T he Living Composers Project

Tajuddin, Tazul Izan (b. 1969, Banting). Malaysian composer, now resident in the UK, of mostly orchestral and chamber works that have been performed in Asia, Europe and North America.

Dr. Tajuddin taught himself guitar at age 15 and began composing at age 24. He studied both classical music and Malaysian traditional music at the Universiti Teknologi MARA in Shah Alam from 1988-91. He studied composition with Leonardo Balada and the music of Iannis Xenakis with Juan Pablo Izquierdo at Carnegie Mellon University from 1994-96, on a scholarship from the Ministry of Culture of Malaysia, and there earned his MMus in composition. He then studied composition with Martin Butler, Michael Finnissy and Jonathan Harvey at the University of Sussex from 1997-2001, where he earned his PhD with the thesis A Study of Arabesque. He also received encouragement from Henri Dutilleux.

Among his many honors are two selections to the short-list of the Society for the Promotion of New Music (2001-04, for Jeritan [Scream]; 2004-07, for Arabesque IV – Tenunan VII [Weaves]), the Toru Takemitsu Composition Award in Tokyo (2002, for Tenunan II) and First prizes in the Tokyo chamber music competition (2003, for Sebuah Tenunan IV) and the competition of the Quatuor Molinari in Montréal (2004, for Mediasi Ukiran – Tenunan VIII). In addition, he has received the Japan Society of Music Award for Composers (2004, for Mediasi Ukiran V – Tenunan XII [The Mediation of Ornament]) and the New Millennium Composition Commission Award in Birmingham (2005). He was also the first Malaysian composer whose music was performed at the Petronas Twin Towers Concert Hall in Kuala Lumpur (2003). His music has been performed in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, the USA, and the UK, including once at the Asian Music Festival in Tokyo (2003).

Dr. Tajuddin is also active in other positions. He served as assistant conductor of the National Choir of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur from 1991-93 and made numerous arrangements of Malaysian folksongs for the group. He has since guest-conducted the group on various occasions and he has also conducted ensembles in the UK and the USA.

He has lived in the UK since 1997.

CONTACT INFORMATION

E-mail address: tazultajuddin@hotmail.com

COMPLETE LIST OF WORKS

ORCHESTRAL: Etudes, small orchestra, 1995; Violin & Orchestra, 1995; Avtoportret – Self-Portrait, large orchestra, 1995-96; Corakan (Patterns), large orchestra, 2000; Tenunan II, flute, piano, celesta, 2 percussion, string orchestra, 2001; Sebuah Nadian Warna – Tenunan III (Pulsating Colours), large orchestra, 2002-03; Tenunan V, 2003; Kehalusan Ukiran – Sebuah Tenunan VI (Arabesque Engraving), small orchestra (15 players), 2003; Kehalusan Ukiran II – Tenunan VI, small orchestra (16 players), 2003-04; Mediasi Ukiran II – Sebuah Tenunan IX, 2003-04; Mediasi Antara Nada Halus dan Kasar – Mediasi Ukiran III (Mediation between Two Tones), gamelan orchestra, small orchestra (24 players), 2004-05

CHAMBER MUSIC: Sketch, string quartet, 1994; Lagu IV (Song), clarinet, piano, 1998; Karya (Piece), violin, piano, 1995; Alhambra-Arabesque, string quartet, 1999; Arabesque II, 2 piccolos, 2 violins, 1999; Jeritan, string quartet, 1999-2000; Corak – Arabesque V (Pattern), harp, cello, 2000; Tenunan, flute, clarinet, piano, percussion, string quartet, 2000; Mantera... (Mantra), flute, 8 sound sculptures (2 players), 2000-01 (also shorter version, 2004); Sebuah Tenunan IV, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, 2003; Arabesque IV – Tenunan VII, guitar, 2003; Mediasi Ukiran – Tenunan VIII, string quartet, 2004; Mediasi Ukiran V – Tenunan XII, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, 2004

CHORAL: Pemuda (Young Man) (text by Siti Chairani Proehoeman), soprano-speaker, baritone-speaker, mixed chorus, small orchestra, 1996; Ritual – Pemuda II (text by Siti Chairani Proehoeman), soprano, alto, tenor, bass, 3 mixed choruses, piano, 2 percussion, 1997; Meditasi Ritualistik Seorang Pemuda (Ritualistic Meditation of a Man) (text by Siti Chairani Proehoeman), soprano, alto, tenor, bass, 3 mixed choruses, large orchestra, 1997; Perjalanan (Journey) (text by Siti Chairani Proehoeman), soprano, alto, tenor, bass, mixed chorus, large orchestra, 1997–

VOCAL: Lagu I & II (vocalise), soprano, piano, 1994; Lagu Tanpa Kata I (Song without Words), soprano, orchestra, 1994, revised 2003; Lagu III (vocalise), soprano, piano, 1998

PIANO: Sebuah Pantun (A Malay Poem), 2002; Torrent of Images – A Memorial, 2002-05 (each of its three sections may be performed separately: Irrational, 2002-03; Mediasi Masa – Raja Satariah Memoriam [The Mediation of Time], 2004; Rational, 2005)

ELECTROACOUSTIC: Abstract, 8-track tape, 1994; Study for Electronic Music in 3 Sections, 8-track tape, 1994-95; Electronic Piece I, 8-track tape, 1995

ARRANGEMENT: Anthology of Choral and Piano Malay Folk Song Arrangements (27 Malaysian folksongs), mixed chorus, piano, 1992-93

(Last updated on April 12, 2005)