Dr Daniel Bickerton

MMus PhD (Wales) PGD (London) AFHEA LMusTCL AMusTCL FTCL LTCL ATCL

Senior Lecturer and Director of Learning and Teaching

Ysgol Cerddoriaeth

: bickertondi@cardiff.ac.uk
: +44 (0)29 2087 0405
Fax:: +44 (0)29 2087 4379
: 0.18, 33-37 Heol Corbett, Cathays, Caerdydd, CF10 3EB

: Sylwebydd y cyfryngau
: Ar gael fel goruchwyliwr ôl-raddedig

I am the Director of Undergraduate Studies at the School of Music. I am also an active composer with compositional interests including intertextuality, jazz, arrangement and hybridity, transculturalism, as well as the reception and interpretation of contemporary music. My music has been described as 'soulful', and 'full of skittish cascades' and 'invoking a sense of period and character – and just a little (harmless) madness' in The Times. My work has been performed in several major venues in the UK (including Wales Millennium Centre, Purcell Room and Birmingham Symphony Hall), Italy (La Mortella), Germany (Idstein Jazz Festival), France (Palais de Festivités, Evian), Switzerland (Montreux Jazz Festival), Belgium (Ghent Music Festival and St. George's Memorial Church, Ypres) the USA (San Francisco Theatre), and broadcast on BBC Radio Wales and ITV Wales. I studied composition with Arlene Sierra, Stephen Montague, Judith Weir and Anthony Powers at Cardiff University School of Music and Trinity College, London for both undergraduate and postgraduate study.

Recent commissions have included projects with Cor Aduniad, the Fidelio Trio (Cheltenham Music Festival premiere, July 2014), BBC Big Band (dir. Jay Craig), The Cardon Ensemble, London New Wind Ensemble (November 2013), Jack Lewis (trombone), Alexander Davis (saxophone), Cardiff University Big Band, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Consortium5, Lontano, RMA, Nathan Jorgensen's 'Four o'clock Band', and MFY.

Education and qualifications

2014: LMusTCL in Theory and Analysis (Trinity College London)
2012: PhD (Composition) Cardiff University, UK
2012: AFHEA (Higher Education Academy)
2011: AMusTCL with Distinction (Trinity College London)
2009: LTCL: Teaching with Distinction (Trinity College London)
2008: PGD with Distinction (Composition) Trinity Laban Conservatoire, UK
2007: MMus with Distinction (Composition) Cardiff University, UK
2006: BMus (Hons) with First Class Honours, Cardiff University, UK
2004: ATCL: Recital with Distinction (Trinity College London)

Anrhydeddau a Dyfarniadau

CUROP (July 2016)
First Campus for Outreach and Engagement (2014-16)
CUSU for Benjamin Britten Centenary: Celebration for Composers (2013)
Cardiff University Research Studentship (2008-2012)
Joan Greenfield Fellowship (2007-08)
Welsh Livery Guild (2007)
AHRC (2006-07)
Celia Thomas Bequest (2006)

Aelodaethau proffesiynol

Member of the international examining board for AMusTCL, Trinity College London (2015-present)
Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2012-present) for professional recognition of Teaching and Scholarship

Safleoedd academaidd blaenorol

2016-present: Director of Undergraduate Studies, Cardiff University School of Music
2014-2016: Deputy Undergraduate Admissions Tutor, Cardiff University School of Music
2013-2014: Lecturer in Music and Ideology, Leeds College of Music
2009-2014: Associate Lecturer, Cardiff University School of Music

Ymrwymiadau siarad cyhoeddus

Leeds College of Music (2014)
Trinity Laban (2013)
Cardiff University (2013)
RMA Kings College London (2010)
Trinity Laban (2009)
Keele University (2008)

Pwyllgorau ac adolygu

Chair of the Undergraduate Board of Studies (2016-present)
Chair of Examination and Year Boards (2016-present)
Assessment and Feedback Lead for MUSIC (2015-present)
Member of Learning and Teaching Committee (2015-present)
Member of Undergraduate Staff Student Panel (2014-present)
Member of Postgraduate Board of Studies (2014-present)
Member of IT Committee (2013-14)

