Oscar Tysoe
"I am thrilled that the judging panel selected my submission as one of the winners!"
Born in 1994 in Northamptonshire, UK, Oscar learnt the piano from a young age. From 2013 to 2016, he studied Music at Durham University with a keen interest in composition.
After leaving university, he worked as a freelance piano teacher then trained as a teacher at Blundell’s School in Tiverton.
Since then, Oscar has relocated to the North-East with his fiancée Elizabeth and is completing a Masters Degree in Orchestration for Film, Video games and Television with Thinkspace Education and the University of Chichester.
Ostinato in Seven
The music of the Baroque era has always had a deep appeal to me with its rhythmic energy, complexity of texture and distinctive harmonic palette. When writing this piece, I wanted to pay tribute to this music that I love whilst still presenting a contemporary work for the Baroque violin and harpsichord.
A recurring feature of the work is the use of various open strings as a pedal, inspired by the writing in the prelude of Bach’s Partita in E major for Solo Violin BWV 1006. As the name suggests, the piece begins with a lively motif in 7/8 using the E string. The piece follows a loose rondo structure with a lyrical B theme and a C theme utilizing double stops across the range of the violin. The work ends with a cadenza like passage, again using the open E and with fretted shapes on the A and D strings, also inspired by Bach’s writing but this time in the opening of the violin sonata in E minor BWV 1023.
The harmonic language is tonal throughout, exploring a variety of extended chords and the lively character of many fast Baroque dance movements can be heard, although reimagined with irregular meters and patterns.
To conclude, the work represents much of the music that I love, creating a sound world that looks to both the past and future.