Benedict Schlepper-Connolly was born in Dublin to an Irish father and German mother. He is Co-Director of the music company Ergodos and is Deputy Editor of The Journal of Music, for which he contributes regularly as a writer. Recent projects have included a duo for Maya Homburger (baroque violin) and Barry Guy (double bass) and a new work for the 24, a chamber choir based in York. His music will be available on two Ergodos Records releases next year: Cyan, for viola and tape, recorded by the Amsterdam group Trio Scordatura, and Heidje, for solo violin, recorded by Ioana Petcu-Colan. He studied with Marc Sabat (Berlin), Larry Polansky (Hanover, NH, USA) and Donnacha Dennehy (Dublin) and he now lives and works in Dublin.
The Sun Also Rises II, for violin and cello, is part of a large work for chamber ensemble and film. Over the course of that work – which incorporates Super-8 footage from the composer's childhood, and which is simply about optimism – a chorus of women sing these words from Ecclesiastes:
'One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.
The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.
The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.
All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.
The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.'