Nigel Keay is a freelance viola player and composer based in Paris, France.

Short Biography (153 words):

  Nigel Keay began playing the violin at an early age eventually switching to viola around 1986 to become a member of the Dunedin Sinfonia as violist.
  In 1994 Nigel Keay became an Associate-Violist with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, Auckland's fulltime professional orchestra. Since moving to France in 1998, he has been a principal violist of the The Paris Choral Society Orchestra, and a member of Orchestre à cordes Idomémée. In 2006 he co-founded « Orchestre 2021 » in Paris with Elizabeth Askren, and he performed as violist with this group.
  Since completing formal music studies in both performance and composition, Nigel Keay has created, and performed with, several chamber music formations, notably string quartet, where he has often presented his own works along with the music of other living composers.
  Nigel Keay has participated as violist in various recording projects including film, and live shows by various artists in diverse styles; jazz, pop, singer-songwriters etc.

Longer Biography:

  Nigel Keay began playing the violin at an early age. Individual tuition began in Hamilton with Daphne Smith then Norman Grimshaw (1). In his teens he played in various orchestras; the Waikato Youth Orchestra (1) and the Waikato Junior Symphony Orchestra. He studied violin performance fulltime at the Wellington Polytechnic in 1977 & 78, graduating with a Certificate in Executant Music. He then studied for a year (in 1979) with Franco Domaneschi of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. In December 1979 and January 1980 he performed in a quartet with Rodney Ford (oboe), Michael Clavert (guitar) and Jenni Dodge (cello) as part of the Summer City Programme in Wellington. In parallel to composition and orchestration studies between 1980 and 82 at Victoria University of Wellington, Nigel Keay also studied violin performance with Gavin Saunders. While studying in Wellington he was a member of the Wellington Youth Orchestra conducted by William Southgate, the Wellington Polytechnic Orchestra conducted by Simon Tipping, and the Victoria University Orchestra conducted by Ross Harris & Peter Walls.
  After returning from Java, in 1985, he joined the Dunedin Sinfonia (a part-time professional orchestra now called the Southern Sinfonia) as a violinist playing under conductors such as Georg Tintner, Erich Bergel, John Matheson, Jack Speirs, and Kenneth Young... During his time as Mozart Fellow (Composer-in-Residence) at the University of Otago he continued playing in this orchestra switching to viola in 1986. While living in Nelson (NZ) Nigel Keay participated as a violist in the annual CANZ (Composer's Association of New Zealand) Composer's Workshops presenting the works of many composers such as Weerachat Premananda, Helen Bowater....
  On moving to Auckland in 1993 Nigel Keay became violist of the Blue String Quartet. The members of this group were Miranda Adams (currently the Assistant Concertmaster of the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and First Violinist of the Jade String Quartet), Sally Keestra & Claudia Price. This group recorded for a New Zealand Composers CD (Denise Hulford, Eve de Castro-Robinson, Leonie Holmes et al.) manufactured and distributed by Ode Record Company Limited. A performance by the Blue String Quartet of "Three Transcriptions" - music from China, Madagasca (Ramandriana from Valiha by Paul Marorazana) and Bulgaria - as part of an Ensemble Philharmonia concert at the Auckland City Art Gallery was later broadcast by Radio New Zealand's Concert FM.
  In 1993 Nigel Keay was author of the Teacher's Handbook; Instruments of the Orchestra by Michael Leyden Publications of Devonport.
  In 1994 Nigel Keay became an Associate-Violist with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, Auckland's fulltime professional orchestra. He played under conductors such as Vladimir Verbitsky, Jiri Starek, Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Peter Scholes... While in Auckland he was also a Principal Violist for the Manukau City Symphony Orchestra conducted by Eliano Mattiozzi-Petralia & Uwe Grodd.
  In 1994 his string quartet received funding from the Auckland City Council programme "Arts Alive". The group presented his own String Quartet No.2 alongside quartets by Beethoven (op.74, "The Harp"), and also included works by New Zealand composers Ivan Zagni (View from my Window), Anthony Watson (String Quartet No.1), Helen Bowater (The Bohdi Tree), and Jack East (The Lullaby) in their concert series. (article)
  Between 1993 and 1996 he participated in various recording projects including film. He played on the “Shift Left” album of the Nathan Haines Group (acid jazz, 1995), performing with the group at the Auckland Town Hall as support act for Ronny Jordan in July 1994.
  Nigel Keay played on the “Vicarious” album by Strawpeople: in four tracks including "Taller Than God" and "Boxer's Hands". He also played on Greg Johnson's "Softly on Me" in 1996, produced by Dave Dobbyn with additional vocals by Boh Runga and released on a Maxi-Single CD by Pagan Records, PACD 1132).
  He played frequently in Sally-Anne Brown's group "Real Strings", and was one of two violists in Shirley Bassey's 20-piece orchestra for her 1996 NZ Mission Estate concert in Hawkes Bay.
  In 1999-2000 Nigel Keay was a member of Ensemble orchestral Capriccio in Caen conducted by Jean Malraye. The ensemble performed in the Lower Normandy region, and also performed at the Théâtre Impérial de Compiègne. He formed a string quartet with three other members of this ensemble (Geoffroy Voisin, Estelle Fouillet, and Amélie Mabire).
  Nigel Keay was, between 2001 and 2007, principal violist of the The Paris Choral Society Orchestra conducted by Edward Tipton. As a freelance violist he has participated in concerts given by the Chœur et Orchestre de Sciences Po (COSP) conducted by Elizabeth Askren. In 2005 he became a founding member of the Idomeneo String Orchestra directed by Didier Jacquin in Paris.
  While in New Zealand in 2004 Nigel Keay performed in a concert including Vivaldi's Four Seasons given by the ensemble "Vivo Baroque". Also in 2004, he performed in the Serenata Oberammergau concert series (in Bavaria) with the Aphanès String Quartet.
  In 2005 he performed in concert and recorded for internet Jeffrey Harrington's Oneiromancer for Flute, Viola & Harp, and Tetra-Mnemosyne VII for String Trio by Jeffrey Harrington with violinist Matthieu Coeffe and cellist Stéphan Lagorce.
  Nigel Keay has been a violin teacher to Charmian Keay and Laura Thomson (NZ/Aust.).
  In 2006 & 2007 Nigel Keay was the violist in a Parisian string quartet with Daniel Rémy as first violinist, Iwona Janaillac as second violinist and Dimitri Kindynis as cellist.
  In 2006 he established the ensemble "Orchestre 2021" with conductor Elizabeth Askren and performed in this group's first concert playing in his own Serenade for Strings.
  More anecdotal writing sometimes on the events mentioned above can be found on Nigel Keay's memoirs page.