Curriculum Vitae
AVRIL KINSEY CURRICULUM VITAE
INTRODUCTION
Avril Kinsey has eleven years of university education with forty years experience in the business of music education, music performance and composition. She is a published composer and author, award-winning scriptwriter, and a recording artist and teacher who directs the Cape Town Academy of Music. She is project coordinator for FCTAM, a not for profit music organization dedicated to excellence in music education, performance, composition and festival events. The Avril Kinsey Classical Guitar Competition is named after Dr. Kinsey.
EDUCATION
Nelson Mandela University: Doctor of Music in Composition (2018)
University of Cape Town, SA College of Music: Master of Music cum laude in Research (2008−2009)
Universitario Internacional de Musica Española: Performers Diploma in Music (1979)
University of Cape Town, SA College of Music: Teachers Licentiate Diploma in Music (1975−1978)
University of Cape Town, Education Department: Higher Diploma in Education (1978)
INTERNATIONAL TEACHERS AND MASTER CLASSES
Dr Nils Vigeland (USA and protege of Morton Feldman): Composition for orchestra (2014)
Dr Martijn Padding (Netherlands): Composition for orchestra (2015)
Dr Hans Roosenschoon (SA): Professor of Composition, University of Stellenbosch (2015−2016)
Dr Barry Smith (SA): Composition for choir (2013)
Christopher Parkening (USA), Ernesto Bitetti and Narciso Yepes (Spain), Carlos Bonell (UK): Classical guitar master classes (1978−1983)
RESEARCH INTERESTS
DMus research: A portfolio that focusses on creative work with an extensive text in music notation, which embodies the composer’s creative research (2014–2017)
MMus research: Music for Classical Guitar by South African Composers: A historical survey, notes on selected works and a general catalogue (University of Cape Town, 2008−2009)
Entrepreneurship and the future of art music (Cape Town Academy of Music, 2010−2014)
Composition and practice-led research (Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2013)
Guitar repertoire (University of Cape Town, 2008−2009)
Ethnomusicologist Hugh Tracey’s field recordings (Rhodes University, International Library of African Music, 1987−1988)
SCHOLARSHIPS AND AWARDS
National Arts Council Scholarship for MMus research paper and concert (at the Royal Academy of Music London, 2010)
Senior Merit Award for MMus (University of Cape Town, 2009)
South African Society for Research in Music grant (Durban, 2009)
KW Johnston Research Bursary (University of Cape Town, 2008)
Jules Kramer Fine Arts and Music Scholarship (University of Cape Town, 2008−2009)
Astris Award Medal and Certificate presented in recognition of an outstanding contribution to music (Cape Town, 2007)
Adcock Ingram Classical Guitar Competition First Prize (Johannesburg, 1981)
WORK
COMPOSER
An established, commissioned and published composer with several major works for orchestra and chamber groups, as well as many for vocal artists, choirs, and solo and duo instruments. She has composed over 40 works for classical guitar and she is the first female classical guitarist and composer to be awarded a creative doctoral degree in South Africa. A list of selected major works can be found at www.avrilkinsey.net/composer-2/
PUBLISHED MUSIC BOOKS
Celtic Guitar Duets: Ode to O’ Carolan. Cape Town: Art Music (CM02), 2007
Guitar on Safari: Concert in Miniature Series. Cape Town: Art Music (CM01), 2006
Guitar Music from Africa:(6 solos and 6 duos). Forward by Colin Cooper, Cape Town: Art Music (ISBN-0-620-1965-8), 1996
PUBLICATIONS
‘Brief History of the Classical Guitar in South Africa (Part 1),’ Classical Guitar, Vol. 29, No. 6 (February 2011), pp. 28-32.
‘Brief History of the Classical Guitar in South Africa (Part 2),’ Classical Guitar, Vol. 29, No. 7 (March 2011), pp. 19-21.
‘Gregory Newton and David Grimes on Tour to the Cape Town International Guitar Festival,’ Soundboard, Vol. XXXVII, No. 3 (2011), pp. 83-86.
