Elizabeth Brown (1953- )
Elizabeth
Brown combines a successful composing career with an extremely diverse
performing life, playing flute, shakuhachi, and theremin in a wide
variety of musical circles. Her chamber music, shaped by this unique
group of instruments and experiences, has been called luminous,
dreamlike and hallucinatory. After hearing the instrument on a concert
tour of Japan, Brown began studying shakuhachi (traditional Japanese
bamboo flute) in 1984 and its music has been a major influence on her
musical language. She is celebrated both here and in Japan for her
compositions combining eastern and western sensibilities. Brown has
been Artist-in-Residence in the Grand Canyon, working on a series of
solo shakuhachi pieces inspired by particular places in nature. She has
also given solo moonlight shakuhachi performances in the sculpture
quarry of the Lacoste School for the Arts in Provence, and as
Artist-in-Residence in both Maine's Acadia National Park and Isle
Royale National Park, a U.S. Biosphere Reserve in the middle of Lake
Superior. Brown's music has been heard in Japan, the Soviet Union,
Colombia, Australia, South Africa and Vietnam as well as across the US
and Europe. A 2007 Guggenheim Fellowship recipient, she has received
grants, awards and commissions from Orpheus, St. Luke's Chamber
Ensemble, Newband, the Asian Cultural Council, the Japan/US Friendship
Commission, Meet the Composer, the Electronic Music Foundation, the
Cary Trust, and NYFA. She is the only musician to have both played with
Orpheus and also written for them; Orpheus commissioned Lost Waltz in
1997 and premiered it in Carnegie Hall. A recent grant from New Music
USA’s Composer Assistance Program supports an upcoming CD for New World
Records. Brown is Adjunct Professor of Composition at the Hartt School
of Music for the 2012-13 season. Brown performs as flutist with a
number of New York-based ensembles, including the American Symphony and
New York City Ballet Orchestra, and is a member of the flute quartet
Flute Force. She is a board member of the New York Flute Club. Her
flute music is performed around the world. She is Adjunct Professor of
Composition at the Hartt School of Music for the 2012-13 season.COMPOSITIONS Elizabeth Brown Links ~ ~ ~ Works by Genre
Two Songs on Texts of Kinnell, mezzo soprano, flute, violin, cello and piano (1985)
Seawatch, violin (1987)
Augury, flute and guitar (1987)
Three Songs on Texts of Milosz, soprano and piano (1987)
Three Outside Insights, flute and clarinet (1988)
String Quartet No. 1 (1989)
The Memory Palace, flute, cello and piano (1990)
Migration, shakuhachi, violin, viola and cello (1990)
Remembering Me Remembering You, dance score, soprano, flute, clarinet, cello, piano and percussion (1991)
Maps of Heaven, clarinet, violin, viola, cello and piano (1991)
Hermit Thrush, shakuhachi (1991)
A Fragile Barrier, oboe and piano (1991)
Orrery, shakuhachi, viola d'amore and percussion (1992)
The Secret Life of Birds, flute and koto (1992)
A Certain Light, baritone and piano (1992) [text: Marie Howe] [pub. as part of the AIDS Quilt Songbook]
Chronicle, viola and piano (1992)
Archipelago, solo cello, flute/alto fl, Yamaha DXVII synth, zoomoozophone and Partch instruments (1990; rev. 1992)
