Norbert
Zehm

COMPOSER - PIANIST - PAINTER
KOMPONIST - PIANIST - KUNSTMALER

E D U C A T I O N:

Born: * 1962 in Innsbruck/Austria
  • piano lessons from the age of seven
    (Conservatoire of Innsbruck, Hans Kofler )
  • further piano studies: :
    • Bojidar Noev / Innsbruck
    • John York, London (Guildhall School of Music and Drama)
  • Violin studies with André Gredler
  • A - levels (1980) (Mathematics, German, English, Italian, Physics, Philosophy)
  • Piano teaching diploma "with honours" (Innsbruck, 1984)
  • LGSM Piano Performers Diploma at the Guildhall School of Music, London (1989)
  • composition studies::
    • Günther Andergassen (1984-86 / Innsbruck)
    • Francis Shaw
    • Buxton Orr (London - Guildhall School of Music, 1986-89)
  • conducting studies: : Peter Gellhorn (1989 / 90 / London)

T E A C H I N G E X P E R I E N C E:

  • (1980-82 & 1984 / 85)
    piano at Music School Lienz, Eastern Tyrol
  • (1985 / 86)
    piano at Innsbruck Conservatoire
  • (1987- 91)
    teacher of electronic music, piano and keyboards at Bishop's Stortford High School
  • (1990 - 91)
    teacher of electronic music, piano and keyboards at Hockerill School
  • (1991 - 94)
    piano lecturer at Wels Music College (Austria)
  • (1991 - 1995)
    lectureship in composition, harmony and theory at Bruckner Conservatoire Linz, Austria
  • (1996 – 1998)
    freelance piano/ keyboards teaching for Wigan I.T.P.
  • giving lectures on "Minimal Music", contemporary music, improvisation and electronic music at several schools and colleges, including the Guildhall
 School of Music and London College of Music
  • since 1998 freelance
    composer, pianist, accompanist and lecturer in piano, theory and composition

P R I Z E S & S C H O L A R S H I P S:

  • 1st prize piano "Jugend Musiziert" (1983)
  • ’Bösendorferdiplom‘ (1983)
  • Prize of the City of Innsbruck for artistic work '86 (Film/ Video Music)/li>
  • Austrian Government Scholarship for studying abroad (1989)
  • Austrian State Scholarship for Composers (1990)

F I E L D S O F C O M P O S I T I O N A L A C T I V I T Y

music for solo instruments --- chambermusic (with or without piano) --- orchestra --- wind orchestra/ wind band --- vocal music (choir, lied, songs) --- music theatre --- dance/ ballet --- incidental music --- film music --- music for radio plays --- electronic/ electro acoustic music --- multimedia/intermedia/video --- performance art --- church music --- music for children/ educational --- improvisation --- pop/ rock/ jazz songs --- crossover

C O N C E R T S/ F E S T I V A L S:

  • As a soloist, accompanist and in ensemble music (Classical, Jazz, Rock,
 Improvisation) in Austria, England, Italy, Germany
  • Studio musician
  • Radio and TV appearances and recordings (ORF, BBC, Berlin Radio, RAI –Italy)
  • 1977-86 member of various pop and rock groups, including a number of
studio recordings
  • Festival Aspekte – Salzburg (1993)
  • Festival St Gallen/ Austria (1994)
  • Brussels - 1994
  • Since 1990 touring throughout Europe with the Piano Trio "Line 3" 
(former 'The Astral Project')
  • Lana and Bruneck /Italy 1995
  • Klangspuren Festival Schwaz/Austria 1996
  • Anschlag 12 – Berlin 1996
  • Guiting Festival 1997
  • Greenwich Festival 1997
  • Warwick University Arts Centre 1998
  • Vienna in January 1998 - several concerts with the pianist Karen Schlimp as a Piano Duo
  • ‘3 Days of New Music’ Feb. 1999 at Vienna Broadcasting House
  • Cheltenham Festival 2000
  • Tiroler Festspiele – Erl 2000
  • Bregenz Festival /Austria 2000
  • Easter Festival “Music of the Religions” 2001/ Hall/ Innsbruck
  • Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral – 2002
  • Founder of Piano Trio 'Line3' in 1990 (with Tom Norris – Violin, Kate Shortt – Cello)

R A D I O / T V B R O A D C A S T S & P R O D U C T I O N S :

