About
A.C. Lovett was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1962, and grew up in London, England. Lovett studied at Cambridge University, The Guildhall School of Music and Drama and City University, London. Currently residing in the USA, Lovett became a citizen in July 2017.
Lovett worked as a freelance composer, based in Cambridge, UK, specializing in chamber-music, electroacoustic music, opera, music-theatre and music for theatre and film. Lovett forged an especially strong collaboration with London-based ensemble, The Electric Voice Theatre, composing three operas for them between 2005 and 2009.
Lovett joined the Department of Music at Princeton University as a Professional Specialist in 2009.
Compositions include: Voyage (1997) for chamber orchestra and electronics; Unknown Terrors (2000) for cello, keyboard and electronics; The Colour of Sadness (2003) for saxophone and electronics; Abraham on Trial (2005) - opera in two acts for five singers and electronics; Three Poems by Miroslav Holub (2008) for mezzo-soprano and piano; Lonely Sits the City (2009) - opera in one act for soprano and electronics; Beauty and Secrets (2010) for chamber ensemble; On the Curves of the Winds (2013) for solo cello and electronics; Aelia Capitolina (2013) for multichannel surround-sound electronics; O Absalom (2015) for countertenor and electronics; Valediction (2016) surround-sound electronics; The Analysing Engine (2017) - opera in one act for six singers and seven instruments; Let’s Talk (2018) for multichannel surround-sound electronics.
A.C. Lovett also has a strong interest in music for silent films and performs regularly as an improvising pianist for screenings.
Curriculum Vitae:
Music Education
1997 PhD in Electroacoustic composition at The City University, London
1986 Post-graduate Certificate in Composition, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London
1985 BA (Hons) Music, Magdalene College, Cambridge
1973 - 1982 Trinity College of Music Junior Department
Masterclasses
1989 International Dance Course for Professional Composers and Choreographers
1987, 1988 Dartington International Summer School (Ivan Tcherepnin, Stephen Montague)
1984, 1985 Bayreuth International Summer School, Germany (Zbigniev Rudzinski)
1982, 83, 84 Dartington International Summer School (Peter Maxwell Davies and Robert Saxton)
Awards
2020 Gino Contilli International Music Composition Competition for Scherzo da Canti di Leopardi
2016 MacDowell Fellowship
2014 MacDowell Fellowship
2006 Arts Council Fellowship to participate in Music Centre Winter Residency Programme, Banff, Canada
2005 Arts Council Grant for the Arts Award to compose Act 1 of DON’T BREATHE A WORD
2004 Arts Council Grant for the Arts Award to compose ABRAHAM ON TRIAL
2004 Bursary from PVALab to study new software for audio and video
2003 EAJC Grant to support the composition Abraham On Trial
2001 John Ireland Award, The Worshipful Company of Musicians
2000 Sonic Arts Network Commission to compose UNKNOWN TERRORS
1994 Michael Vyner Trust, commission for VOYAGE
1993 Wingate Scholarship for development of opera project
1993 Royal Over-Seas League PRS Award for WILDFIRE
1992 Stephen Arlen Award (English National Opera)
1992 Résidence from Bourges International Festival for THE LYRE OF THE WEST WIND
1988 Ralph Vaughan Williams Trust Composers’ Award for STRING QUARTET
1988 Lewis Silkin National Composers’ Competition for IN CIRCLES
1988 Arts Council Electroacoustic Bursary for THE BRONZE HORSEMAN
1987 Tippett Award (Dartington Summer School) for ABOVE A DARKENED LANDSCAPE