Ponse, Luctor

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Composer Name

Biography

Born: October 11, 1914

Died: February 17, 1998.

Country: Geneva, Switzerland (Netherlands)

Studies: Valenciennes Conservatory, Geneva Conservatory (1933-35)

Teachers: Barblan; Lamy; Henk Badings

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Luctor Ponse was born in Geneva on 11 October 1914. He had a Dutch father and a French mother, and spent his youth in France. Luctor Ponse started his musical training at the Valenciennes Conservatory at the age of twelve. At the age of sixteen he received the Prix d'Excellence for theory and solfeggio, and in 1932 he was given the same prize for piano. He returned to Switzerland in 1933, to complete his studies at the Geneva Conservatory. He was awarded the Prix de Virtuosité there in 1935. Luctor Ponse became a composer in 1936 and several of his compositions were awarded.

In 1936 Luctor Ponse settled in Holland, Amsterdam. Since then he performed as a soloist and an accompanist, and played much chamber music. As a pianist he did many concert tours and had radio engagements, amongst others at Suisse Romande, NIR Brussels, BBC, and in France and in Holland. As a concert pianist of contemporary music, Luctor Ponse strongly influenced later generations. In the Netherlands he introduced various works of Béla Bartók.

From 1949 Luctor Ponse composed music according to the twelve-tonesystem, freely interpreted. After attending courses in electronic music in Bilthoven and Darmstadt, Luctor Ponse became a scientific co-worker and lecturer at the Instituut voor Sonologie in 1965, at the time residing at Utrecht University. Since then he made many electronic and electronic-instrumental compositions, next to his instrumental work. In this period he made a Concerto for piano and tape, and a series of three compositions from recordings of the short-wave band. From 1967 till 1992 he also composed electronic music in his private studio at home.

Luctor Ponse has been a senior lecturer at the Muzieklyceum in Amsterdam, the Rotterdam Conservatorium and the Groningen Conservatorium. At the Groningen Conservatorium he also founded a studio for electronic music. He continued to compose music till his death on 17 Febrary 1998.

Works for Percussion

Suite (Ponse) - Percussion Quartet; Piano; Orchestra