Collected Visions, flute, viola d'amore, cello and glass armonica (1993) [for installation in collab. w/visual artist Lorie Novak]
Bird Life in Wington, clarinet, horn, violin, 2 violas and cello (1993)
Anthem, solo flute and chamber ensemble (1994)
Pentimento, oboe, violin, viola and cello (1994) [after Bach's "Nun komm, der Heiden Heilan"]
Travelogue, flute quartet (1995)
Figures in a Landscape, violin, viola, cello, double bass and piano (1995)
Beside Her Dream, dance score, flute and tape (1996)
Alabama Panorama, flute choir (1996)
Delirium, fl, cello, Yamaha DX7II synth and Partch instruments (diamond marimba, boo, harmonic canon, kithara II) (1997)
Lost Waltz, chamber orchestra (1997)
Harmonia, orchestra (1998)
Anthem, flute and piano (1998)
Sound Diary, piano (1999)
Liguria, flute, clarinet, violin, cello and piano (1999)
Acadia, flute and shakuhachi (1999)
Trillium, flute (1999)
Botanical Obsessions, flute (2000)
In a Dreamt Landscape, flute (optioanl doubling native American flute), harp and string quartet (2000)
Collected Visions III, flute, shakuhachi, viola choir, piano and toy accordions (2000) [installation in collab. w/artist Lorie Novak]
Blue Minor, flute and string quartet (2001)
Catalog of Scents in the Garden at Night, violin and viola (2001)
Insomnia, piano (2001)
Concerto for Dan Bau and Chamber Orchestra (2002)
Moonflowers, dan bau [Vietnamese monochord] (2003)
Vox Inhumanae, monologues for shakuhachi, theremin and dan bau (2003-present)
Beatitudes, theremin, oboe d'amore, viola, cello and harpsichord (2003)
From Isle Royale, shakuhachi (2004)
Arcana, flute and recorded sound (2004)
Lunette, 2 flutes (2005)
Shakuhachi Duets from Isle Royale (2005)
Antarctica, alto flute and recorded sound (2005)
Detour, dan bau, flute, violin and cello (2006)
Rural Electrification, chamber opera, voice, theremin and recorded sound (2006) [video by Lothar Osterburg]
Atlantis, theremin and classical guitar (2007)
The Baths of Caracalla, 4 alto flutes and recorded sound (2007)
Piranesi, theremin and string quartet (2007) [video by Lothar Osterburg]
Glacial, baritone, theremin, two violas and recorded sound (2008)
Mirage, shakuhachi and string quartet (2008)
Seahorse, theremin and Partch instruments (2009)
Rubicon, wind instruments of the Gagaku, Japan's ancient court ensemble [hichiriki, ryuteki and shou/mouth organ] (2009)
One String One Breath, shakuhachi and ichigenkin [one-string koto] (2010)
Cloudrest, shakuhachi, soprano and gamelan (2010)
Shinshoufuukei, or An Imagined Landscape, Hougaku [Japanese traditional instrument] orchestra (2010?)
Afterimage, shakuhachi, shamisen and voice (2011)
Slowly Toward the North, after Yves Tanguy, bass koto and shou (2011)
A Bookmobile for Dreamers, theremin, recorded sound and video (2011) [collaboration with Lothar Osterburg]
WORKS BY GENRE Elizabeth Brown Links ~ top of page ~
Dramatic/Theater
Remembering Me Remembering You, dance score, soprano, flute, clarinet, cello, piano and percussion (1991)
Beside Her Dream, dance score, flute and tape (1996)
Rural Electrification, chamber opera, voice, theremin and recorded sound (2006) [video by Lothar Osterburg]
Orchestra
Lost Waltz, chamber orchestra (1997)
Harmonia, orchestra (1998)
Shinshoufuukei, or An Imagined Landscape, Hougaku [Japanese traditional instrument] orchestra (2010?)
