Michael Jarrell
Michael Jarrell, Switzerland - Chairman of the composition jury 2015
Born in Geneva in 1958, Michael Jarrell studied composition with Eric Gaudibert and at various workshops in the United States (Tanglewood, 1979). He completed his training with Klaus Huber at the Freiburg Staatliche Hochschule für Musik im Brisgau. Since 1982, his works have received numerous prizes: prix Acanthes (1983), Beethovenpreis from the city of Bonn (1986), Marescotti prize (1986), Gaudeamus and Henriette Renié (1988), Siemens-Förderungspreis (1990) and Musikpreis der Stadt Wien (2010).
Between 1986 and 1988, he was in residence at the Cité des Arts in Paris and took part in the computer music course at Ircam. He resided at the Villa Médicis in Rome during 1988/89, and then joined the Istituto Svizzero di Roma in 1989/90. From 1991 to 1993, he was composer in residence with the Lyon Orchestra. In 1993, he was named Professor at the University in Vienna. In 1996, he was composer in residence at the Lucerne festival, then was heralded by the Musica Nova Helsinki Festival, which dedicated the festival to him in 2000. In 2001, the Salzburg Festival commissioned a concerto for piano and orchestra entitled Abschied. The same year, he was named "Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres". In 2004, he was named professor at the Geneva Conservatory.
His latest works include La Chambre aux échos, written in 2010 for Pierre Boulez’ 85th Birthday, Emergences (Nachlese VI), cello concerto premiered in Salt Lake City and Lyon and Liederzyklus (Nachlese Vb) for soprano and ensemble, premiered in 2012 in Geneva and New York.