Oscar Bettison

Oscar Bettison (born 19 September 1975) is a British/American composer known for large-scale chamber and large ensemble works. He has been described as possessing "a unique voice". His work has been described as having "An unconventional lyricism and a menacing beauty" and "pulsating with an irrepressible energy and vitality, as well as brilliant craftsmanship." He is a member of the composition faculty at the Peabody Institute. Bettison has recently been named a 2017 Guggenheim Fellow by the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation.

Early life and education
Bettison was born in Jersey to a British father and a Spanish/Catalan mother. He started playing and composing music at an early age and, at the age of nine joined the Purcell School in London. After completing an undergraduate at the Royal College of Music with Simon Bainbridge, he studied with Robert Saxton at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama for his Master's. In 2000, he went to the Royal Conservatory of The Hague to study with Louis Andriessen and Martijn Padding, something which Bettison describes as a "formative experience." He stayed on in The Hague to complete another Master's degree and then went to Princeton University for his PhD studying with Steven Mackey. He has been the recipient of a number of awards including a 2018 Fromm Commission, Chamber Music America Commissioning Award (2013), the Yvar Mikhashoff Commissioning Fund Prize (2009), a Jerwood Foundation Award (1998), the Royal Philharmonic Society Prize (1997), the first BBC Young Composer of the Year Prize (1993) as well as fellowships to both the Tanglewood and Aspen music festivals. Since 2009, he has served on the composition department of Peabody Institute. His music is published by Boosey & Hawkes.

Selected works

 * O Death (2005–07) for ensemble
 * B & E (with aggravated assault) (2006) for ensemble
 * Gauze Vespers (2008) for ensemble
 * The Afflicted Girl (2010) for ensemble
 * Apart (2012) for percussion
 * Livre des Sauvages (2012) for large ensemble
 * An Automated Sunrise (for Joseph Cornell) (2014) for ensemble
 * Threaded Madrigals (2014) for solo viola
 * Sea Shaped (2014) for Orchestra
 * String Quartet (2015)
 * Presence of Absence (2016) for mezzo soprano and large ensemble
 * Pale Icons of Night (2018) for violin and ensemble
 * Remaking a Forest (2019) for Orchestra