  • Halley Zyklus (1986)
        for violin, keyboards, computer and video
  • Visions 2000(1987)
        for voice, string trio, keyboards and video
  • Leapyear '88 (1988)
        for flute, cl., string quartett, keyboards and computer tape
  • Waltz alla Rondo (1989) - for 2 pianos (first performance 1989 London)
  • Clockwise(1989) - for piano duet
  • Liebesillusionen(1990)
        for high voice, violin, cello and piano (f.p. London 1989)
  • Piano Trio No. 1 (1990)
  • Piano Trio No. 2 "on Kate's Theme" (1992)
  • Letzte Prophezeiungen (1992)
        for bass baritone, fl., sopr. sax, bass clar., viola, cello, keyboards and computer tape – word by Nostradamus
  • Images from a City (ORF - mitschnitt 1992/Wels) for symphonic windband
  • "COMPOSERS’ PORTRAIT" -a program devoted to my music at ORF Broadcasting House in Innsbruck, participating musicians from Austria and England (1992)
  • A European Approach (1993), for piano duet
  • Piano Trio No. 3 "Tear Drops" (f.p.1995 London)
  • Kosmomanie (1998) for voice, flute,viola, piano and monochord


All works composed since 1988 have been commissions by various ensembles, performers, festivals or radio stations.

F U R T H E R C O M M I S S I O N S:

  • A European Approach (first performance April 1993 by York II) for "Lange Nacht der Klaviere", Hall in Tyrol also performed during the "Aspekte Festival" in Salzburg (Apr. 1993) & Brussels (1994)
  • Aphorisms for flute and piano for contemporary music centre, Gallerie St. Barbara, Hall (f. p. Jan. 1993)
  • Children's Ballet "Hatschi Bratschi's Luftballon " (commissioned by city of Wels, Austria 1992)
  • Stringquartet No.1 commissioned by the county of Tyrol 1993 (f.p.Vienna by Quartet Yggdrasil)
  • Silence & Poverty Cantata for Soloists, Choir and Symphonic Windband, commissioned by the Austrian Windband Association (f.p. Oct.1994), lyrics: Peter Wolf
  • Message of The Corn Circles for piano solo (f.p. Oct. 1996 Berlin)
  • Silberkreuzung - for Silent Film and live ensemble (City of Schwaz/Arts Council of Tyrol) f.p. at (Klangspuren Festival/Austria) lyrics: Peter Wolf
  • Light From The Outer Ring - a fanfare for windband 
 (1996, commissioned by Ely King’s School)
  • Stringquartet No. 2 'Le Tombeau de Ravel' 
 (commissioned 1998 by Quartet Yggdrasil)
  • Kosmomanie – commissioned by ORF Radio Austria, 1998/99)
  • Mass - ‘Missa Coelo et Terrae’ for Tiroler Festspiele in Erl (2000)
  • St. Luke’s Passion – for the Festival ‘Music of the Religions’/ Austria ( 2001)


All works listed have been broadcast on radio on one or more occasions

O T H E R C O M M I S S I O N S F O R 2002/ 03 include:

  • “Movin’ Reflections”

    a composition for Wind Orchestra, Pipe Organ, Electric Guitar and Dance Commissioned by Sefton Youth Wind Orchestra and Chesterfield High School (premiere 18th April 2002)
  • Piano Duet for York II

  • Piece for Cello and piano for the duo John York & Rafael Walfish
  • Various educational pieces for publisher
  • Symphony – for Tiroler Festspiele/ Austria (July 2003)
  • New work for Sefton Youth Jazz Orchestra (2003)

M U S I C F O R P L A Y S/ R A D I O P L A Y S:

  • The Twelfth Night, Shakespeare (B.Stortford, 1989)
  • The Spirit of Jack Cade by Brett Francy & Peter Wolf (1990, Edingburgh Fringe Festival)
  • Raising Mrs Rossetti by P.Wolf (London, 1995)
  • The Elephant Man (1997) - BBC Radio 4
  • Strange Meeting (1998) - BBC Radio 4 (+2001)

F I L M/ V I D E O :

  • Halley Zyklus (1986)
  • Visions 2000(1987)
  • Silberkreuzung (1996)

Member of the Performing Right Society (PRS), MCPS and MU CD recordings available

Music published with 'Harlequin Music' - Cambridge/ UK and 'OrchestralArt’ – Austria

Further reference: Encyclopedia of Austrian Music of the 20th Century (published by MICA)
Archives of the British Music Information Centre
Archives of the Austrian National Library