‘Creating Guitar Music in South Africa, The Past and Present,’ Classical Guitar, Vol. 15 No. 11 (1997), pp. 24-29.
‘Concurso Internacional de Guitarra de Sevilla (22 to 26 October, 2012) with Antón Garcia Abril, Zoran Dukic, Jeffrey McFadden, Paolo Pegoraro, Judicaël Perroy and others,’ (for Classical Guitar, unpublished)
The Wild Coast (full feature screenplay), Library of Congress, (PAu3-071-513), 2006
WORK EXPERIENCE
Founding Director – Cape Town Academy of Music (2000−2020)
Duties include: conceiving, developing and implementing the educational vision and focus of CTAM, while running day to day activities, budgets, sponsorship proposals and the writing of educational modules and reports, as well as the recruitment and supervision of teachers, administrative and financial reports.
Teaching and lecturing in guitar, piano, theory and composition, entrepreneurship and business of music, as well as a history of Western classical music.
Music Producer & Artistic Director – Compact Disc Audio Recordings (1987−2020)
Vulcanus
Fynbos Suite
Two Guitars in Concert
African Evenings
Guitar Music From Africa
Guitar on Safari
Sensual Guitar
La Vida Breve
Guitar Master classes given (2010−2014)
Julliard School of Music, New York, 2014
Friends of the Cape Town Academy of Music, Cape Town, 2013
Volterra Project, Italy 2012
Cape Town International Guitar Festival, Cape Town, 2011
Royal Academy of Music, London, 2010
Hermoupolis Guitar Festival, Greece, 2010
Major Concerts performed (1990−2015)
Mannes School of Music, New York, 2014
Volterra Project, Italy, 2012
Cape Town International Guitar Festival, 2011
Royal Academy of Music, London, 2010
Hermoupolis Guitar Festival, Greece, 2010
Luciano Pavarotti World Tour, Stellenbosch, 1996
Images of Africa on Guitar: London debut, Purcell Room South Bank Centre, London, 1990
Academic Papers presented (2009−2014)
Discovering 320 works by 72 South African Composers for The International Guitar Research Centre (IGRC), Surrey University, 2014
Discovering 320 works by 72 South African Composers for Mannes University, The New School of Music, New York, 2014
Overcoming Performance Nerves, Volterra Project, Italy, 2012
South African Composers for the Classical Guitar and Overcoming Performance Nerves, Cape Town International Guitar Festival, 2011
South African Composers for the Classical Guitar, Royal Academy of Music, 2010
South African Composers for the Classical Guitar, South African Society for Research in Music Conference, 2009
Chairperson and Project Manager – Friends CTAM: NPO#077942 (2010−2020)
Duties include: residing over meetings, supervising fundraising proposals and the implementation of sponsorships and funding, also event staging and management.
Artistic Director – Cape Town International Guitar Festival (2011)
Producing, directing and staging the Cape Town International Guitar Festival and Avril Kinsey Classical Guitar Competition, other responsibilities included hiring musicians and overseeing front of house personnel and administrative staff.
Founding Director of Art Music Recording and Publishing (1996−2006)
Producing and working with designers, sound engineers, music typesetting, product launches, marketing and writing up of press releases and reports
Teacher Training in the Trinity College of London syllabi (2006−2007)
Trinity College of London guitar syllabus grades 1 to 8
MEMBERSHIPS
Golden Key International Honour Society
Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM)
International Music Council (IMC)
Writer’s Guild of South Africa (WGSA)
Guitar Foundation of America (GFA)
Performing Rights Society (PRS)
South African Society for Research in Music (SASRIM)
REFEREES
Dr Gregory Newton (MMus, DMA), Adjunct Associate Professor, LA City College, President of American Guitar Society, Director of AGS Int’l Concert Series
Dr Hans Roosenschoon (DMus) Emeritus Professor: Music (Composition), University of Stellenbosch
Dr Hendrik Hofmeyr (MMus, DMus), Associate Professor, University of Cape Town
Ann Coltham (BSoc.Sci), Assistant Director, Cape Town International Guitar Festival