Soloist(s) w/Orchestra or Ensemble
Archipelago, solo cello, flute/alto fl, Yamaha DXVII synth, zoomoozophone and Partch instruments (1990; rev. 1992)
Anthem, solo flute and chamber ensemble (1994)
Concerto for Dan Bau and Chamber Orchestra (2002)
Chamber
Augury, flute and guitar (1987)
Three Outside Insights, flute and clarinet (1988)
String Quartet No. 1 (1989)
The Memory Palace, flute, cello and piano (1990)
Migration, shakuhachi, violin, viola and cello (1990)
Maps of Heaven, clarinet, violin, viola, cello and piano (1991)
Orrery, shakuhachi, viola d'amore and percussion (1992)
The Secret Life of Birds, flute and koto (1992)
Archipelago, solo cello, flute/alto fl, Yamaha DXVII synth, zoomoozophone and Partch instruments (1990; rev. 1992)
Collected Visions, flute, viola d'amore, cello and glass armonica (1993) [for installation in collab. w/visual artist Lorie Novak]
Bird Life in Wington, clarinet, horn, violin, 2 violas and cello (1993)
Anthem, solo flute and chamber ensemble (1994)
Pentimento, oboe, violin, viola and cello (1994) [after Bach's "Nun komm, der Heiden Heilan"]
Travelogue, flute quartet (1995)
Figures in a Landscape, violin, viola, cello, double bass and piano (1995)
Alabama Panorama, flute choir (1996)
Delirium, fl, cello, Yamaha DX7II synth and Partch instruments (diamond marimba, boo, harmonic canon, kithara II) (1997)
Liguria, flute, clarinet, violin, cello and piano (1999)
In a Dreamt Landscape, flute (optioanl doubling native American flute), harp and string quartet (2000)
Collected Visions III, flute, shakuhachi, viola choir, piano and toy accordions (2000) [installation in collab. w/artist Lorie Novak]
Blue Minor, flute and string quartet (2001)
Catalog of Scents in the Garden at Night, violin and viola (2001)
Vox Inhumanae, monologues for shakuhachi, theremin and dan bau (2003-present)
Beatitudes, theremin, oboe d'amore, viola, cello and harpsichord (2003)
Lunette, 2 flutes (2005)
Shakuhachi Duets from Isle Royale (2005)
Detour, dan bau, flute, violin and cello (2006)
Atlantis, theremin and classical guitar (2007)
The Baths of Caracalla, 4 alto flutes and recorded sound (2007)
Piranesi, theremin and string quartet (2007) [video by Lothar Osterburg]
Mirage, shakuhachi and string quartet (2008)
Seahorse, theremin and Partch instruments (2009)
Rubicon, wind instruments of the Gagaku, Japan's ancient court ensemble [hichiriki, ryuteki and shou/mouth organ] (2009)
One String One Breath, shakuhachi and ichigenkin [one-string koto] (2010)
Shinshoufuukei, or An Imagined Landscape, Hougaku [Japanese traditional instrument] orchestra (2010?)
Slowly Toward the North, after Yves Tanguy, bass koto and shou (2011)
Instrument and Piano
A Fragile Barrier, oboe and piano (1991)
Chronicle, viola and piano (1992)
Anthem, flute and piano (1998)
Flute(s) - see also Chamber
Augury, flute and guitar (1987)
Three Outside Insights, flute and clarinet (1988)
The Memory Palace, flute, cello and piano (1990)
The Secret Life of Birds, flute and koto (1992)
Travelogue, flute quartet (1995)
Beside Her Dream, dance score, flute and tape (1996)
Alabama Panorama, flute choir (1996)
Anthem, flute and piano (1998)
Acadia, flute and shakuhachi (1999)
Trillium, flute (1999)
Botanical Obsessions, flute (2000)
In a Dreamt Landscape, flute (optioanl doubling native American flute), harp and string quartet (2000)
Blue Minor, flute and string quartet (2001)
Arcana, flute and recorded sound (2004)
Lunette, 2 flutes (2005)
Antarctica, alto flute and recorded sound (2005)
The Baths of Caracalla, 4 alto flutes and recorded sound (2007)
Shakuhachi
Migration, shakuhachi, violin, viola and cello (1990)
Hermit Thrush, shakuhachi (1991)
Orrery, shakuhachi, viola d'amore and percussion (1992)