2022

Bickerton, D. 2022. Nothing new here! Composing with counterpoint: Challenge and freedom. Presented at: International Lecture, Jagiellonian University, Krakòw, Poland, 13 June 2022.
Bickerton, D. 2022. Composing music in Wales: Sound and style. Presented at: International Lecture, Jagiellonian University, Krakòw, Poland, 14 June 2022.
Bickerton, D. 2022. Challenging tradition: Transforming assessment in higher education music. Presented at: MusicHE Annual Conference, Online, 3 May 2022.
Bickerton, D. 2022. Fogbow for two pianos.
Bickerton, D. 2022. Consolation: for soprano saxophone and piano.
Bickerton, D. 2022. Together again: for orchestra.
Bickerton, D. 2022. Confremant Saecula Studentum, Evans (1909) arr. Bickerton (2022).
Bickerton, D. 2022. Weather By Funk II (2022) for big band.

2021

Bickerton, D. 2021. Sinuous grace: for solo piano.
Bickerton, D. 2021. "the women danced but the king was afraid" (2021) for baroque violin and cello.
Bickerton, D. 2021. Into the rare: for two clarinets.

2020

Bickerton, D. 2020. Yearning.
Bickerton, D. 2020. Wires Crossed.
Bickerton, D. 2020. Wild Water.
Bickerton, D. 2020. As Alive As Ever.
Bickerton, D. 2020. Breaker of Stones.
Bickerton, D. 2020. Ensemble music-making: responding to the challenges of COVID-19 for performers and composers. Presented at: MusicHE 2020, Online, 3 July 2020.
Bickerton, D. 2020. Call me to you: for solo oboe.
Bickerton, D. 2020. Roots.
Bickerton, D. 2020. Breaking down barriers to online music-making. Presented at: Music Mark Annual Conference, Online, 22 October 2020.
Bickerton, D. 2020. What heights of love: for violin and piano.
Bickerton, D. 2020. We will dance again.

2019

Bickerton, D. 2019. By Gosh, By Golly. Daniel Bickerton.
Bickerton, D. 2019. nighTrain.
Bickerton, D. 2019. Smile.

2018

Bickerton, D. 2018. The opportunities of Panopto within the School of Music. Cardiff: Cardiff University Centre for Education Innovation. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnw6gdTKlIk
Bickerton, D. 2018. Assessment and feedback challenges in music. Presented at: Assessment Challenges and Challenging Assessment, Cardiff, UK, 24 September 2018.
Bickerton, D. 2018. Learn Plus: Advantages in formative assessments. Presented at: Cardiff University Education Innovation Week, Cardiff, UK, 23 January 2018.
Bickerton, D. and Gornall, L. 2018. Playing together: What can academics in higher education learn from musicians about creative leadership and collaboration?. In: Gornall, L., Thomas, B. and Sweetman, L. eds. Exploring Consensual Leadership in Higher Education. London: Bloomsbury, pp. 243-262.
Bickerton, D. 2018. Flypast.
Bickerton, D. 2018. Simmer down.

2017

Bickerton, D. and Allen, P. 2017. Cardiff - Capital city of Wales. Cardiff: Cardiff University. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqicqIMGGpI
Bickerton, D. 2017. Sea of Stone [Tyne Cot Sketches: II]. Bickerton.
Bickerton, D. 2017. Mad About ThaT.
Bickerton, D. 2017. The pitch within.

2016

Bickerton, D. 2016. Even though it's breaking, imagine!.
Bickerton, D. 2016. #CONNECT.

2015

Bickerton, D. 2015. Textbook.
Bickerton, D. 2015. Weather By Funk.
Bickerton, D. 2015. Eclipse.
Bickerton, D. 2015. Invictus.
Bickerton, D. 2015. Two mourning angels [Tyne Cot Sketches: I].
Bickerton, D. 2015. Ballad.

2014

Bickerton, D. 2014. Let's Do It Again.
Bickerton, D. 2014. Redux Shone Through Time.
Bickerton, D. 2014. Inward Thinking.
Bickerton, D. 2014. Evening Dew.
Bickerton, D. 2014. The Cause.

2013

Bickerton, D. 2013. Stand Up.
Bickerton, D. 2013. The Panther of Lugash.
Bickerton, D. 2013. Unintentional Art of Glass.
Bickerton, D. 2013. Firmly Grounded.
Bickerton, D. 2013. Caution.

