Edward was the Composer-in-Residence with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. The VSO performed a dozen of his symphonic works with conductors Bramwell Tovey, Otto Tausk, and Allondra de la Parra. In 2013, the VSO performed the commissioned work Totem on a U.S. West Coast tour. Edward’s orchestral composition Eruption was commissioned and performed by the Toronto Symphony and conductor Peter Oundjian on tour in Ottawa, Montreal, and Toronto in 2017. He has won several international prizes for composition, such as third prize at the 2 Agosto Competition in Bologna, and the Val Tidone “Egidio Carella”, both in Italy.
Furthermore, his works have been performed by Netherlands Ballet Orchestra and conductors Fabrice Bollon and Peter Rundel, Dutch Radio Chamber Philharmonic conducted by Peter Eotvos, Turning Point Ensemble and the Croatian Cantus Ansambl conducted by Owen Underhill, Formalist String Quartet in Los Angeles, Tokyo Sinfonietta, Raschèr Saxophone Quartet, Schoenberg Ensemble, Doelen Ensemble and Quartet, Standing Wave, Vancouver Island and Okanagan Symphony Orchestras. Edward’s scores are published at Donemus in The Netherlands, and recordings of his compositions are released through Donemus Records https://open.spotify.com/artist/1ws8vvqVvq8XVO2wpJo4t6?si=5MKevMP9RiSyfazoR-P38A
Edward Top has diplomas in composition and violin pedagogy at the Rotterdam Conservatory, and a Master of Music at King’s College London. He has 30 years of experience teaching young musicians. He has successfully prepared students for entrance into Eton College, Harrow School, and UBC, and several of his students have continued their training as professional violinists. As a violinist himself Edward has performed with Holland Symfonia, Bangkok Symphony Orchestra, and worked as a session player at Abbey Road Studios. He also worked as a soloist performing Alban Berg’s Chamber Concerto in Holland and Germany.
Edward enjoys teaching in various settings, and has fond memories of teaching classroom violin (30 grade 2, 3, and 4 violinists!) in inner-city schools in London. He also worked as an IB (International Baccalaureate) Music Composition examiner and taught its Diploma Programme.
In his free time Edward enjoys playing the electric violin and guitar in his progressive rockband Square: https://www.squaremusic.ca/
For further information, please refer to www.edwardtop.com and http://donemus.nl/edward-top/
For further information, please refer to www.edwardtop.com and http://donemus.nl/edward-top/
Pieces available on YouTube and Vimeo:
- Eruption – TSO & TSYO conducted by Peter Oundjian, Jan 28, 2017 Roy Thomson Hall Toronto: https://youtu.be/C_cxFVmaWfE
- Pots ‘n Pans Falling – performed by Standing Wave during the first VSO New Music Festival in 2014: https://vimeo.com/100457531
- Here is a playlist with several compositions: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYrYo-MJYr2t62SvaZKRLcb440QtLxOPj