Acadia, flute and shakuhachi (1999)
Vox Inhumanae, monologues for shakuhachi, theremin and dan bau (2003-present)
From Isle Royale, shakuhachi (2004)
Shakuhachi Duets from Isle Royale (2005)
Mirage, shakuhachi and string quartet (2008)
One String One Breath, shakuhachi and ichigenkin [one-string koto] (2010)
Cloudrest, shakuhachi, soprano and gamelan (2010)
Afterimage, shakuhachi, shamisen and voice (2011)
Solo Instrument
Seawatch, violin (1987)
Hermit Thrush, shakuhachi (1991)
Trillium, flute (1999)
Botanical Obsessions, flute (2000)
Moonflowers, dan bau [Vietnamese monochord] (2003)
From Isle Royale, shakuhachi (2004)
Arcana, flute and recorded sound (2004)
Antarctica, alto flute and recorded sound (2005)
Theremin
Vox Inhumanae, monologues for shakuhachi, theremin and dan bau (2003-present)
Beatitudes, theremin, oboe d'amore, viola, cello and harpsichord (2003)
Atlantis, theremin and classical guitar (2007)
Piranesi, theremin and string quartet (2007) [video by Lothar Osterburg]
Glacial, baritone, theremin, two violas and recorded sound (2008)
Seahorse, theremin and Partch instruments (2009)
A Bookmobile for Dreamers, theremin, recorded sound and video (2011) [collaboration with Lothar Osterburg]
Piano
Sound Diary, piano (1999)
Insomnia, piano (2001)
Vocal
Two Songs on Texts of Kinnell, mezzo soprano, flute, violin, cello and piano (1985)
Three Songs on Texts of Milosz, soprano and piano (1987)
A Certain Light, baritone and piano (1992) [text: Marie Howe] [pub. as part of the AIDS Quilt Songbook]
Glacial, baritone, theremin, two violas and recorded sound (2008)
Cloudrest, shakuhachi, soprano and gamelan (2010)
Afterimage, shakuhachi, shamisen and voice (2011)
Electronic/Electroacoustic
Beside Her Dream, dance score, flute and tape (1996)
Arcana, flute and recorded sound (2004)
Antarctica, alto flute and recorded sound (2005)
Glacial, baritone, theremin, two violas and recorded sound (2008)
A Bookmobile for Dreamers, theremin, recorded sound and video (2011) [collaboration with Lothar Osterburg]
ELIZABETH BROWN LINKS Works by Genre ~ top of page ~
American Composer Elizabeth Brown (Kyle Gann, Chamber Music America)
15 Questions to Elizabeth Brown (Tokafi)
Slipping Through Memory - The Music of Elizabeth Brown (Molly Sheridan, NewMusicBox)
What Are the Pros & Woes of Being a Self-taught Composer? (Elizabeth Brown, NewMusicBox)
Composer's website . . . contact Elizabeth Brown: here
Elizabeth Brown @ American Composers Forum
Elizabeth Brown @ Classical Archives
Elizabeth Brown @ Five College Consortium
Elizabeth Brown @ Grawemeyer Awards
Elizabeth Brown @ John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
Elizabeth Brown @ Hannah Arendt Center
Elizabeth Brown @ LinkedIn
Elizabeth Brown @ NewMusicBox (via Google Advanced Search)
Elizabeth Brown @ New Music USA [formerly American Music Center]
Elizabeth Brown @ New York Shakuhachi Festival
Elizabeth Brown @ The New York Times
Elizabeth Brown @ NPRmusic
Elizabeth Brown @ Studio of Electronic Music, Inc.
Elizabeth Brown @ Theremin World
Publisher
Elizabeth Brown @ Composer's website
Elizabeth Brown @ Quetzal Music
Streaming Audio
Elizabeth Brown @ Composer's website - check under individual work listings
Elizabeth Brown @ Classical Archives
Elizabeth Brown @ last.fm
Elizabeth Brown @ New Music USA [formerly American Music Center]
Recordings
Elizabeth Brown @ Composer's website
Elizabeth Brown @ Albany Records
Elizabeth Brown @ Amazon.com
Elizabeth Brown @ ArkivMusic
Elizabeth Brown @ CD Baby
Elizabeth Brown @ CD Universe
Elizabeth Brown @ Innova Records
Elizabeth Brown @ itunes
Video
Elizabeth Brown @ YouTube
Elizabeth Brown @ Google Video
Elizabeth Brown @ Vimeo
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