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Kenji Bunch (1973-    )

Kenji Bunch, composerHeralded as “A Composer to Watch” by the New York Times, Kenji Bunch has quickly emerged as one of the most prominent American composers of his generation, appealing to audiences and performers alike with a distinctive, vibrant voice in contemporary American music. As one of only three composers selected nationwide to inaugurate the Meet the Composer "Magnum Opus" Project, Mr. Bunch wrote his Symphony No. 1: Lichtenstein Triptych, which was premiered to critical acclaim by the Bay area symphonies of Santa Rosa, Marin, and Oakland. Based on the success of his 2-week "Music Alive" residency with the Mobile Symphony during the 2003-2004 season, Mr. Bunch was selected by the American Symphony Orchestra League and Meet The Composer to participate in an extended 2-year residency with that orchestra. In the 2005-06 season, Mr. Bunch’s works were performed by the New World, Colorado, East Texas, Stockton, Missouri, Asia America, and Honolulu Symphonies, as well as by the acclaimed St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.  He also served as composer in residence with both the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival in Colorado, and the Spoleto USA Festival in Charleston, SC. Recent commissions have come from the English Chamber Orchestra, the Phoenix Symphony, the St. Luke's Chamber Ensemble, Wolftrap, the Naumburg Foundation, the Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival, Fear No Music, the New Juilliard Ensemble, the Zoom! Festival of New Music, the Lucy Moses School, and Young Concert Artists, Inc., where he served from 1998-2000 as composer-in-residence.  Mr. Bunch's music has been performed in premiere venues from New York to Ho Chi Minh City, and is regularly broadcast on nationwide radio including NPR, BBC, and NHK in Japan.

COMPOSITIONS                                                            Bunch Links     ~ ~ ~     Works by Genre    ~ ~ ~    Bunch on Bunch
There Will Come Soft Rains, low voice and piano (1994)
Sonata, trombone and piano (1995)
Lux Aeterna, violin and piano (1995)
Sketches, string quartet and narrator (1995)
Nocturne, string orchestra (1996)
Pillow Talk, 5 trombones and piano (1996)
Tango Morendo, trumpet and piano (1996)
Slow Dance, piano trio [violin, cello and piano] (1996)
Aria, violin (1996)
Crawl Space, cello (1996; arr. for viola, 2004)
Arachnophobia, chamber orchestra (1997)
Fantasy, violin and orchestra (1997)
Floating Alone, solo percussion (1997)
Two Songs, soprano and piano (1997)
Tango Morendo II, chamber orchestra (1998)
Concerto for Piano Trio and Percussion (rev. 1998)
laissez vibrer..., viola and celeste (1998)
Intersections, piano trio [violin, cello and piano] (1998)
Scenes with Dialogue, trumpet, flute and string orchestra (1999)
Suite, viola and piano (1999)
Road Trip, 2 pianos, cello and percussion (1999)
Eventually Emily, cello and piano (1999)
Changes of Phase, woodwind quintet (1999)
Paraphraseology, violin and marimba (2000)
Peripheral Riffs, piano (2000)
Chorus Mysticus, orchestra (2001)
Common Tones, violin (or viola), horn and piano (2001)
Three American Folk Hymn Settings, 2 violins (2001)
Triple Jump, marimba (2001)
Luminaria, violin and harp (2002)
Swing Shift, piano trio [violin, cello and piano] (2002)
Hobgoblinry, viola and harpsichord (2002)
Boiling Point, amplified string quartet, double bass and drum set (2002)
Broken Music, cello and piano (2002)
Hardware Concerto, piano trio and orchestra (2003)
Sonnet 128, cello, percussion and narrator (2003)
Symphony No.1: Lichtenstein Triptych, orchestra (2004)
Dies Irie, violin, cello and piano (2004)
SummerSkies, piano (2004)
The Torment of the Metals, brass quintet (2004)
Cookbook, clarinet and piano (2004)
Psalm Settings, mezzo-soprano and string quartet (2004)
Double Talk: A Conversation, marimba, trumpet and orchestra (2005)
String Circle, string quintet (2violin, 2 violas and cello) (2005)
Summer (H)ours, trumpet, marimba, violin, cello and double bass (2005)
The 3 G’s, viola (2005)
The Golden Apples of the Sun, viola and chamber orchestra (2006)
Sarabande, violin (2006)
Drift..., clarinet, viola and piano (2006)
Shout Chorus, woodwind quintet (2006)
Confessions of the Woman in the Dunes, opera (2006)
Lullaby for My Favorite Insomniac, piano trio [violin, cello and piano] (2008?)
Danceband, piano trio [violin, cello and piano] (2008)
Our Children’s Children, narrator and orchestra (2008)
Hide Those Eyes (after Henry Purcell), cello, piano and percussion (2009?)
Dream Songs, [voice and orchestra?] (2009?)
Etudes, piano (2010)
Piano Concerto No. 1 (in progress, due 2011)


