UOW composer chosen alongside Bach to showcase work in London

Mar 02, 2007

Dean of the University of Wollongong's Faculty of Creative Arts, Professor Andrew Schultz, has had one of his classical compositions premiered at London's Wigmore Hall.

Celebrating the 60th birthday of the Head of Strings at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, David Takeno, Professor Schultz is one of six composers who were chosen to write new works for the events with the program based around the Sonatas of Bach and Ysaye.

His piece, Sonatina for solo violin, has been written for critically acclaimed young British violinist, Jennifer Pike, who became well known in 2002 for winning the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition at 12 years of age (the youngest ever winner to date).

She has been described as the next Yehudi Menuhin - the renowned American violinist and conductor who had one of the longest and most distinguished careers of any violinist of the 20th century.

Formerly the Head of Composition and Music Studies at London's Guildhall School of Music, Professor Schultz joined UOW in 2002.

His music, which covers a broad range of chamber, orchestral, operatic and vocal works, has been performed, recorded and broadcast widely by many leading groups and musicians and he is the recipient of awards and prizes including a Fulbright Scholarship, the National Opera Award, Arts Council Fellowships and APRA Classical Composition of the Year.