Editing Gavin Bryars (section)

==Early life and career==
Born on 16 January 1943<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/bio/index.jsp?pid=3462 |magazine=Billboard |title=Gavin Bryars |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080120184232/http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/bio/index.jsp?pid=3462 |archive-date=20 January 2008 }}</ref> in [[Goole]], in the [[East Riding of Yorkshire]], England,  Bryars attended [[Goole Academy|Goole Grammar School]].<ref name="s736">{{cite news | last=Clinch | first=Dermot | title=Arts: Quiet at the back of the class | work=The Independent | date=19 December 1998 | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/arts-quiet-at-the-back-of-the-class-1192291.html | access-date=10 December 2024}}</ref> He studied philosophy at [[Sheffield University]] but became a jazz bassist during his three years as a philosophy student.

The first musical work for which he is remembered was his role as bassist in the trio [[Joseph Holbrooke (band)|Joseph Holbrooke]], alongside guitarist [[Derek Bailey (guitarist)|Derek Bailey]] and drummer [[Tony Oxley]].<ref name="am">{{cite web|title =Gavin Bryars: Biography |first=Anne|last=Feeney |publisher=AllMusic| url ={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=gavin-bryars-q7112/biography|pure_url=yes}} |access-date =9 March 2011}}</ref> The trio began by playing relatively traditional [[jazz]] – they toured with saxophonist Lee Konitz in 1966 – before moving into [[free improvisation]]. Bryars became dissatisfied with this when he saw a young bassist (later revealed to be [[Johnny Dyani]]) play in a manner that seemed to him to be artificial, and he abandoned improvisation, becoming interested in composition instead. In 1998 the trio reformed briefly, giving two live performances and making recordings.

Bryars's first compositions owe much to the New York School of [[John Cage]] (with whom he briefly studied), [[Morton Feldman]], [[Earle Brown]] and [[minimalism]]. One of his earliest pieces, ''[[The Sinking of the Titanic (Bryars)|The Sinking of the Titanic]]'' (1969), is an [[Indeterminacy in music|indeterminist]] work that allows the performers to take a number of sound sources related to the sinking of the [[RMS Titanic|RMS ''Titanic'']] and make them into a piece of music.<ref name="am" /> The first recording of this piece appeared on [[Brian Eno]]'s [[Obscure Records]] in 1975. The 1994 recording was remixed by [[Aphex Twin]] as ''Raising the Titanic'' (later collected on the ''[[26 Mixes for Cash]]'' album). In 2012, the centenary of the Titanic's sinking, Bryars made a new extended version, with film projections by Bill Morrison and Laurie Olinder, that included his four children as a low-string ensemble (viola, 2 cellos, bass) and turntablist Philip Jeck, subsequently released on GB records (BCGBCD21 2013)
{{listen
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Another well-known early work is ''[[Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet]]'' (1971), which has as its basis a recorded [[music loop|loop]] of a homeless man singing a musical fragment that the old man had improvised.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/oct/21/gavin-bryars-ensemble-review?INTCMP=SRCH|title=Gavin Bryars Ensemble: Union Chapel|last=Lewis|first=John|date=21 October 2009|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=9 March 2011}}</ref> On top of that loop, rich [[harmony|harmonies]] played by a live [[musical ensemble|ensemble]] are built, always increasing in density, before the whole thing gradually fades out. A recording of this work was made in 1993 with [[Tom Waits]] singing along with the original recording of the vagrant during the final section.

Bryars was a founding member in May 1970 of the [[Portsmouth Sinfonia]], an orchestra whose membership consisted of performers who "embrace the full range of musical competence" – and who played popular [[European classical music|classical]] works. Its members included [[Brian Eno]], whose Obscure Records label would subsequently release works by Bryars. In one of the label's first three releases, Eno's album ''[[Discreet Music]]'', Bryars conducted and co-arranged ''Three Variations on the Canon in D Major by Johann Pachelbel'', which constitutes the second half of the album.

The 1992 composition ''A Man in a Room Gambling'' was written on commission from [[Artangel]]. Bryars's music is heard beneath monologues spoken by the Spanish artist [[Juan Muñoz (sculptor)|Juan Muñoz]], who talks about methods of cheating at card games (drawing on ''[[The Expert at the Card Table]]'' by [[S. W. Erdnase]]). The ten short works were played on [[BBC Radio 3]] without any introductory announcements, and Bryars wrote that Muñoz  hoped they would appear to the listener in a similar way to the ''[[Shipping Forecast]]'', "bemused by this fleeting and perhaps enigmatic curiosity."<ref name="gambling">{{Cite web |last=Bryars |first=Gavin |archive-date=2020-08-06 |title=A Man in a Room Gambling |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806101214/https://gavinbryars.com/work_writing/a-man-in-a-room-gambling/ |url=https://gavinbryars.com/work_writing/a-man-in-a-room-gambling/ |date=1995-01-01 |access-date=2024-01-08 }}</ref>