2012

Bickerton, D. 2012. Garuda.
Bickerton, D. 2012. Save Our Chariots.
Bickerton, D. 2012. Blaenwern.
Bickerton, D. 2012. Three Children's pieces.

2011

Bickerton, D. 2011. Equation.
Bickerton, D. 2011. Ecclesiastical musings.
Bickerton, D. 2011. Delivered.
Bickerton, D. 2011. This Masquerade.

2010

Bickerton, D. 2010. The meaning of Alex.
Bickerton, D. 2010. Whimsical.
Bickerton, D. 2010. When The Stakes Are High.

2009

Bickerton, D. 2009. Lunarscape.
Bickerton, D. 2009. Nocturne.
Bickerton, D. 2009. Epiphany.

2008

Bickerton, D. 2008. The Court Jester.
Bickerton, D. 2008. A Suite of Eastern Expression.

2007

Bickerton, D. 2007. On The Edge.
Bickerton, D. 2007. Phoenix.
Bickerton, D. 2007. An Oracle of Earthly and Divine Authority.
Bickerton, D. 2007. States of Mind.
Bickerton, D. 2007. Prayer.
Bickerton, D. 2007. Apokaluptein.
Bickerton, D. 2007. For a Moment.
Bickerton, D. 2007. Medusa, Vallejo.

2006

Bickerton, D. 2006. Fanfare for Gwent.
Bickerton, D. 2006. Etifeddiaeth.
Bickerton, D. 2006. Ocean Sketch.

2005

Bickerton, D. 2005. Genesis.
Bickerton, D. 2005. Woodpeckers.

2004

Bickerton, D. 2004. Foreboding.
Bickerton, D. 2004. Through Their Eyes.

2003

Bickerton, D. 2003. Dreaming.

Undergraduate Teaching:

Composition (Final Year Portfolio supervisor)
20th Century Contrapuntal Practice
Orchestration
Studio Techniques (Electro-Acoustic Composition)
I also co-ordinate the practical musicianship modules at the School of Music (including Ensemble).

Postgraduate Teaching:

Music Leadership and Public Engagement
Ensemble
Studio Techniques (Electro-Acoustic Composition)
I have also supervised MA Composition portfolio students

CMG Directing:

I also direct the annual CMG 'composer celebration' workshop and concerts in the Autumn Semester. Previous concerts have included:
- 2013: Britten Centenary Celebration (feat. The Cardon Ensemble)
- 2014: The Triumph of Time? Responses to Birtwistle at 80
- 2015: La Monte Young at 80
I will be directing the next in this series, 'Reich at 80' on November 24, 2016 at the School of Music.

Overview and recent projects:

As a composer I am particularly interested in musical intertextuality. I enjoy writing chamber music in particular, but also music for jazz ensemble. Over the last twelve months, recent new works have included Invictus for SATB choir (performed by Cor Aduniad, dir. Geraint Davies) and a collection of piano solos, Tyne Cot Sketches (performed at St George's Memorial Church, Ypres). Weather By Funk was recently performed by Nathan Jorgensen's 'Four o'clock Band' at the Johnson Theatre, Paul Creative Arts Centre (New Hampshire) and by the Cardiff University Big Band at the Gent Music Festival, Belgium. A new work for the Adventus Saxophone Quartet as well as two pieces for alto saxophone (performed by Alexander Davis), Eclipse (2015) and Even Though It's Breaking, Imagine (2016) have received various UK performances.

Some of my recordings are available on my SoundCloud page: https://soundcloud.com/daniel-bickerton-2

Forthcoming project:

I have been commissioned by Music for Youth, in collaboration with music services from South Wales, to compose a new work for the upcoming MFY Proms concert series in November 2016. The project will focus on aspects of technological development in the 21st Century and is for a large ensemble featuring approximately 600 young musicians. I will be directing the world premiere performance at the Royal Albert Hall on November 16, 2016. The new work is called #CONNECT and will feature electro-acoustics, produced at the university recording studios. In addition to achieving funding from the above sponsors, I successfully attracted full funding from CUROP in order to give an undergraduate student (Timothy Johnston, Year 3 BMus) the opportunity to work in close collaboration with me on several aspects of this production between June and September 2016. (Information about the CUROP scheme can be found at: learning.cf.ac.uk/curop) Details about the concert series can be found at: mfy.org.uk/coreseason/mfyproms