Thomas Adès

Bio

Thomas Adès (born 1 March 1971) is a British composer, pianist and conductor whose works are widely performed by leading orchestras and opera companies. His compositions span orchestral, chamber, vocal and operatic genres, and he is noted for a distinctive harmonic language that blends tonal and atonal elements. Adès studied at the Guildhall School of Music and King’s College, Cambridge. He first gained international attention with the orchestral work Asyla (1997) and the opera Powder Her Face (1995). Subsequent major pieces include the violin concerto Concentric Paths (2005), the opera The Tempest (2004) and the piano concerto In Seven Days (2008). In addition to composing, Adès maintains an active career as a pianist and conductor, appearing regularly with ensembles such as the London Symphony Orchestra and the Metropolitan Opera. He has held artistic directorships and residencies at festivals including Aldeburgh and the BBC Proms.