After studying philosophy at Sheffield University, Gavin Bryars received composition training from Cyril Ramsey and George Linstead. He started his career as a bassist for jazz bands in the 1960s, collaborating with Tony Oxley and Derek Bailey. He founded the Portsmouth Sinfonia, which played classical pieces despite having limited musical skills. Bryars gained international recognition through his opera, Medea, which premiered at the Opéra de Lyon and the Paris Opéra in 1984. In 1993, a revised version of his famed piece, Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet, featuring Tom Waits on vocals, gained widespread popularity. Bryars is a prolific composer for various mediums such as theater, dance, film, as well as the concert hall. His works have been performed by prominent artists such as the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Arditti Quartet, the Hilliard Ensemble, the Balanescu Quartet, Charlie Haden, Bill Frisell, and his ensemble. Bryars is an influential experimental composer, and his recent compositions are characterized by repetitive and clever elements, influenced by literary theories.