Bryars has written many other works, including five operas, and many instrumental pieces, among them four [[string quartet]]s and several concertos. He has written several pieces for dance, including ''Biped'' (1999) for [[Merce Cunningham]], as well as works for [[William Forsythe (choreographer)|William Forsythe]], [[Carolyn Carlson (artist)|Carolyn Carlson]], [[Edouard Lock]] and [[David Dawson (choreographer)|David Dawson]]. In 1981–1984 Bryars participated in ''[[The Civil Wars: A Tree Is Best Measured When It Is Down|the CIVIL warS]]'', a vast, never-completed multimedia project by [[Robert Wilson (director)|Robert Wilson]], who also directed his first opera, ''Medea''. His cello concerto ''Farewell to Philosophy'' was recorded in 1996 by [[Julian Lloyd Webber]]. He has also written a large body of vocal and choral music for groups such as the [[Hilliard Ensemble]], the [[Latvian Radio Choir]], the Estonian National Men's Choir, Red Byrd, [[Trio Mediaeval]], [[Singer Pur]], Nordic Voices and The Crossing, whose recording of "The Fifth Century" won a Grammy in 2019. He has written a great deal for early music performers including six books of madrigals, several works for viol consort and a collection of 54 "laude" based on a 12th century manuscript. 

Bryars' ''When Harry Met Addie'' (a tribute to jazz singer [[Adelaide Hall]] and saxophonist [[Harry Carney]]) was premiered at the [[Duke Ellington]] Memorial Concert at the [[Queen Elizabeth Hall]], London, on 1 May 1999. The piece was performed by the London Sinfonietta Big Band<ref>Fordham, John, [https://www.theguardian.com/culture/1999/may/04/artsfeatures.jazz "Ellington Now"], ''The Guardian'', 4 May 1999.</ref> and commissioned by the baritone saxophonist/bass clarinettist [[John Surman]]. [[Cristina Zavalloni]] sang the soprano and the London Sinfonietta Big Band was conducted by [[Diego Masson]]·<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.schott-international.com/shop/php/Proxy.php?purl=%2Fessh%2F9%2Fshow%2C165998.html |title=When Harry Met Addie - Schott music |access-date=25 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924095138/http://www.schott-international.com/shop/php/Proxy.php?purl=%2Fessh%2F9%2Fshow%2C165998.html |archive-date=24 September 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Bryars founded the music department at Leicester Polytechnic (now [[De Montfort University]]), and was Professor of Music there for several years. He left in 1994 to concentrate on composition and performance. He lives in England, and, for part of the year, on the west coast of Canada.

Since 1986 Bryars has run The Gavin Bryars Ensemble with his preferred musicians, consisting chiefly of low strings. Now, in addition, this regularly includes his children (2 cellos, piano and double bass)

Since 1974 Bryars has been a member of [[Collège de 'Pataphysique|the Collège de 'Pataphysique]] and was elected Regent in 2001. In 2015 he was named Transcendent Satrap, the highest honour in the Collège, a position he shares with [[Marcel Duchamp]], [[Man Ray]], [[Eugène Ionesco]], [[Umberto Eco]], and others.

In 2020, Bryars composed ''Altissima Luce'' for [[Sound World]]’s Coronavirus Fund for Freelance Musicians, a project supporting struggling musicians during the UK’s Covid 19 lockdown. It was included on the album ''Reflections'' alongside specially written pieces by other composers such as [[Nico Muhly]], [[Mark-Anthony Turnage]], [[Evelyn Glennie]] and [[Sally Beamish]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Altissima Luce – Gavin Bryars|url=https://gavinbryars.com/work_composition/altissima-luce/|access-date=2022-01-22}}</ref>

In 2023, Bryars collaborated with Goole band [[Sandra's Wedding]] on their new EP, "Another Rugby League Town".<ref>{{cite news |title=Goole band collaborates with eminent composer |url=https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fr5NAA_XgAEcRKR?format=jpg&name=medium |work=[[Goole Times]] |date=23 March 2023}}</ref>

Also in 2023, Bryars provided a special guest vocal for experimental composer Bill Vine's<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bill Vine: Composer – Composer |url=http://billvine.co.uk/ |access-date=2023-10-29 |language=en-GB}}</ref> work, "Norwich Under the Water".<ref>{{Cite web |last=postrockcafe |date=2023-09-11 |title=Bill Vine ~ Norwich Under the Water |url=https://acloserlisten.com/2023/09/11/bill-vine-norwich-under-the-water/ |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=a closer listen |language=en}}</ref> The piece premiered at Norwich Cathedral in August 2023.

In November 2024, Bryars received the [[Ivor Novello Awards|Ivor Novello Award]] for Innovation, presented in association with the [[Musicians' Union (United Kingdom)|Musicians' Union]], at The Ivors Classical Awards.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Anna |date=2024-11-12 |title=The Ivors Classical Awards 2024 winners announced |url=https://ivorsacademy.com/news/the-ivors-classical-awards-2024-winners-announced/ |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=The Ivors Academy |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Winners announced at The Ivors Classical Awards 2024 |url=https://www.classical-music.com/news/ivors-classical-awards-2024 |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=www.classical-music.com |language=en}}</ref>