Benedict Mason, born on 23 February 1954, is a British composer. Mason was educated at King's College, Cambridge (1971–75) and took a degree in film-making at the Royal College of Art (1975–78). He did not turn to composition until his early 30s, but his first acknowledged work, Hinterstoisser Traverse (1986), attracted attention from the European new music scene. His early works are decidedly postmodern in inclination, with considerable use of stylistic irony (some commentators have noted in these works a similarity to the music of Mauricio Kagel). Mason then developed an interest in polyrhythmic music, and in works such as his Double Concerto one can hear a strong stylistic affinity to the later works of György Ligeti. More recent works have concentrated on the spatial dimension of music, such as in his Music for European Concert Halls series, and sometimes have come very close to installation art. Mason has composed in many genres, and his soccer opera Playing Away, with a libretto by Howard Brenton, was commissioned by the Munich Biennale and premièred there in 1994 by Opera North. References Sources Further reading Kennedy, Michael (2006). The Oxford Dictionary of Music, Toop, Richard (November–December 2004). "Forschung, Formung, Fantasie: Der britische Komponist Benedict Mason". Neue Zeitschrift für Musik 165, no. 6:58–59. External links Article by Volker Straebel on Mason's music Interview (2004) Article by Bernhard König on Mason's Chaplin Operas 1954 births 20th-century classical composers 21st-century classical composers English classical composers Alumni of King's College, Cambridge Alumni of the Royal College of Art Living people English male classical composers 20th-century English composers 21st-century English composers Ernst von Siemens Composers' Prize winners 20th-century British male musicians 21st-century British male musicians