NIKOLAI CLAVIER
Film Composer
Nikolaï Clavier (1989) is an award-winning composer based in the Netherlands. He graduated with a Master in Film Scoring from the Conservatory or Amsterdam in 2020 and a Master of Music at Fontys Hogeschool voor de Kunsten in 2018. As a composer with a classical background, he has in the past 10 years built up a repertoire of over 200 compositions and arrangements, including the scoring of 11 short films, 6 commercials and a video game in the past three years. Aside from working actively as a film composer, Clavier is the violist in the twice award-winning Arthema String Quartet, and his master research Orchestrating Cinematic String Quartets (2018) has given him a renown within the international academic community (1st prize Fontys Research Competition 2018). He is currently working as a film and media composer in Utrecht, involved in projects such as the video game At Eve’s Wake (Sugar Rush Studios), the short films The Colour or a Goodbye and Dienstmeid#2 and an international documentary with award-winning filmmaker May Taherzadeh.
The most popular works from Nikolaï Clavier include his three graduation films at the Dutch Film Academy Waarom Bleef Je Niet Voor Mij? (winner: Student Academy Awards 2021, VPRO Documentaireprijs 2020, AHK eindwerksprijs & publiekprijs 2020, KNF Award 2020), Terug Naar Zotteken Waes (selection: In the Palace Short Film Festival 2021, Imagine Film Festival 2021) and Blauwe Maandag (Winner: Buma Music In Motion 2021). In addition to this, he has been scoring popular short films and commercials such as Clinch (2020), Avontuur (2020) and Impasse (2019). In the beginning of 2021 he scored the short film Ode To a Sleeping City in which six time Dutch champion in figure skating Niki Wories dances on the frozen canals of Amsterdam. The video now has over 130.000 views on YouTube.
After his master thesis, Orchestrating Cinematic String Quartets, which was awarded the first prize in the national research competition in 2018, Clavier has gained specialized knowledge about string scoring techniques. This can be seen in some of his most popular film music arrangements for string quartet, such as The Lord of The Rings – Tone Poem in 5 Movements, John Williams Medley and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. As musician, he has performed with prestigious ensembles such as Oslo Camerata, Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, The Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Libero Strijkorkest, Doordse Kamerorkest and Cugnon Consort. In 2013 he was nominated for the international composer’s competition Simply Stunning and he is currently playing in the twice award-winning ensemble Arthema String Quartet.
RESUMÉ
EDUCATION
2018-2020
2016-2018
2013-2014
2009-2013
2005-2008
2005-2009
Master Composing for Film
Conservatory of Amsterdam/Dutch Film Academy (The Netherlands)
Master of Music
Fontys Hoge School voor den Kunsten (Tilburg, The Netherlands)
Composition, Orchestration and Arranging
University of Agder (Kristiansand, Norway)
Musical Performance Bachelor and Practical Pedagogical Education (PPU)
Barratt Due Music Institute (Oslo, Norway)
General University Admissions Certification – Music Specification
St. Svithun Secondary High School (Stavanger, Norway)
Stavanger Music Talent Program (LiS) and Barratt Due Young Talents
BUMA Music in Motion
New Talent Award
Norwegian Arts Council
Scholarship for New Talented Artists
Keep an Eye Film Score Award
Special Mention
Conservatorium van Amsterdam Scholarship
Scholarship
Willem Twee Chamber Music Competition
1st prize – audience prize
Fontys Artistic Research Competition
1st prize
Norwegian Grammy Awards
Ensemble 1B1 – winner best classical album
Playing for a Future
Appointed Ambassador
The Norwegian Arts Councils grant
Funding the project “Music in Bolivia”
Simply Stunning Composers Competition
Nominated: Introduction and Fugue in d-minor
Per Barkved’s Endowment
Scholarship
Alf J. Aareskjold’s Memorial Fund
Scholarship
AWARDS/GRANTS
May 2021
November 2020
October 2020
July 2018
May 2018
May 2018
March 2015
January 2015
June 2014
March 2014
May 2008
2006
3 Bolivian Children Songs (String orchestra)
Commissioned by Stavanger Cultural Center for a charity concert (Stavanger, Norway)
The Nightingale of Paradise (Choir SATB)
Commissioned by Oslo Bahá’í Community, performed thrice the same year. (Oslo, Norway)
The Trumpet Blast
Original Score: Theatre Performance dir. S. Ellund. (Fagernes, Norway)
Silencio en C (String orchestra and solo violin)
Comissioned by Richardo Ortiz and the San Ignacio youth orchestra. First performed at the Santa Cruz Chamber Music Festival 2017. (Bolivia)
Johanna Schubarth – know that you are never alone
Original Score: Theatre Performance dir. S. Ellund. (Fagernes, Norway)
Una Aventura Chiquitana (Symphony Orchestra and Latin percussion)
Commissioned by Valdres Summer Symphony Festival. (Norway)
Olympic Anthem
String Quartet Arrangement commissioned by YOG (Youth Olympic Committee). (Lillehammer, Norway)
Sufficient Unto Me (solo piano)
Commissioned by pianist Mea Karvonnen for her album ‘A Nightingales Cry’ (Released same year, Helsinki, Finland)
