John Exton (composer)

John Albert Exton (28 March 1933 – 13 September 2009) was a British composer of classical music.[1]

John Exton was born in Wolverton, and started to play the violin at the age of 11. In 1950 he became leader of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.[2] He started to read music at the King's College in Cambridge. In 1956 he won the Mendelssohn Scholarship[3] and studied with Luigi Dallapiccola in Florence for a year. After that he continued his studies in Cambridge with Robin Orr and Matyas Seiber.[4] He became Doctor in Music in 1963 and in the same year the director of music at Bedales School.

In 1966 John Exton followed an appointment as a senior lecturer at the University of Western Australia in Perth. He taught composition there until his retirement. Notable students of John Exton include Carl Vine,[5] Jennifer Fowler,[6] Ross Bolleter[7] or Stephen Benfall. He died in Perth, aged 76.

Compositions

• 3 pieces, for oboe (1955, rev. 1961)
• Dialogues, for 2 violins (1957)
• Partita for string quartet (1957)
• 3 simple pieces, for piano (1961)
• 6 caprices, for violin (1961)
• String trio (1961)
• Variations for piano (1961)
• Concertante for piano and five instruments (1961)
• Fantasy for violin and piano (1961)
• String quartet No.2 (1961)
• Movements for orchestra (1964)
• The story of Christ's nativity according to St. Luke, for narrators, singers and instruments (1965)
• 2 Psalms and a Homily, for choir and organ (1966)
• Wind quintet (1967)
• String quartet No.3 (1969)
• Breathing space, electro-acoustic work (1972)
• String quartet No.4 with electronics (1972)
• String quartet No.5 (1972)
• Ryoanji, for 40 strings and percussion (1973)
• String quartet No.6 (1974)
• Give or take a few db, for piano (1975)
• String quartet No.7 (1975)
• Cantio obliqua, for violin (1993)
• 3 pieces for organ "Contrapuncti“
• In memoriam Joseph Haydn, for baritone and string quartet

References

1. obituary, found at: ozartsreview.hostingsuccess.com/1299/john-exton-an-appreciation
2. obituary, found at: ozartsreview.hostingsuccess.com/1299/john-exton-an-appreciation
3. news.mendelssohn-schol.com/newsarchive.aspx
4. obituary, found at: ozartsreview.hostingsuccess.com/1299/john-exton-an-appreciation
5. Gordon Kerry (2008): New Classical Music: Composing Australia. University of New South Wales Press. p.148
6. Stephen Pleskun (2012): A Chronological History of Australian Composers and Their Compositions, volume 2. Xlibris.
7. interview with Ross Bolleter, see: http://musicguy247.typepad.com/my-blog/ross-bolleter-ruined-pianos/