(b. 1978, Dublin).

British composer, born in Ireland, of mostly orchestral, chamber and choral works that have been performed in Europe.

Mr. Pitkin studied at Christ Church, Oxford and studied composition with Christopher Brown at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He later studied with Guy Reibel at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris in 2000 and studied composition at the Royal College of Music in London from 2004–09, where he earned his DMus, on a grant from the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

Among his honours are the Temple Church Composition Prize (2001, for Hark! a herald voice is calling) and two selections to the short list of the Society for the Promotion of New Music in London (2001, for Voices: Chamber Music [withdrawn] and Anth[rop]ology: Five Directions [withdrawn]).

He teaches composition and musicianship at the Royal College of Music Junior Department.

SELECT LIST OF WORKS

ORCHESTRAL:

Borrowed Time, orchestra (8 winds, 10 brass, harp, piano, celesta, timpani, 2 percussion, strings), 2002

Two Pieces, brass band, 2001–03 (its sections may be performed separately: Soundlessly Down, 2001; Purpled Steel, 2003)

'whipsering, clamoring', string orchestra, 2005

Mesh, orchestra (8 winds, 10 brass, harp, percussion, strings), 2007

Dancings of the Air, symphonic band, 2011–12

CHAMBER MUSIC:

The Silence Seemed to Sizzle, 2 French horns, 4 trumpets, trombone, 2 tubas, 3 percussion, 2001

Entente, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, vibraphone, 2002

Chaîne, string quartet, 2003–04

Part-song, piano, string quartet, 2005–06

Con Spirito, piano, Disklavier, 2006–07

Crossed Wires, 2 violins, 2 cellos, 2 pianos, 2008

CHORAL:

Bring us, O Lord God (anthem, text by John Donne), 8 mixed voices, 1999

The Transformation of Arethusa (text by Ovid), 12 mixed voices, 2000

Hark! a herald voice is calling (anthem), 8 mixed voices, organ, 2001

The Holy Room (anthem, texts by John Donne, Sir Henry Wotton), mixed chorus, trumpet, organ, 2001

Everyone Sang (text by Siegfried Sassoon), children's chorus, orchestra (8 winds, 2 French horns, trumpet, trombone, piano, percussion, strings), 2002–03

Cantate Domino (text from Psalm 98), mixed chorus, 2003

Esto mihi in Deum protectorem (texts from Psalm 31, Psalm 48, Psalm 71), mixed chorus, 2003

Has it flown away? (texts by John Keats, Fujiwara no Shunzei [English translation]), mixed chorus, 2005

Ye, who used to soar (text by John Keble), 8 mixed voices, 2010

VOCAL:

Extracts from a Potential Comedy (text by Sir Alan Ayckbourn), soprano, 2 flutes, 2 clarinets, harp, 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass, piano, 2001

Mysteries some magician, a craftsman, set up (texts from clues to crossword puzzles), soprano, harp, 2001

A Motion of Dawn (text by Sidney Lanier), soprano, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, percussion, 2008

Feather-small and Still (text by Sophie Stephenson-Wright), mezzo-soprano, piano, 2010

PIANO:

Vitesses, 2004–05

ORGAN:

Suite: Voluntary, Interlude, Toccata, 2002–03

High Time, 2005