Daniel Kidane

Kidane in 2015

Daniel Kidane (born 1986) is a British composer. His piece "Woke" opened the last night of the 2019 Proms.[1][2]

In 2016 his "Sirens" was one of a group of five short works commissioned by the BBC Philharmonic to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death, and performed in the Bridgewater Hall. The Guardian's reviewer described it as a "propulsive, eclectic piece" which "soaked up influences of jungle, dubstep and R&B sampled from a trawl through the city after dark.[3] "His 2017 work "Zulu" was performed by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.[4][5] His "Dream Song" was premiered at the Queen Elizabeth Hall by the Chineke! Orchestra on the re-opening of the hall in 2018 and the 50th anniversary of the funeral of Martin Luther King Jr., and includes words from his "I Have a Dream" speech.[6][7] The concert was broadcast by BBC Radio 3.[8] The orchestra later recorded the work on their album Spark Catchers.[9]

In 2020 he was commissioned by Huddersfield Choral Society to write "We'll Sing", with words by Simon Armitage, who worked from a list of words sent by choir members to reflect their experience of lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was released on a music video in autumn 2020.[10][11]

In 2022 Kidane joined the Schott Music publishing company.[12]

Early life and education

Kidane was born in 1986.[13] His mother is Russian and his father is Eritrean. He was born and grew up in Britain.[1] He played the recorder and the violin at school, and sang in the children's chorus of the English National Opera, but chose to study composition at the Royal Northern College of Music, where he graduated with a B.Mus. in 2012.[1][14][15] He has also studied at the St. Petersburg Conservatoire under Sergei Slonimsky.[16]

References

1. Kidane, Daniel (14 September 2019). "Why, this year, Last Night of the Proms will be woke". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
2. Dixon, Gavin (15 September 2019). "Last Night of the Proms, review: bisexual pride and diversity". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
3. Hickling, Alfred (25 April 2016). "BBC Philharmonic/Gourlay review – inventive, eclectic and ill-coordinated". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
4. Thompson, Simon (11 November 2017). "Gomez steps in late for Russian Revolution programme". bachtrack.com. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
5. "Zulu". www.rsno.org.uk. Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Archived from the original on 8 February 2021. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
6. Ashley, Tim (10 April 2018). "Chineke!/Parnther review – exhilarating reopening for the QEH". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
7. "Daniel Kidane's 'Dream Song' is premiered by Chineke! at the reopening of the Queen Elizabeth Hall". Rayfield Allied. 10 April 2018. Archived from the original on 6 December 2018. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
8. "Chineke! Orchestra play Britten, Beethoven, Daniel Kidane". Radio 3 in Concert. BBC Radio 3. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
9. Maddocks, Fiona (19 January 2020). "Home Listening: Rhian Samuel, Chineke! Orchestra and Beethoven Unleashed". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
10. "About the Commissions". We'll Sing. Huddersfield Choral Society. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
11. Parr, Freya (9 October 2020). "Poet Laureate Simon Armitage to write lyrics to music set by Cheryl Frances-Hoad and Daniel Kidane in response to COVID-19". Classical Music. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
12. "Daniel Kidane joins Schott Music publishing". Rayfield Allied. 12 December 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
13. "Sound Frontiers: Daniel Kidane". Composer of the Week: Five under 40. BBC Radio 3. 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
14. "Daniel Kidane". RNCM. Royal Northern College of Music. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
15. "Daniel Kidane". Rayfield Allied. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
16. "Daniel Kidane". British Music Collection. 7 July 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2021.