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Alan Lourens

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Professor
Alan Lourens
FRSA
Born1966 (age 57–58)
CitizenshipAustralian
Occupation(s)Head, UWA Conservatorium of Music
Years active2012 - Present
Academic background
Alma materIndiana University Jacobs School of Music
Doctoral advisorRay E Cramer, Daniel Perantoni
Academic work
DisciplineMusic (conductor, composer, euphonium player)

Alan Lourens (born 1966) is a classical musician, composer, euphonium player and conductor from Perth, Western Australia. He is the head of the UWA Conservatorium of Music.

Biography

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Lourens was born in Perth, Western Australia, and attended Scarborough Senior High School, where he won the prize for music in his graduating year. After completing a degree in Music Education at the Western Australian College of Advanced Education, Lourens taught brass and classroom music in public schools, based at Kelmscott Senior High School, and including conducting and teaching brass at Churchlands Senior High School and Perth Modern School. He returned to study at Indiana University, earning a master's degree in music (in Euphonium Performance) in 1992, and a Doctorate (in Wind Conducting) in 1999, working as an Associate Instructor to Harvey Phillips and in the IU department of bands, working with the Marching Hundred. At Indiana, he studied Euphonium with M.Dee Stewart and Daniel Perantoni. He was also awarded a Performers Certificate for the quality of his Masters recital.

From 2000, Lourens has held leadership positions at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (as Head of Classical Music), and has held positions in Singapore(at Lasalle College of the Arts),[1] and in Dubai.[2] His name was also associated with a possible appointment as Head of the ANU School of Music.[3][4] In 2009, he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA).

UWA Conservatorium of Music

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Lourens was appointed as Head the UWA School of Music in 2012, and reappointed in 2016.[5] He was also appointed as a full Professor of Music in 2016. Lourens oversaw the change to the name UWA Conservatorium of Music,[6][7] as well as a rise in the ranking of the school into the top 50 in the world, according to the QS Subject Ranking in Performing Arts.[8]

During his tenure, the school has embedded "Melbourne Model" degree structures,[9] which has seen the school more than double in size.,[10] re-introduced the Bachelor of Music degrees (rather than BA), as well as developing several majors in Electronic Music.

Lourens is a leading contributor to the Australian national debate surrounding the place of music in society.,[11][12][13][14] arguing the for educational benefits of music for all.

From 2022, Lourens has held a seat on the Board of directors of the AMEB National Board.

Musical activities

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Lourens is a former conductor of WA Brass,[15][16] one of Australia's leading[17] British-style brass bands with which he has been associated since 1983, as well as conducting the UWA Orchestra,[18][19] and has previously directed the UWA Wind Orchestra. Lourens previously conducted the University Wind Orchestra, which was an amalgamated ensemble of the UWA and ECU, which was cited as one of the first tertiary wind groups in the country.[20] He has also been a guest conductor with the Fremantle Symphony Orchestra,[21] Philharmonic Winds (Singapore), and others across Australia.

Lourens has been the conductor of many world premier performances, including Peter Sculthorpe's Lament for Violin, Cello and Strings.[22]

Author and Composer

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As an author, he has made contributions to the MBM Times Vol 5,[23] Vol 6[24] and Vol 7. He also co-authored two books on University Administration,[25][26] as well as contributions to the popular press.[27] Lourens contributed to the "Teaching Music in Performance Through Band" series in Vol 2[28] and 3,[29] in "Teaching Music Through Performing Marches",[30] and about repertoire in the influential California Music Educators Association Magazine.[31] He is a frequent presenter of concert talks for the West Australian Symphony Orchestra.[32][33]

In 2016, the New Zealand Euphonium Virtusoso Riki McDonnell performed the world premiere of his Euphonium Concerto (for Euphonium and Orchestra) with the composer conducting.[34] This work, like most of his output, is tonal and melodic. Lourens has also written other solo works for Euphonium and Cornet, and works for Concert and Brass Band. His most popular works are arrangements; Czardas by Vittorio Monti (for Euphonium and various ensembles) and Bluebells of Scotland for Tuba and Band, which is listed in the "Guide to the Tuba Repertoire".[35] The Trumpet/Cornet player Sean Priest[36] commissioned and recorded two arrangements for his album "Crossover", featuring Priest and the Kew Brass Band.[37]

