Susan Botti (1962- )
As
both a composer and a singer, Susan Botti's eclectic background and
experiences are reflected in her music. Whether in an orchestral
or chamber setting, theatrical influences play a vital part in her
musical expression. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Botti's early
training
included studies in music, art, and theater. She received her Bachelor
of Music from the Berklee School of Music; and her Masters in Music
Composition from the Manhattan School of Music. Her vocal teachers
included Hilda Harris, Drew Minter, Myron McPherson, and Nancy
Armstrong. She is the recipient of numerous grants and awards,
including the Goddard Lieberson Fellowship from the American Academy of
Arts and Letters; and grants from Meet The Composer, the National
Endowment for the Arts, The Aaron Copland Fund, The Mary Flagler Cary
Charitable Trust, The NY Foundation for the Arts, The Greenwall
Foundation, The Jerome Foundation, ASCAP, and the Foundation for
Contemporary Performance Arts. Awarded both
a Guggenheim Fellowship and the Frederic Juilliard/Walter Damrosch
Rome Prize in Music Composition, Botti was in residence at the American
Academy in Rome from 2005-2006. She was the 3rd Daniel R. Lewis Young
Composer Fellow with the Cleveland Orchestra from
2003-2005. Botti's EchoTempo (2001)
was commissioned and premiered by Maestro Kurt Masur and the New York
Philharmonic (with Botti and Christopher Lamb as soloists). The
European premiere of EchoTempo (with the same soloists under Maestro Gunther Herbig) occurred soon after in the Music im 21. Jahrhudert
festival in Saarbrùcken, Germany. Other performances of this work
include with Maestro H.K. Gruber and the NPS Radio Orchestra in
Utrecht, Holland, with percussionist Peter Prommel. A CD of Botti's
vocal chamber music, listen, it's snowing (New World/CRI) features her operatic soliloquy, Telaio: Desdemona.
Called "striking emotional music..." (Opera Magazine), this work has
been performed in New York City, Taipei, Detroit, Santa Fe, Atlanta,
and Washington D.C. Botti was an
Associate Professor of Composition at the University of Michigan, Ann
Arbor (from 2000-2006). She is currently a member of the Composition
faculty at the Manhattan School of Music in NYC.COMPOSITIONS Botti Links ~ ~ ~ Works by Genre
Jabberwocky, voice and percussion (1989)
listen, it's snowing, soprano and piano (1990) [text: e.e. cummings]
Wonderglass, chamber opera (1993) [after Lewis Carroll]
Telaio: Desdemona, opera, soprano, string quartet, harp, percussion and piano (1995)
Prelude for 7 Instruments, string quartet, harp, percussion and piano (1996) [orig. written as prelude to "Telaio: Desdemona"]
Pig Dreams: Scenes from the Life of Sylvia (6 songs), soprano, flute and harp (1996) [text: Denise Levertov]
3 Poèmes de Jaccottet, soprano and piano (1997) [text: Phillippe Jaccottet]
Within Darkness, violin and chamber orchestra (1999)
EchoTempo, soprano, percussion and orchestra (2001)
Silent Movie, tenor and piano (2001) [text: David Kirby]
The Exchange, tenor and harp (2003) [text: May Swenson]
Cosmosis, soprano, chamber choir and wind ensemble (2004)
Impetuosity, orchestra (2004)
Translucence, orchestra (2005) [an expansion of the song "The Exchange", 2003]
Tagore Madrigals (6 pieces), 6 voices (SSATTB) (2006) [text: Rabindranath Tagore, from "Stray Birds"]
2 Gregerson Songs, soprano and piano (2007) [text: Linda Gregerson]
un bacio, soprano, baritone, flute, alto flute, bass clarinet, cello and steel drums (2008)
Gates of Silence (2010)
- I. Lament: The Fallen City, violin and piano
- II. The Journey without Her, violin, cello and piano
- III. Dido Refuses to Speak, violin, cello, piano and soprano [text: Linda Gregerson]
Terra Cruda, wind ensemble (2011)
WORKS BY GENRE Botti Links ~ top of page ~
Dramatic/Theater
Wonderglass, chamber opera (1993) [after Lewis Carroll]
Telaio: Desdemona, opera, soprano, string quartet, harp, percussion and piano (1995)
- I. Recit: O gentle Desdemona
- I. Aria: Chi può contar il mio felice stato
- II. Recit: How got she out?
