Reza Namavar ( Amstelveen, 30 oktober 1980 )

Activities and background

CV

Reza started composing at the age of 14. He was especially fond of creating new music and this turned out to be the perfect thing to do. After having taken piano lessons for one year he discovered his preference for writing his own music. After having seen the scores for two orchestra pieces which Reza had written for the music school orchestra Ton Hartsuiker, then director at the Conservatory of Amsterdam, advised him to follow classes under supervision of composer Daan Manneke.

Reza was admitted to the Young Talent class of the Amsterdam Conservatory. Subsequently, he took piano lessons from Marjes Benoist, a teacher at the conservatory, although composing still gave him most joy.

When Reza started studying at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague he decided to focus on composing only. His teachers were Martijn Padding, Gilius van Bergeijk and Louis Andriessen, all three of them had a positive influence on his work.

In 2001 Reza wrote the Ensemble piece “In principe wel” (“Basically yes”) wherefore he won the Henriëtte Bosman’s Prize. In 2017 Namavar has won De Willem Breuker Prijs 2017.

His discovery of the wondrous world of Bach cantatas in 2005 has had a profound impact on his compositions. In 2006 he completed his master’s degree (second phase) in classical composition at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, with a 9 out of 10 mark.

It would not be long before Reza received commisions from ensembles such as the Residentie Orchestra, the Dutch Student Chamber Orchestra (Nesko), the ASKO ensemble, the Dutch Student Orchestra (NSO), the Dutch Wind Ensemble (NBE), Ensemble Caméleon, Ensemble Insomnio, Ragazze Quartet, The Amstel Quartet, United Instruments of Lucilin the Cellosection of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdams Bach Consort, National Violin Competition Oskar Back and the Schönberg Ensemble. Among his compositions are four concertos: for pianist Laura Sandee (of the Ensemble Insomnio) and compositions for Olivier Sliepen (saxophone player of the Amstel Quartet), Susanne van Els (viola player of the Schönberg Ensemble) and Erik Bosgraaf ( Recorder ). He has worked with conductors such as Peter Bundel, Etienne Siebens, Reinbert de Leeuw and Peter Biloen, and players such as guitarist Gary Lucas, baroquesoprano Deborah York, Johannette Zomer, viola da gamba player Jordi Savall as well with the famous Dutch writer Herman Koch and writer Kader Abdolah. Also, Reza has taken part in the Holland Festival twice, Transit Festival Leuven, the Berliner Festspiele and ‘De Zaterdamatinee’. Sometimes Reza appears on the Dutch Television with short compositions ( De Wereld Draait Door & Studio Witteman )