Adámek, Ondřej

Born 1979 in Prague. He graduated in composition from the Prague Conservatoire and the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (2004), as well as the Conservatoire National Supérieur in Paris (honours degree in 2006). He composes orchestral, chamber and vocal music, and cooperates with choreographers. His works combine elements of many different cultures of the world (Bali, New Caledonia, Japan, Andalusia). He dedicates great attention to instrumental colours and the timbres of human voice.

His accolades include Synthèse Prize in Bourges for electroacoustic composition (2003), Métamorphose in Brussels (2002, 2004), Hungarian Radio Award (2004), Brandenburg Biennale (2006), SACEM (for orchestral works, 2009), Tansman Prize in Łódź (2010), and the Enescu Prize (2011).

In 2002, together with the dance company Compagnie Gàara, he cocreated the UNESCO-supported choreographic project Abila. He also composes music for Les Percussions de Strasbourg and the Lucerne Festival Academy Orchestra (the premiere of his Endless Steps was conducted in 2008 by Pierre Boulez). Nôise for 27 musicians was premiered at the Cité de la Musique in Paris by Ensemble intercontemporain and Susanna Mälkki.

In 2007 Adámek was a composer-in-residence at Villa Kujoyama in Kyoto (as a Culturesfrance scholarship holder). Since 2008 he has been a member of the artistic formation based in Madrid’s Casa de Velázquez. In 2014–15 he was a composer-in-residence at Villa Medici in Rome. His compositions are published by Gérard Billaudot.

Selected works: Inflexion for two saxophones (2001), Gouttes, petites gouttes for 18 instruments (2003), Cercle des rythmes vitaux, electroacoustic music (2004), Strange Night in Daylight for 20 musicians and electronics (2004), Rapid Eye Movements for string quartet and electronics (2005), Éclats de gamelan for orchestra (2005), Silent Touches for baritone and five instruments (2005), Falling Dreams for orchestra (2006), Shiny or Shy for orchestra (2006), Jardin perdu for three voices and orchestra (2006), Dusty Rusty Hush for orchestra (2007), Fishbones for six percussions (2007), Endless Steps for orchestra (2008), Ombre cri for trumpet, choir and orchestra (2008), Ça tourne ça bloque for 10 instruments and sampler (2007–8), Coups d’ailes, brass octet in space (2008), Sinuous Voices for ensemble (2004–9), Nôise for 27 instruments (2009), Imademo for soprano, violin and sampler (2009–10), Blow Up for 17 instruments (2009–10), Lo que no’ contamo’ for string quartet (2010), Chamber Nôise for cello and double bass (2010), Karakuri – Poupée mécanique for female voice and 14 instruments (2011), Dîner, performance with text, staging, video, 12 musicians around a table, painter painting in real time and conductor (2012), Kameny for choir and 16 instruments (2012), Nieuw Noise for 11 musicians (2013), Polednice for choir and orchestra (2013), Schamanenzauberei for air-soundmachine video, choir and orchestra (2013), Körper und Seele for airmachine (instrument/sculpture of the composer’s own design), video, choir and orchestra (2014), Steinar for six voices playing instruments (2014), Conséquences particulièrement blanches ou noires for airmachine (2015; version for airmachine and ensemble, 2016), 7 Stones, opera for four solo voices and 12 choir singers, all also playing instruments and objects (2016).