Hans Kox

Education

Hans Kox, whose father was a choral conductor and organist, studied in Amsterdam from 1948 untill 1951 with Jaap Spaanderman (piano) and Henk Badings (composition).

Activities

In 1953 Hans Kox made his compositional debut at the Gaudeamus Foundation with a string trio. From 1957 untill 1970 he was director of the Music School at Doetinchem, from 1970 untill 1974 Artistic Consultant to the Noordholland Philharmonic Orchestra in Haarlem and from 1974 untill 1984 he taught composition at the Utrecht Conservatory.

Compositions

Hans Kox received many commissions, from within the Netherlands as well as from abroad (among other organisations, from the Concertgebouw Orchestra, Buma Culture Fund, the Dutch Government; furthermore commissions from Germany, Belgium, Venezuela and the USA). He wrote the obligatory work 'Le Songe du Vergier' ('cello and orchestra) for the International Music Competition in Scheveningen 1987. In 1989 Kox wrote the oratorio 'Sjoah', for soli, choir and orchestra. In 1985 the Anne Frank Cantata 'A Child of Light' was premiered, commemorating the 40th anniversary of liberation. This work is part of the War Triptych, together with the cantatas 'In those Days' and 'Requiem for Europe'. Furthermore, Kox wrote the operas 'Dorian Gray', 'Das Grüne Gesicht' and 'Rochester's Second Bottle', as well as the cantata 'Credo Quia Absurdum', three symphonies and concertos for violin and for 'cello. His compositions are regularly performed in the Netherlands and abroad.

Opera

Voorts schreef hij de opera's, o.a. Dorian Gray en Das grüne Gesicht, de cantate Credo quia absurdum, drie symfonieën en de viool en celloconcerten. Zijn composities worden regelmatig uitgevoerd in binnen- en buitenland.

Een portret van componist Hans Kox.

Hans Kox schreef zijn vijfde symfonie 'Umbrae futurae' i.o.v. de ZaterdagMatinee. De symfonie ging 15 maart 2008 in première en werd uitgevoerd door het Radio Filharmonisch Orkest o.l.v. Jaap van Zweden. Presentatie: Henk van der Meulen.

Datum uitzending: 25-04-2008. Tijdsduur: 40'51"

Prijzen

Kox ontving verschillende prijzen, onder andere werd in 1954 zijn Preludium en Fuga bij het Internationale Orgelconcours te Haarlem bekroond; in 1956 ontving hij de Culturele Prijs van de Gemeente Arnhem en de Muziekprijs van de Gemeente Amsterdam; in 1959 de Visser-Neerlandiaprijs voor zijn Eerste Symfonie; in 1970 de Prix Italia voor In Those Days en in 1974 de eerste prijs van het Rostrum of Composers voor L'Allegria.

DISCOGRAPHY

	Memories and Reflections		The Silent Cry		Violin Concertos
	War Tryptich		Saxophone Quartets From The Netherlands		Through A Glass, Darkly
	The Three Chairs		Oratorium Sjoah		Cello Concertos
	Four Orchestral Suites		Alone		L'Allegria
	The water Beggars		John-Edward Kelly Bob Versteegh		Wie Is Bang Voor Nederlandse Muziek?

CHRONOLOGY OF VOCAL WORKS