July 26, 1949:
Kevin Volans is born in Pietermaritzburg, Union of South Africa.
May 1, 1973:
While studying with Karlheinz Stockhausen (44) and others, Claude Vivier (25) takes a room in a less fashionable district of Cologne at Im Stavenhof 18. Among the artists he will befriend here will be Kevin Volans (23).
May 10, 1979:
Kwazulu Summer Landscape for tape by Kevin Volans (29) is performed for the first time, in New York.
June 1, 1979:
Nine Beginnings for two pianos by Kevin Volans (29) is performed for the first time, at Beginner Studio, Cologne. Also premiered is Volans’ Delay in Glass for two singers, Irish harp, two pianos, and tape.
August 25, 1985:
Leaping Dance and Kneeling Dance, both for two pianos by Kevin Volans (36), are performed for the first time, at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, London.
October 22, 1985:
She Who Sleeps with a Small Blanket for percussion by Kevin Volans (36) is performed for the first time, in the Museum Corlino Augusteum, Salzburg.
July 13, 1986:
String Quartet no.1 “White Man Sleeps” by Kevin Volans (36) is performed for the first time, at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, London.
January 28, 1987:
Into Darkness for chamber ensemble by Kevin Volans (37) is performed for the first time, in Purcell Room, London.
April 8, 1987:
Movement for String Quartet by Kevin Volans (37) is performed for the first time, at Durban Art Gallery.
December 11, 1987:
String Quartet no.2 “Hunting:Gathering” by Kevin Volans (38) is performed for the first time, in Herbst Theatre, San Francisco.
November 26, 1988:
String Quartet no.3 “The Songlines” by Kevin Volans (39) is performed for the first time, in Lincoln Center, New York.
May 24, 1990:
Chevron for chamber ensemble by Kevin Volans (40) is performed for the first time, in Theatre Royal, Brighton.
October 16, 1990:
Correspondences (String Quartet no.4), a dance opera by Kevin Volans (41) to words of Ramanujan, is performed for the first time, in The Palace Theatre, London.
December 16, 1990:
String Quartet no.4 “The Ramanujan Notebooks” by Kevin Volans (41) is performed for the first time, in the Almeida Theatre, London.
December 6, 1991:
One Hundred Frames for orchestra by Kevin Volans (42) is performed for the first time, in Ulster Hall, Belfast.
November 13, 1992:
Kneeling Dance for six pianos by Kevin Volans (43) is performed for the first time, in Southampton.
May 13, 1993:
Wanting to Tell Stories, a dance by Kevin Volans (43) to a choreography of Davies, is performed for the first time, in Gardner Center, Brighton.
July 2, 1993:
The Man with Footsoles of Wind, a chamber opera by Kevin Volans (43) to words of Clarke after Chatwin and Rimbaud, is performed for the first time, in the Almeida Theatre, London.
April 25, 1994:
Cicada for two pianos by Kevin Volans (44) is performed for the first time, at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
October 8, 1994:
String Quartet no.5 “Dancers on a Plane” by Kevin Volans (45) is performed for the first time.
April 11, 1995:
Plane-Song for string quartet and tape by Kevin Volans (45) is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of BBC2.
October 18, 1995:
Concerto for piano and wind instruments by Kevin Volans (46) is performed for the first time, at De Doelen, Rotterdam.
December 28, 1995:
Blue, Yellow, a dance by Kevin Volans (46) to a choreography of Burrows, is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of BBC2.
May 7, 1996:
Duetti, a dance by Kevin Volans (46) to a choreography of Burrows, is performed for the first time, in Ghent.
January 31, 1997:
5:4 for percussion and tape by Kevin Volans (47) is performed for the first time, in the Schauspielhaus, Frankfurt.
December 12, 1997:
Cello Concerto by Kevin Volans (48) is performed for the first time, in Munich.
April 29, 1998:
Things I Don’t Know, a dance by Kevin Volans (48) to a choreography of Burrows, is performed for the first time, in Laban Center, London.
September 30, 1998:
Asanga for percussion by Kevin Volans (49) is performed for the first time, in Stockholm.
March 18, 1999:
Akrodha for percussion by Kevin Volans (49) is performed for the first time, in Stockholm.
May 4, 1999:
Double Violin Concerto by Kevin Volans (49) is performed for the first time, at Queen’s University.
