Stephen Whittington is an Australian composer, pianist, writer and music critic. He was born in 1953 in Adelaide. He is a member of the faculty at the Elder Conservatorium of Music, Adelaide University (South Australia), where he directs the Performing Arts Technology Unit. He teaches composition, music theory, acoustics and electronic music.

Stephen Whittington was born in Adelaide, South Australia, in 1953. He studied piano with Clemens Leske at the Elder Conservatorium, graduating with honours in piano in 1974. He also attended the classes of composers Richard Meale, Peter Tahourdin, and Tristram Cary.

His compositions have been performed in leading Australian music festivals, including the Adelaide Festival, the Barossa Music Festival, and the Australian Music Festival in Brisbane, as well as in the United States, England, Sweden and France, by ensembles such as Die Kammermusiker (Zurich), Sydney Phiharmonic Choir, Endymion (London), and Triton II (Paris). His works have been recorded on a number of CDs, and are heard frequently on radio in Australia.

As a pianist, he is renowned as an interpreter of contemporary music, notably of Australian music from Percy Grainger to the present day, and also of the music of composers of the last one hundred years, in particular Erik Satie, Charles Ives, Ferruccio Busoni, Alexander Scriabin, Arnold Schoenberg, Anton Webern, Olivier Messiaen, John Cage, Morton Feldman, Conlon Nancarrow, Claude Vivier, Gyorgy Kurtag and Sophie Lacaze.

Stephen Whittington has received numerous grants from the Australia Council and the South Australian Government, as well critical awards and acclaim both for his compositions and his performances of new music.


Press :

"In its first performance Whittington 'Harmonic Ascendant'neatly updated Stockhausen's 'Stimmung'…the séance-like atmosphere he engenders was reminiscent of the earlier work and I admire how he has recast an old idea in new terms." Rodney Smith, Adelaide Advertiser, 18 May, 1991.

"…In Stephen Whittington's legend there was evidence of a compositional mind ruthlessly critical of its progeny. Normally wary of cross-cultural hybrids, was totally beguiled by the gamelan tones of his prpared pianos, the subtle use of pentatonic patterns and the inegration of oriental and occidental." Elizabeth Silsbury, Adelaide Advertiser, 15 November, 1991.

"Apart from his powerfully secure technique, Whittington's approach is thoughtful and highly intelligent…Adelaide audiences can count themselves lucky that, for the moment, they are the main recipients of his increasingly authoritative performances." Tristram Cary, The Australian, May 5, 1990.

" 'For Bunita Marcus' [by Morton Feldman] is formidably notated, requiring great conentration and technical facility of the performer over its 2 hours, Comprising brief, simple motifs, played pianissimo, it will only succeed in accomplished hands like Whittington's." Chris Reid, RealTime, August 1999.


Principal Works :

"Dance Legend", music for dance 2 prepared pianos

"Concerto for piano and string orchestra"

"The Windmill", String quartet

"Rhythm studies" for piano

"Slow Waltz" (for Erik and Alban) for piano

"Harmonic Ascendant" for 2 pianos

Suite from "Legend" for 2 prepared pianos

"Dances of the Purple Dawn" for violin and piano

"Remember this" for piano

"Troubled in mind" for piano, violin, viola, violoncello

"Heartbreak Tango" for trumpet, flute, clarinet, violin, violoncello, double bass

"Three pieces for Howard" for piano

"2 Dog Pieces" for flute, oboe, bassoon, violin, viola, violoncello

"2 pieces for vibraphone" for vibraphone solo

"Tangled Hair" for mezzo-soprano, flute, piano

"Puer natus" for 6-part choir