In 2018 he was an adjudicator at the Australian National Band Championships, as Chief Concert Adjudicator and in the A Grade Brass category.[38][39] He has previously been an adjudicator at the Tasmanian Band Championships,[40][41] the 2020 NSW Band Association Online Band Festival,[42] and Australian Band and Orchestra Directors Association (ABODA) events in WA,[43] Queensland and South Australia.[44]

Selected compositions/arrangements

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  • Euphonium Concerto[45] (Premiered by Riki McDonnell)
  • Euphonium Sonata "Arcades and Alleys"[46] (Premiered by Fletcher Mitchell)[47]
  • Rite of Passage "Variations on a Theme of Paganini"[48] Selected as the Open Euphonium Test Piece for the Australian Band Championships 2020. (Championships cancelled due to COVID-19).
  • Three Miniatures[49] for Euphonium and Piano
  • Canonfire: Romping after Pachelbel for Concert Band[50] (Premiered by California State University, Northridge Wind Ensemble)
  • Vittorio Monti: Czardas arrangement for Euphonium.[51]
  • Arthur Pryor arr Lourens, Bluebells of Scotland (for Tuba and Piano and Tuba and Band)[52]
  • Steven Bryant Ecstatic Dances.[53][54] (arranged for Brass Band by Alan Lourens)
  • Three Miniatures for Euphonium and Piano[55]
  • Danza Simplice for Euphonium and Piano[56]
  • Canonfire for Concert Band[57][58]
  • Rising from the Ashes: An Australian Elegy[59]
  • Sunlight on Matilda Bay[60]
  • Nullabor Dawn; Fanfare for Concert Band[61]

