Red Ash
1 sound
Current age: Mature
Size at maturity: 16m
Species native to: East and Central North America
Tree identification number: 0HFB
Composer name
Arnau Brichs Ponce
About the composer:
Born in Barcelona (2000), studied jazz with Marina Albero and Chano Domínguez and classical piano with Mireia Datzira in the IEA Oriol Martorell whilst performing solo piano recitals in venues like Ateneu Barcelonès or Casa Orlandai and winning the 2nd Arjau Chamber Music Prize. He also performed at the 47th International Music Festival of Cadaqués. In 2016, he moved to the UK to attend the Purcell School for Young Musicians, studying composition with Joseph Phibbs, Deborah Pritchard and Brian Elias. His song for school patron Dame Kiri Te Kanawa later won a prize at the "WCSMS 2019 Promising Young Composers Competition" (USA). He was awarded a full ABRSM scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Music, where he is currently working under Helen Grime and Rubens Askenar. He has received advice and lessons, among others, by composers like Kaija Saariaho, Georg Friedrich Haas, Hans Abrahamsen or Tansy Davies. He has worked with a wide range of artists such as the Uusinta Ensemble (Finland), Academy Manson Ensemble, Lucy Goddard or Rolf Hind, who premiered his piece "La Coïssor” at the Occupy the Pianos Festival (London) as part of a Call for Scores.
About the tree:
The north-east American red ash has compound leaves of between three and nine leaflets. It produces fine grained strong timber.
About the composition:
This tree is wide and tall but very empty and sparse in terms of its leaves. This is translated in the music into a light texture, which is composed of three contrasting soft sounds in opposition (like its three main branches up in different directions), endlessly recurring with small alterations.
