iris ter schiphorst

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Biography

As a composer, Iris ter Schiphorst is characterised by her many years of experience as a musician (as a pianist in the classical field and as a bassist, drummer, keyboardist and sound engineer in various rock and pop formations). Her catalogue of works covers all genres, including 13 major orchestral works that have been premiered by renowned orchestras in Germany and abroad (including Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Deutsches Symphonieorchester Berlin, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, WDR-Sinfonieorchester, SWR-Sinfonieorchester, Gürzenich-Orchester Köln, BBC Symphony Orchestra London, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra Glasgow, NYO Great Britain), as well as several full-length music theatre works and various film scores, and since the late 1980s has included a whole series of multimedia works.

Her compositions are often a reaction to socio-political issues, for example in "meine-keine-Lieder" (2015) for voice, bass clarinet, piano/sampler about the shift to the right in Germany or in "meine-keine-Lieder" (2015) for voice, bass clarinet, piano/sampler.about the shift to the right in Germany or in "Assange - Fragmente einer Unzeit" (2019) for large ensemble and voice and "Whistle-Blower" (2021) for solo recorders, string orchestra and sampler about the endangerment of the individual.

Her children's opera "Die Gänsemagd" (2009) was performed with great success in Vienna, Berlin, at the Zurich Opera House, at the Hanover Opera and at the Akademietheater in Munich and can currently be seen in Tobias Kratzer's production at the Hamburg State Opera. Her music for the bestselling children's book 'Der Grüffelo' (with Stefan Lienenkämper), which was adapted for the stage by Hans-Wurst-Nachfahren in Berlin and premiered by the Scharoun Ensemble in the Berlin Philharmonie, has been a successful part of the children's theatre scene for many years.

Her scenic composition "WAS WIRD HIER EIGENTLICH GESPIELT?" (2022/2023), which was created in collaboration with Felicitas Hoppe, was also performed at the Ultaschall Festival 2024 in Berlin and the Regentage 2024 in Luxembourg following its premiere at the Donaueschinger Musiktage 2023, which was celebrated by audiences and the press.

She has worked with all the leading ensembles (London Sinfonietta, Ensemble modern, Scharoun-Ensemble, Ensemble recherche, ictus Ensemble, Ensemble Mosaik, Neue Vokalsolisten, BIT-20 Ensemble, Ensemble Musikfabrik, Ensemble Aventure, Ensemble Ascolta, Ensemble Collegium Novum Zürich, phace-Ensemble Wien, Kammerakademie Potsdam, Arditti Quartett, Doelen Quartett, Quatuor Bozzini, Klangforum Wien etc.).She has been a member of the Akademie der Künste Berlin since 2013, a member of the Bavarian Academy of Fine Arts since 2018 and a corresponding member of the Academy of Arts and Sciences Ljubljana/Slovenia since 2019. From 2015 to 2022, she was Professor of Media Composition at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. In 2023, she was elected Deputy Director of the Music Section of the Academy of Arts in Berlin for a second term. Her works are published by Boosey & Hawkes, Berlin. 

Her works are published by Boosey & Hawkes, Berlin.

A detailed biography at Boosey & Hawkes

Awards (selection)