Gavin Bryars, born 1943, studied philosophy but became a jazz bassist and pioneer of free

improvisation with Derek Bailey and Tony Oxley. Early iconic pieces The Sinking of the

Titanic and Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet achieved great popular success. Works

include five operas, a large body of chamber music, several concertos and much vocal

music including 7 books of madrigals - performers include The Hilliard Ensemble, Trio

Mediaeval, Red Byrd, Latvian Radio Choir, Estonian National Male Choir, Iarla

O'Lionaird, Singer Pur, The Song Company and The Crossing, whose recording of The

Fifth Century was awarded a Grammy. A new album with The Crossing, A Native Hill,

was released April 2021 and The Song Company has released the new a cappella version

Jesus’ Blood…. He has collaborated widely with visual artists (Juan Muñoz, Bruce

McLean), choreographers (William Forsythe, Merce Cunningham, Edouard Lock, David

Dawson, Carolyn Carlson), theatre directors (Robert Wilson, Atom Egoyan), as well as

writing music for the films of his wife Anna Tchernakova. He has also worked with non-

classical performers such as Charlie Haden, Bill Frisell, Tom Waits, Natalie Merchant,

Gavin Friday, Iarla O’Lionaird, Father John Misty, Bertrand Belin, Mocke. Since 1986

he has performed internationally and recorded with the Gavin Bryars Ensemble, his

preferred performers - who include singers Anna Maria Friman and John Potter. A

French book on his work, Gavin Bryars en paroles, en musique, appeared in 2020 and a

second book is due for publication in England in November 2021 He lives in a

Leicestershire village and on Vancouver Island. He is a Transcendent Satrap and a

Regent of the Collège de ’Pataphysique and has made many recordings - for ECM, Point,

Philips, Naxos, Decca, Navona and his own label GB Records. www.gavinbryars.com