Biography

"The true paradises are the lost paradises."

                                                                                                                                            Marcel Proust



Name: Michael J Stewart

Birthplace: London

Current Whereabouts: Chichester

Studied: Trinity College of Music, London (Sir John Tavener) - London International Film School (Richard Arnell)

Occupation: Composer - Pianist - Writer - Web Designer

Compositional Style: Minimalist, Maximalist, Electronic, Experimental

Influences: Philip Glass - John Cage - Jani Christou - Conlon Nancarrow - Sylvano Bussotti

Work in progress: '...of Things Past', 'The Last of England', 'Arsenic Green'

'...of Things Past'

Work in progress includes a large scale cycle of pieces entitled '...of Things Past'. Although it takes its initial impetus from Proust's novel Á la recherche du temps perdu (Remembrance of Things Past) it is not a musicial interpretation of it, but rather an exploration of the composer's own personal memories projected through isolated shards of sound.

'The Last of England'

Integral and parallel to this theme is a theme of 'disintegration' rooted largely in my own political belief that England has been irretreivably eroded by the current socio-political condition. The first work in this series (Arsenic Green) is scored for mixed chorus and pre-recorded tape and takes as its text the following lines:'

"Spring lapped the fields in arsenic green, the oaks died this year. On every green hill mourners stand, and weep for The Last Of England."

        

from the film The Last of England by Derek Jarman.

'Ars Amandi'

For more info about MJS's and Maria Korporal's video collaboration Ars Amandi featuring the track The Art of Seduction click here

"When the strong have devoured themselves
the meek will inherit the earth".