- II. Aria: Guarda che bel serèn
- III. Recit: A business of some heat
- III. Aria: L'empio tuo strale, Amore
- IV. Recit: It is the very error of the moon
- IV. Aria: Mesta e pentita de' miei gravi errori
- Excerpts from Telaio: Desdemona, soprano, st qt, hp, pf and perc
- Arias from Telaio: Desdemona, soprano and string quartet
Orchestra
Impetuosity, orchestra (2004)
Translucence, orchestra (2005) [an expansion of the song "The Exchange", 2003]
Band
Cosmosis, soprano, chamber choir and wind ensemble (2004)
- Overboard (Prologue)
- The 1st Night
- Interlude
- The 2nd Night
Terra Cruda, wind ensemble (2011)
Soloist(s) w/Orchestra
Within Darkness, violin and chamber orchestra (1999)
Chorus w/Orchestra or Band/Wind Ensemble
Cosmosis, soprano, chamber choir and wind ensemble (2004)
- Overboard (Prologue)
- The 1st Night
- Interlude
- The 2nd Night
Choral
Tagore Madrigals (6 pieces), 6 voices (SSATTB) (2006) [text: Rabindranath Tagore, from "Stray Birds"]
- This longing is for the one who is
- Her wistful face haunts my dreams
- Your voice, my friend, wanders in
- Sorrow is hushed into peace in
- Be still, my heart, these great trees
- Put out the lamp when thou wishest
Chamber
Prelude for 7 Instruments, string quartet, harp, percussion and piano (1996) [orig. written as prelude to "Telaio: Desdemona"]
Gates of Silence (2010)
- I. Lament: The Fallen City, violin and piano
- II. The Journey without Her, violin, cello and piano
- III. Dido Refuses to Speak, violin, cello, piano and soprano [text: Linda Gregerson]
Vocal
Jabberwocky, voice and percussion (1989)
listen, it's snowing, soprano and piano (1990) [text: e.e. cummings]
Pig Dreams: Scenes from the Life of Sylvia (6 songs), soprano, flute and harp (1996) [text: Denise Levertov]
- Her Secret
- The Bride
- Pigsong
- Her Prayer
- Her Vision [tenor (or soprano) and harp]
- Winterpig
3 Poèmes de Jaccottet, soprano and piano (1997) [text: Phillippe Jaccottet]
- Je ne veux plus me poser
- Là où la terre s'achève
- La Veillée Funèbre
EchoTempo, soprano, percussion and orchestra (2001)
Silent Movie, tenor and piano (2001) [text: David Kirby]
The Exchange, tenor and harp (2003) [text: May Swenson]
Cosmosis, soprano, chamber choir and wind ensemble (2004)
- Overboard (Prologue)
- The 1st Night
- Interlude
- The 2nd Night
Tagore Madrigals (6 pieces), 6 voices (SSATTB) (2006) [text: Rabindranath Tagore, from "Stray Birds"]
- This longing is for the one who is
- Her wistful face haunts my dreams
- Your voice, my friend, wanders in
- Sorrow is hushed into peace in
- Be still, my heart, these great trees
- Put out the lamp when thou wishest
2 Gregerson Songs, soprano and piano (2007) [text: Linda Gregerson]
- An Offering
- Narrow Flame
un bacio, soprano, baritone, flute, alto flute, bass clarinet, cello and steel drums (2008)
Dido Refuses to Speak, violin, cello, piano and soprano [text: Linda Gregerson] [from "Gates of Silence", 2010]
BOTTI LINKS Works by Genre ~ top of page ~
Balletic Fluidity and Expression (Jeff Dunn, San Francisco Classical Voice)
The Cleveland Orchestra’s ‘Composers Connect’: An Interview with Susan Botti (The ClevelandClassical.com Blog)
Decisions Are in the Details (Ron Lieber, Fast Company)
Not a Vacation In Rome: Charles Norman Mason and Susan Botti head for American Academy (Frank J. Oteri, NewMusicBox)
Susan Botti's "Cosmosis": A Conductor's Analysis with Performance Considerations (Angela Schroeder)
Theater Emory Season Includes Susan Botti's Operatic Soliloquy (Emory University)
Composer's website . . . contact Susan Botti: here
Botti @ American Music Center
Botti @ American Opera Projects
Botti @ Answers.com
Botti @ Berkeley Symphony Orchestra
Botti @ CCM / ComposersClassicalMusic
Botti @ The Chamber Music Conference and Composers' Forum of the East
Botti @ The Composer Next Door
Botti @ counter)induction
Botti @ InstantEncore
Botti @ Los Angeles Philharmonic also here and here
Botti @ Manhattan School of Music
Botti @ Montalvo Arts Center
Botti @ New World Records
Botti @ The New York Times
Botti @ PlaybillArts
Botti @ University of Michigan News
Botti @ Vanderbilt University/Blair School of Music
Botti @ Wind Repertory Project
Botti @ Women of Influence in Contemporary Music - Nine American Composers (Michael K. Slayton)
Publisher
Botti @ Composer's website
Botti @ S. Botti/SUBO Music
Streaming Audio
Botti @ Composer's website (check under individual work listings)
Botti @ DRAMOnline
Botti @ last.fm
Botti @ Rhapsody.com
Botti @ University of Michigan News
Botti @ Yahoo! Music
Recordings
Botti @ Composer's website
Botti @ Amazon.com
Botti @ ArkivMusic
Botti @ ClassicsOnline
Botti @ New World Records
Video
Botti @ YouTube
Botti @ Google Video
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