Selected recordings

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Degrees and awards

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References

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  1. ^ "New President for Lasalle". 3 November 2008.
  2. ^ "Department of Training Guide". 3 November 2008.
  3. ^ Hardy, Karen (28 November 2016). "ANU School of Music still searching for a head". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  4. ^ Trask, Stephen (9 February 2017). "Ken Lampl named to lead the School of Music". Canberra Times. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  5. ^ "Updated Associate Deans and Heads of School".
  6. ^ "UWA Forward News Dec 2017".
  7. ^ Matchett, Stephen (4 December 2017). "Something to sing about (quietly) at UWA". Campus Morning Mail. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  8. ^ "UWA Media, March 2017".
  9. ^ "UWA Media Release, February 2012".
  10. ^ "UWA News, April 16, 2016".
  11. ^ Rowbottom, Jill (9 January 2012). "Diversity to Improve the Tempo of Learning". The Australian Newspaper.
  12. ^ Laurie, Victoria (2 November 2017). "Perth's classical concerts are in want of an audience". The Australian Newspaper. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  13. ^ Hampson, Katie (18 October 2017). "Give Them More Music". The West Australian Newspaper.
  14. ^ Hampson, Katie (12 October 2016). "Top Ten Health Regrets". The West Australian Newspaper. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  15. ^ "WA Brass Conductor". 24 August 2013.
  16. ^ "Brass Bands Join Forces". Busselton Dunsborough Times. 17 March 2017. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  17. ^ Banwell, Anthony. "The Royal Agricultural Society of Western Australia Brass Band". 4 Bars Rest. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  18. ^ "Holdsworth Events".
  19. ^ "Schott Guillimant Performances".
  20. ^ Whiteoak, John; Scott-Maxwell, Aline, eds. (2003). Currency companion to music and dance in Australia. Sydney: Currency House. p. 181. ISBN 0958121311.
  21. ^ "FSO Guest Conductors".
  22. ^ "List of Works by Sculthorpe: Lament". Faber Music. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  23. ^ "MBM Times Vol 5".
  24. ^ "MBM Times Vol 6". Issuu.
  25. ^ Lourens, Berry, Ely (2010). Universities. Charleston, SC: TPG. ISBN 978-1451526592.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  26. ^ Lourens, Ely, Berry (2011). Universities: Curriculum Development. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 978-1452804002.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  27. ^ Yeoman, William (16 December 2015). "Young musicians take note of mentor". The West Australian. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  28. ^ Blocher, Larry; Corporon, Eugene; Cramer, Ray; Lautzenheiser, Tim; Lisk, Edward S.; Miles, Richard; Stamp, Jack (1998). Teaching music through performance in band. Compiled and edited by Richard Miles (2nd ed.). Chicago: GIA Publications. ISBN 978-1579990282.
  29. ^ Blocher, Larry; Corporon, Eugene Migliaro; Cramer, Ray; Lautzenheiser, Tim; Lisk, Edward S.; Miles, Richard (2001). Teaching music through performance in band. Compiled and edited by Richard Miles (2nd ed.). Chicago: GIA Publications. ISBN 978-1579990923.
  30. ^ Chevallard, Carl (2005). Teaching music through performing marches. Compiled and edited by Richard Miles. Chicago: GIA Publications. ISBN 978-1579992613.
  31. ^ Lourens, Alan (Winter 2011). "Audible Music-Like Repertoire". CMEA Magazine: 25–27.
  32. ^ "WASO Brahms Festival Programme". Archived from the original on 15 June 2018. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  33. ^ "WASO Pre-Concert Talks 2018".
  34. ^ "UWA University News, May 2016".
  35. ^ Perantoni, compiled and ed. by R. Winston Morris and Daniel (2007). Guide to the tuba repertoire : the new tuba source book ([Online-Ausg.] ed.). Bloomington, Ind. [u.a.]: Indiana Univ. Press. pp. 83, 115. ISBN 978-0253347633.
  36. ^ "Sean Priest, University of Tasmania".
  37. ^ "Sean Priest, Crossover CD".
  38. ^ "National Band Championships Adjudicators". Archived from the original on 17 March 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  39. ^ "4 Bars Rest Australian Nationals Report". April 2018.
  40. ^ "2014 Tasmania Band Championships Programme" (PDF).
  41. ^ Woods, Emily (10 August 2014). "Big bands make loud entrance". The Advocate. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  42. ^ "2020 Online Band Festival". NSW Band Association. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  43. ^ Ace, Emily (24 May 2018). "Eisteddfod attracts the best". South Western Times. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  44. ^ "ABODA SA Results 2004" (PDF).
  45. ^ "Cimarron Music Euphonium Concerto".
  46. ^ "Arcades and Alleys". www.cimarronmusic.com. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
  47. ^ "Fletcher Mitchell Events".
  48. ^ "Rite of Passage". Cimarron Music. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  49. ^ "Three Miniatures". Cimarron Music. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  50. ^ "Canonfire Romping after Pachelbel". 2010.
  51. ^ "Cimarron Music: Czardas".
  52. ^ "Cimarron Music Bluebells of Scotland".
  53. ^ "Bryant: Ecstatic Dances".
  54. ^ Rich, Nicholas. "North Carolina Brass Band Gives Outstanding Performance". CVNC.
  55. ^ "Three Miniatures for Euphonium and Piano". Cimmaron Music.
  56. ^ Lourens, Alan. "Danze Simplice". Cimarron Music.
  57. ^ Lourens, Alan. "Canonfire". Matt Klohs Publication. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
  58. ^ Lourens, Alan. "Canonfire for Concert Band". Matt Klohs Music. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  59. ^ Lourens, Alan. "Rising from the Ashes: An Australian Elegy for Concert Band". Matt Klohs Music. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  60. ^ "Sunlight on Matilda Bay". Matt Klohs Music. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  61. ^ "Nullabor Dawn". Matt Klohs Music. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  62. ^ "Power 2002".
  63. ^ AO, Ted Egan (2014). Songs of grace : the Anzacs : Australia and New Zealand in world war 1 (Second ed.). Wild Dingo Press. ISBN 9780987381156.
  64. ^ "Luminosity Music Treasures".
  65. ^ "Hass: Signals".
  66. ^ "Saxophone Vocalise". Delos Music. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
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