Ilan is a British film composer who has established himself as an exciting young talent in the world of film music. Born in London into a musical family, Ilan grew up playing violin and later took up playing guitar in bands. He studied Music and English literature at Leeds University, during which time he also worked with film composer Ed Shearmur learning first-hand the technique of film composition. After graduating, he went on to work with other film composers such as Michael Kamen and Hans Zimmer. At this time Ilan began scoring his own projects, and his talent for creating cinematic music on a limited budget soon gained him recognition within the film industry.
Leading composer forges links with University
A major British composer has been appointed as Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Leeds as part of a partnership created with the Leeds-based company Opera North.Dr David Sawer, whose work Skin Deep, an operatic production devised with the comedy producer and satirist Armando Iannucci, was premiered by Opera North earlier in 2009, will visit the University to work with students and staff.
The composer, a graduate of the University of York, has been the recipient of numerous commissions since the early 1990s.
Byrnan Wood, his first large-scale orchestral piece, was recorded on the NMC label by the BBC Symphony Orchestra with Andrew Davis. Tiroirs, commissioned by the Michael Vyner Trust for the London Sinfonietta, has been performed throughout Europe and in the USA.
Future work includes Rumpelstiltskin, a ballet for dancers and ensemble commissioned by the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group.
The honorary appointment of David Sawer has been made in connection with the scheme DARE, a ground-breaking collaboration between the University and the opera group.
Bringing together two of the UK’s leading institutions of culture and education, DARE aims to fuse the artistic with the academic, combining the very best of both organisations to inspire and stimulate new ways of thinking and working.
Date Published: 30 September 2009
Keywords: staff, sawer, opera north
Keywords: staff, sawer, opera north
Current Headlines : November 2010
Making meaning from music
Knopfler makes mark on prized album image
Opera symposium incorporates Taneyev premiére Ollie tunes in to new radio role Leeds PhDs attend New York film music conference
Music Graduation: July 20 Year in Industry students revealed Graduate Kirsty’s debut album due Poole tribute gathers 20 compositions Fancy that! M-J gets the Abbey habit Hugh Davies at heart of new project King of Pop brought back to life Still Making Waves Scots and Gaelic folk conference draws Leeds interest Fully-deserved success for part-time seniors
Leeds scholars to fore in popular musicology book New composer, new compositions, New York premiere Striking events as miners’ struggle is commemorated Germany calling for former Head of School Dawe returns to guitar matters in new volume Ulster musical cultures are focus of new title Music staff earn praise in campus-wide awards Warner joins US panel for Music Criticism prize Popular culture group welcomes Scott Rushton fronts new publication on literature and music