Nigel Short

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR DESMOND EARLEY, UCD SCHOOL OF MUSIC on 18 April 2023, on the occasion of the conferring of the Degree of Doctor of Music, honoris causa on NIGEL ROGER SHORT.

A Uachtaráin, a dhaoine uaisle agus a chairde, is mór an phribhléid agus an onóir dom Nigel Short a chur in bhur láthair. President, distinguished guest and friends... it is a great privilege to present Nigel Short to you today.

The awarding of an honorary degree from University College Dublin is recognition of an individual whose life’s work and achievements are worthy of highest commendation.

Nigel Short has demonstrated such achievement in research and musicology, performance, and production. No stranger to awards – Nigel Short is a Gramophone award-winning producer and a Grammy nominated conductor and – we extend to him a heartfelt welcome to University College Dublin, to accept the degree of Doctor of Music, honoris causa.

Inspirare... inspirare... inspirare: this is literally... ‘to breathe or blow into’... It can also be used in another sense: the ‘imparting of a truth or an idea to someone’. Breath is life. Breath brings life and meaning to music. As singers...in listening for the breath we are drawn together, we hear the sounds of life... and in performance, we anticipate the imparting of a truth. We have an ear out for others and for all that is going on around us in an attempt to breathe into, to create, and to impart.

As in the case of all adept singers – professional breathers – and conductors, Nigel Short exemplifies what Hegel termed the ‘living actuality’ of music-making: Nigel Short’s exceptional achievements in the field of music traverse many domains: the spheres of singer- performer; the concert stage as conductor and leader; and the recording studio as music producer.

The King's Singers have performed on the world's greatest stages for over fifty years. Nigel Short brought his meticulous clarity and technical prowess to the group in the late 1990s. During his time performing with The King’s Singers, he toured the world, recorded nearly a dozen albums, and performed in over 700 concerts. His time in this respected ensemble afforded Nigel the opportunity to crystallise his philosophy around the nature of artistic sound.

As breath is life, and harmony is our business; listening is crucial. Notably, Nigel Short has some of the finest ears in the business. This is one of his particular gifts, which he continues to share as a producer. The diverse catalogue of published albums Nigel has produced include artists and ensembles on the world’s major record labels including London Decca Classics, Deutsche Grammophon, EMI Classics, Signum Classics, and Warner Classics. Increasingly sought after as conductor of calibre orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic, and the English Chamber Orchestra, Nigel Short is an international figure on the podium.

Nigel Short’s work throughout his life and achievements in performance, conducting, and producing are worthy of this commendation but it is his crowning achievement in founding Tenebrae that should be celebrated here today:

“The only thing better than singing” as Ella Fitzgerald said, ‘is more singing”... In 2001, Nigel Short realised his long-held dream to found a virtuosic vocal ensemble designed to combine the passion of a cathedral choir with the precision of a chamber choir.

As noted by BBC Music Magazine:

Nigel Short’s superb musical sensitivity to phrasing and texture illuminates everything... the endless dovetailing of the musical lines, all within an overall architectural vision, is exquisitely sustained.

A cursory glance at the range and breadth of Nigel Short’s impressive discography with Tenebrae (over 40 albums to date) reveals that this is an ensemble strengthened by an ethos of sensitive programming, tenderness of expression ... and musicological research.

Nigel’s research preparation for the recording of Leonard Bernstein’s Symphonic Psalms and Prayers in 2018 with the BBC Symphony Orchestra & Tenebrae reveals a musician equally comfortable in the archive, the recording studio, and on the podium. It is no surprise then that The Financial Times critic described this album as a “master stroke of programming by Nigel Short and his expert, [...] professional choir, Tenebrae.”

On another album published in the same year, Nigel Short’s scholarly research into – and revival of – selected works by English composer, Ivor Gurney, justifiably earned him further international recognition. On A Walk with Ivor Gurney, Tenebrae magically presents a reflection on the brutality of war and highlights the music of this almost-forgotten composer, whose promising career was interrupted by World War I.

My colleague, Dr Frank Lawrence has told me that he has often played recordings of Tenebrae for his students at the School of Music. But... Nigel Short’s first in-person appearance at University College Dublin was in 2014 where he spent time with Choral Scholars in workshop. This visit was initiated by UCD graduate and alumna UCD Choral Scholar, Aoife Daly, who served as General Manager for Tenebrae from 2011-2014 year. Upon hearing what Nigel called the “shimmering sound” of the UCD Choral Scholars, he recommended that we record an album. Hence the UCD Choral Scholars album Invisible Stars was born. So began our collaboration with Nigel Short as producer.

Manifold are Nigel Short’s contributions to the field of choral music performance. As scholar-conductor, as producer, as singer... He has dedicated his life to discipline of performance-practice and to excellence in the art of programming and recording.

Ar an iliomad cúis atá luaite agam, tá muid faoi mhór-chomaoin ag Nigel Short agus ómós á thabhairt againn dó inniu. Is mór an pléisiúr dom Nigel Short a chur os bhur gcomhar don chéim seo.

.... on these myriad counts, we – the world in general and UCD in particular – owe a debt to Nigel Short, for which we honour him today. It is my great pleasure to present Nigel Short for this degree.

Praehonorabilis Praeses Pro Tempore, totaque Universitas, Praesento vobis hunc meum filium, quem scio tam moribus quam doctrina habilem et idoneum esse qui admittatur, honoris causa, ad Gradum Doctoratus in Musica; idque tibi fide mea testor ac spondeo, totique Academiae.