May 7, 1999:
Wild Air, a dance by Kevin Volans (49) to a choreography of Davies, is performed for the first time, in the Oxford Playhouse.
February 1, 2000:
Surface, a dance by Kevin Volans (50) to a choreography of Jeyasingh, is performed for the first time, in the Nottingham Playhouse.
February 9, 2002:
Concerto for Double Orchestra by Kevin Volans (52) is performed for the first time, in the Barbican Center, London.
August 27, 2002:
Strip-Weave for orchestra by Kevin Volans (53) is performed for the first time, in Waterfront Hall, Belfast.
October 19, 2002:
Trumpet and String Quartet 2 by Kevin Volans (53) is performed for the first time, in Philips Hall, Eindhoven.
July 3, 2003:
Piano Trio by Kevin Volans (53) is performed for the first time, in Bantry House, County Cork, Ireland.
October 6, 2003:
Chakra for percussion trio by Kevin Volans (54) is performed for the first time, in Oslo.
October 10, 2003:
Desert Steps for viola, cello, and two guitars by Kevin Volans (54) is performed for the first time, in Purcell Room, London.
October 12, 2003:
passi leggieri for Hardanger fiddle by Kevin Volans (54) is performed for the first time, in Oslo.
October 22, 2005:
Trio Concerto for violin, cello, piano, and orchestra by Kevin Volans (56) is performed for the first time, in Groningen.
February 18, 2006:
String Quartet no.10 by Kevin Volans (56) is performed for the first time, in O’Reilly Theatre, Dublin.
June 30, 2006:
Glosa a lo Divino for seven live and seven recorded voices by Kevin Volans (56) is performed for the first time, in Scotland.
February 17, 2007:
Joining Up the Dots for two violins, viola, cello, bass, and two pianos by Kevin Volans (57) is performed for the first time, in Dublin.
April 20, 2008:
The Partenheimer Project, three pieces for various chamber combinations by Kevin Volans (58), is performed for the first time, in Birmingham.
April 9, 2009:
Trumpet Vibe Cello Piano for the instruments in the title, by Kevin Volans (59) is performed for the first time, in Dublin.
July 4, 2009:
No Translation for three percussionists and string sextet by Kevin Volans (59) is performed for the first time, at the Irish Museum of Art, Dublin.
October 31, 2009:
viola:piano for the two instruments in the title by Kevin Volans (60) is performed for the first time, in Wigmore Hall, London.
July 17, 2010:
Canciones del Alma for chorus and piano by Kevin Volans (60) to words of San Juan de la Cruz is performed for the first time, in Dublin.
August 27, 2010:
Symphony: Daar Kom die Alibama for chamber orchestra by Kevin Volans (61) is performed for the first time, in Usher Hall, Edinburgh.
August 22, 2011:
Piano Concerto no.3 by Kevin Volans (62) is performed for the first time, in Royal Albert Hall, in Royal Albert Hall, London.
January 28, 2012:
violin:piano and cello:piano (a walk in the gardens of solitude) by Kevin Volans (62) are performed for the first time, in Berlin.
September 14, 2012:
Chakra for three percussionists and orchestra by Kevin Volans (63) is performed for the first time, in Store Studio, Marienlyst, Oslo.
November 2, 2012:
Looping Point for seven players by Kevin Volans (63) is performed for the first time, in Dublin.
March 8, 2014:
Concerto for Solo Percussion and Ensemble by Kevin Volans (64) is performed for the first time, in Färgfabriken, Stockholm.
October 11, 2014:
Two works for oboe, clarinet/bass clarinet, soprano saxophone, and bassoon by Kevin Volans (65) are performed for the first time, in De Doelen, Rotterdam: Calefaccion and Matepe.
September 17, 2015:
7 Flutes for the forces inherent in the title, by Kevin Volans (66) is performed for the first time, in Splendor, Amsterdam.
March 2, 2016:
for Bob for viola and piano by Kevin Volans (66) is performed for the first time, in Café OTO, London, the composer at the keyboard.
June 9, 2016:
White Man Sleeps for strings by Kevin Volans (66) is performed for the first time, in Leipzig.
November 11, 2016:
Two works by Kevin Volans (67) are performed for the first time, in CBSO Centre, Birmingham: Piano Concerto no.4 and String Quartet no.12.
February 19, 2018:
L'Africaine for harpsichord by Kevin Volans (68) is performed for the first time, in Tiroler Landeskonservatorium Konzertsaal, Innsbruck.