Short Biography: Originally from New Zealand, Nigel Keay today lives and works in Paris as a composer and violist. Throughout his musical career he has always been an active participant in presenting his own music either as a violist or on occasions as conductor.
Before leaving New Zealand in 1998 Nigel Keay had held several fulltime composer-in-residence positions; the Mozart Fellowship in Dunedin, Nelson School of Music and the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra.
His music has been broadcast by Radio France and presented in concert by various established French musicians,
In 2010 Nigel Keay was co-producer of the blumlein records CD Diversions - Autour du hautbois, A CD of music for or with oboe that included his own Diversions for Quintet.
In December 2011 blumlein records released five of Nigel Keay's chamber music works on the CD Music for Small Groups. This production received a grant from the New Zealand / France Friendship Fund.
Full Biography: Nigel Keay was born in Palmerston North, New Zealand in 1955 and today is a freelance musician with a lifetime of experience as a composer and viola player. He is based in Paris, France and writes primarily for orchestral instruments, from small ensembles to larger orchestral groups.
While in New Zealand, Nigel Keay held the composer-in-residence position, the Mozart Fellowship, at the University of Otago in 1986 and 1987. He has been a Composer-in-Residence with the Nelson School of Music (1988 and 1989), and with Auckland's fulltime professional orchestra, the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra (1995).
Between 1983 and 1995 he received several grants from the Arts Council of New Zealand (now known as Creative New Zealand) for various commissions, one of them being a one-act opera At the Hawk’s Well. His music, which ranges from solo and chamber music combinations to full symphony orchestra, has sometimes been driven by literary and philosophical ideas. Throughout his career he has wherever possible played in or directed his own works. He became an Associate-Violist with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra in 1994.
Nigel Keay's Serenade for Strings for string orchestra has been performed by several Parisian formations. After its premiere by Ensemble Polymnia in 2004, Orchestre à cordes Idoménée performed the work in its first programme in 2005. Then in December 2006 the String Orchestra of APIEM, "Orchestre 2021", presented it at the Fondation des États Unis in Paris. Between 2006 and 2009 Orchestre 2021 performed several of Nigel Keay's other works in Paris; Diffractions, Diversions and Tango Suite for String Quartet...
In 2010 Nigel Keay was co-producer of the blumlein records CD Diversions - Autour du hautbois, the music of five composers for or with oboe. This CD included his own Diversions for Quintet.
In December 2011 blumlein records released five of Nigel Keay's chamber music works on the CD Music for Small Groups. This production received a grant from the New Zealand / France Friendship Fund.
See his Catalogue of Compositions.
Nigel Keay plays on a viola made by Friedrich Alber of Montpellier. For more biographical information on Nigel Keay as a violist go to his violist page.
