Dieter Ammann (b.1962)
A(tenir)tension (2002-03)

Dieter Ammann was born in Aarau, Switzerland into a highly musical family. After graduating from high school, he started his studies at the Academy for Music Education and Church Music in Lucerne and spent several semesters at the Swiss Jazz School in Berne. After graduating, he began performing as an improviser and jazz musician, playing at the international festivals of Cologne, Willisau, Antwerp, and Lugano. Ammann then studied theory and composition with Roland Moser and D. Müller-Siemens at the Music Academy Basel. In the ’90s, composing became Ammann’s main focus. His works for orchestra as well as his chamber music received various national and international prizes, such as the Aargauer Kuratorium, first prize at the International Composers’ Competition of the IBLA Foundation, a Franz Liszt scholarship, first prize at the Young Composers in Europe competition in Leipzig, and the sponsorship award for composition of the Ernst von Siemens Musikstiftung. In 2010, Ammann was Composer in Residence at the Lucerne Festival. He is Professor of Theory and Composition at the Music Academy Lucerne and also holds a lectureship at the University of Arts in Berne.

A(tenir)tension is a play on words combining ‘maintaining tension’ with ‘attention’.