WORKS BY GENRE                                                            Bunch Links    ~ ~ ~    Bunch on Bunch     ~ top of page ~
Dramatic/Theater
Confessions of the Woman in the Dunes, opera (2006)

Orchestra
Nocturne, string orchestra (1996)
Arachnophobia, chamber orchestra (1997)
Tango Morendo II, chamber orchestra (1998)
Chorus Mysticus, orchestra (2001)
Symphony No.1: Lichtenstein Triptych, orchestra (2004)
Our Children’s Children, narrator and orchestra (2008)

Soloist(s) w/Orchestra
Fantasy, violin and orchestra (1997)
Scenes with Dialogue, trumpet, flute and string orchestra (1999)
Hardware Concerto, piano trio and orchestra (2003)
Double Talk: A Conversation, marimba, trumpet and orchestra (2005)
The Golden Apples of the Sun, viola and chamber orchestra (2006)
Piano Concerto No. 1 (in progress, due 2011)

Chamber
Sketches, string quartet and narrator (1995)
Pillow Talk, 5 trombones and piano (1996)
Slow Dance, piano trio [violin, cello and piano] (1996)
Concerto for Piano Trio and Percussion (rev. 1998)
Intersections, piano trio [violin, cello and piano] (1998)
Road Trip, 2 pianos, cello and percussion (1999)
Changes of Phase, woodwind quintet (1999)
Paraphraseology, violin and marimba (2000)
Common Tones, violin (or viola), horn and piano (2001)
Three American Folk Hymn Settings, 2 violins (2001)
Swing Shift (6 mvts), piano trio [violin, cello and piano] (2002)
    - Prelude
    - Night Flight
    - Interhour
    - Club Crawl
    - Magic Hour
    - Grooveboxes
Boiling Point, amplified string quartet, double bass and drum set (2002)
Sonnet 128, cello, percussion and narrator (2003)
Dies Irie, violin, cello and piano (2004)
The Torment of the Metals, brass quintet (2004)
String Circle, string quintet (2violin, 2 violas and cello) (2005)
Summer (H)ours, trumpet, marimba, violin, cello and double bass (2005)
Drift..., clarinet, viola and piano (2006)
Shout Chorus, woodwind quintet (2006)
Lullaby for My Favorite Insomniac, piano trio [violin, cello and piano] (2008?)
Danceband, piano trio [violin, cello and piano] (2008)
Hide Those Eyes (after Henry Purcell), cello, piano and percussion (2009?)

Solo Instrument
Sonata, trombone and piano (1995)
Lux Aeterna, violin and piano (1995)
Tango Morendo, trumpet and piano (1996)
Aria, violin (1996)
Crawl Space, cello (1996; arr. for viola, 2004)
Floating Alone, solo percussion (1997)
laissez vibrer..., viola and celeste (1998)
Suite, viola and piano (1999)
Eventually Emily, cello and piano (1999)
Triple Jump, marimba (2001)
Luminaria, violin and harp (2002)
Hobgoblinry, viola and harpsichord (2002)
Broken Music, cello and piano (2002)
Cookbook, clarinet and piano (2004)
The 3 G’s, viola (2005)
Sarabande, violin (2006)

Piano
Peripheral Riffs, piano (2000)
SummerSkies, piano (2004)
Etudes, piano (2010)

Vocal
There Will Come Soft Rains, low voice and piano (1994)
Two Songs, soprano and piano (1997)
Psalm Settings, mezzo-soprano and string quartet (2004)
Dream Songs, [voice and orchestra?] (2009?)


BUNCH  LINKS                                                            Works by Genre    ~ ~ ~    Bunch on Bunch      ~ top of page ~
Homecoming for Composer Kenji Bunch at the Portland Youth Philharmonic (David Stabler, The Oregonian/OregonLive.com)
Kenji Bunch Talks About Composing a Life in New York (James Bash, Oregon Music News)
Q&A with Composer Kenji Bunch (SWConnection.com)

Composer's website        . . . contact Kinji Bunch: info@kenjibunch.com

Bunch @ Ballet Santa Barbara
Bunch @ Classical Archives
Bunch @ Craftsbury Chamber Players
Bunch @ Facebook
Bunch @ InstantEncore
Bunch @ Naxos
Bunch @ The New York Times
Bunch @ Skyinbow
Bunch @ Sonic Festival
Bunch @ Stowe Performing Arts
Bunch @ Theodore Presser

Publisher
Bunch @ Bill Holab Music
Bunch @ Theodore Presser

Streaming Audio
Bunch @ Classical Archives
Bunch @ last.fm
Bunch @ Rhapsody    also     here

Recordings
Bunch @ ArkivMusic
Bunch @ ClassicsOnline
Bunch @ Discogs

Video
Bunch @ YouTube
Bunch @ Google Video
                                                                                                                                                                                 ~ top of page ~
Bunch on Bunch: Composer Portrait/American Composers Orchestra (VIDEO)






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