Bio, Faces and Birthday

When Alun Hoddinott die, Alun Hoddinott was 79 years old.

Popular As Alun Hoddinott
Occupation Musicians
Age 79 years old
Zodiac Sign Virgo
Born August 19, 1929 (Glamorgan, Welsh)
Birthday August 19
Town/City Glamorgan, Welsh
Nationality Welsh

🌙 Zodiac

Alun Hoddinott’s zodiac sign is Virgo. According to astrologers, Virgos are always paying attention to the smallest details and their deep sense of humanity makes them one of the most careful signs of the zodiac. Their methodical approach to life ensures that nothing is left to chance, and although they are often tender, their heart might be closed for the outer world. This is a sign often misunderstood, not because they lack the ability to express, but because they won’t accept their feelings as valid, true, or even relevant when opposed to reason. The symbolism behind the name speaks well of their nature, born with a feeling they are experiencing everything for the first time.

🌙 Chinese Zodiac Signs

Alun Hoddinott was born in the Year of the Snake. Those born under the Chinese Zodiac sign of the Snake are seductive, gregarious, introverted, generous, charming, good with money, analytical, insecure, jealous, slightly dangerous, smart, they rely on gut feelings, are hard-working and intelligent. Compatible with Rooster or Ox.

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Biography/Timeline

1954

Hoddinott was born in Bargoed, Glamorganshire, Wales. He was educated at Gowerton Grammar school before matriculating to University College, Cardiff, and later studied privately with Arthur Benjamin. His first major composition, the Clarinet Concerto, was performed at the Cheltenham Festival of 1954 by Gervase de Peyer with the Hallé Orchestra and Sir John Barbirolli.

1970

Hoddinott was prolific, writing symphonies, sonatas, and concertos: his style evolved over a long and distinguished career, from the neo-classicism of the Clarinet Concerto to a brand of serialism which allowed a tonal framework to the structure, combining a penchant for dark textures and brooding harmonies similar to that of another British Composer, Alan Rawsthorne, with Bartokian arch-forms and palindromes. However, his move into opera from 1970 helped to broaden his stylistic range and lighten his palette. His music often displays a brooding, darkly lyrical intensity, manifested in his nocturnal slow movements. One of the best examples is his rhapsodic Poem for violin and orchestra, inspired by a line from James Joyce, The Heaventree of Stars. Combining tough, disciplined writing with a sense of the mysterious and unknown, his musical style has been described as "modernist romantic".

1980

Alun Hoddinott was also a gifted Teacher and, as Professor of Music at University College, Cardiff, was responsible for the expansion of the Department of Music (with a purpose-built building) which became the largest in Europe in the 1980s. Hoddinott taught a number of talented composers during his time at Cardiff, including the Irish Composer John Buckley and Welsh composers Karl Jenkins, Jeffrey Lewis, John Metcalf and Christopher Painter.

1983

He was awarded honorary doctorates from numerous leading musical institutions, including the Royal Academy of Music, the Royal Northern College of Music and the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, as well as the Walford Davies Award. He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1983 New Year Honours.

1997

In 1997 Alun Hoddinott received the Glyndŵr Award for an Outstanding Contribution to the Arts in Wales during the Machynlleth Festival. He also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Arts Council of Wales in 1999, and Fellowship of the Welsh Music Guild.

2005

In 2005, Hoddinott produced a fanfare to be performed at the wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales, to Camilla Parker Bowles, having previously written works to celebrate Prince Charles' 16th birthday and his investiture.

2007

On 1 March 2007 (Saint David's Day) Soprano Helen Field and baritone Jeremy Huw Williams gave the world première of his orchestral song cycle Serenissima with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales at St David's Hall. It was announced on this occasion that the new home of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff would include a specially built 350-seat concert hall, named BBC Hoddinott Hall (Welsh: Neuadd Hoddinott y BBC). The new hall was inaugurated with an opening festival held between 22 January and 1 February 2009, with live performances broadcast on BBC Radio 3. The opening piece was a show piece by Hoddinott himself.

2008

Alun Hoddinott died on 11 March 2008 at Morriston Hospital, Swansea, aged 78, the day after the world première at the Wigmore Hall of his Music for String Quartet, given by the Sacconi Quartet. His very last work, the orchestral tone poem "Taliesin", was premièred by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales at the Swansea Festival of Music in October 2009.

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