Bolivian Folk Melodies Vol.1-2
Gathering, arranging and re-composing over 20-30 Bolivian folk melodies threatened of extinction. (Santa Cruz, Bolivia)
Southern Spring (solo piano)
Commissioned by pianist Mark Candassamy (Kristiansand, Norway)
Introduction and Fugue for violin and piano
Award nominated piece commissioned by violinist Minh Thien Nguyen (Oslo, Norway)
The Friendship Island – a children’s musical (string quartet/tenor)
Comissioned by Dextra Musica, went on tour 3 years in a row (Oslo, Norway)
Yá Bahá’u’l-Abhá (solo viola)
Commissioned for a dance performance in Tilburg, Netherlands. Performed around Europe more than 20 times since then
COMMISSIONS
Feb 2018
Aug 2017
July 2017
Nov 2016
July 2016
July 2016
Feb 2016
March 2015
2014-2015
June 2014
Mar 2014
June 2013
March 2012
INSTRUMENTAL EXPERTISE
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Viola & Broque Viola
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Real and Virtual Orchestration
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Nylon String Guitar
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Piano: Classical, Jazz, Pop and Basso Continuo
NOTEWORTHY JOBS, PERFORMANCES and PROJECTS
2017-
2014-
2015-
June 2018
June 2018
2017-2018
Oct 2017
Sept 2017
2016-2018
2016-2018
2016-2017
Feb 2016
Apr-May 2014
jan 2014
Nov-des 2013
Sept 2013-Jul 2014
Apr-June 2013
May 2013
Mar 2014
June 2012
Mai 2012
Aug-Sept 2011
Jun 2013
Sept 2011
Aug 2011
2010-2013
Nov 2010
Nov 2010
Aug 2010
Mar 2010
2007-2008
Arthema String Quartet, playing concerts in Concertgebouw Amsterdam and Muziekgebouw Eindhoven, Schouwburg Theater, Goirle, Nuland, Theatre Festival Boulevard, and winner of the Willem Twee competition. (‘s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands)
Teacher, performer and group instructor at the masterclass Valdres Summer Symphony (Fagernes, Norway)
Teacher and instructor at the masterclass Halsnøy Orkesterkurs (Bergen, Norway)
Solo violist in the musical A Little Night Music, Schouburg Theater Tilburg
Levenslied Festival Orchestra, violist (Tilburg)
Helmond-Venray Symphony Orchestra, section leader and instructor
Solo performances in Pulchri Studios (Den Haag) and Utrecht University Aula in commemoration of Bahá’u’lláh’s 200th anniversary
Solo violist on NPO broadcasted concert in Sint-Jacobskerk den Haag
Orchestre Polyptique, 2-year project performing Frank Martin in churches across the Netherlands and Germany
Fontys Sinfonietta, performing in Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Muziekgebouw Eindhoven and Cenakel Tilburg.
Sága String Quartet, concerts in Hurwenen, Zeeland, Amsterdam, ‘s- Hertogenbosch
Quartet performances for Norwegian Prince, and prime minister, and for 7.000 audiences at the Youth Olympic Games. (Lillehammer, Norway)
Solo violist in the critically acclaimed staging of Les Misérables in Kilden Concert Hall. (Kristiansand, Norway)
Arrangements of the Lord of the Rings music for string quartet is being published by Norsk Noteservice (over 80.000 views on YouTube)
Wagner-orchestra at the University of Gothenburg (Sweeden)
Founder and participant in the Jegersberg Quartet (Kristiansand, Norway)
Composer, performer and arranger in the children’s musical “Friend Island”; Oslo-tour sponsored by Dextra Musica (Oslo, Norway)
Concert with NMH (Norwegian Music Academy) and KORK (Norwegian Broadcasting Orchestra) in the Lindemann Hall, Stravinskijs Rite of Spring. (Oslo, Norway)
Award winning CD-recording with ensemble EnB1 (Stavanger, Norway)
Music and theatre instructor for youth in the Summer School of Oslo: ”From text to stage” (Oslo, Norway)
Performer in the bi-national project Orchestra NoVe (Oslo/Bergen, Norway)
Arranger and performer in a jazz-project in the Munch Museum during Oslo Culture Night 2011
Project with Oslo Camerata at Valdres Sommersymfoni
Project with Oslo Camerata and Truls Mørk in The Norwegian Opera
Performer at Aurora Chamber Music Festival (Trollhättan, Sweeden)
Artema String Quartet, various concerts and competitions (Oslo, Norway)
Teaching assistance in music theory for a student at Barratt Dues
young talents (Oslo, Norway)
EP recording in studio with Alexander Rybak (Oslo, Norway)
Early music course Musica Antiga (Tomar, Portugal)
Project with Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Steven Sloan (Norway)
NUSO – Norwegian Youth Symphony Orchestra
OTHER QUALIFICATIONS
Feb-apr 2012-2013
2013-
2010-
2010-2017
Oct-des 2008
Part of the organizing committee of the Fagerborg Festival (Oslo, Norway)
Following the international academic course, ISGP – International Studies in Global Prosperity (De Poort, Netherlands)
Certified Tutor in the Social Development program initiated by the Ruhi Institute (Oslo, Norway)
Voluntary work as teacher and director of the international junior youth camp Transformation for Peace (Czeske Budejovitze, Czech Republic)
Choir instructor and artistic leader for the self-initiated project choir ”Actis’ Julekor” (Oslo, Norway)
Speaks fluent Norwegian, English, Dutch, French and Spanish
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