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Geoffrey Gordon (1968-    )

Geoffrey Gordon, composerGeoffrey Gordon's music has been called "brilliant" (Boston Globe), "stunning" (Milwaukee Journal), "wonderfully idiomatic" (Salt Lake Tribune), "haunting" (Strings Magazine) and "remarkable" (Fanfare). Chicago Tribune music critic John von Rhein called Gordon’s Lux solis aeterna (2007) "a cosmic beauty … of acutely crafted music." And music critic Lawrence Johnson, of Classical Review, called Tiger Psalms, "a very impressive and significant world premiere … the composer makes the music sing magnificently." A winner of the Aaron Copland Award, Gordon was a composer-in-residence at the Aaron Copland House twice during the 2009-10 season. His work has been funded by the Barlow Endowment, the National Endowment for the Arts, the United Performing Arts Fund, the Concert Artists Guild, the American Composers Forum, Meet the Composer, the MacArthur Foundation, the American Music Center, the Abelson Foundation, the Mary Flagler Cary Trust and the Bush Foundation. He has been in residence at the La Napoule Arts Foundation in Cannes, and at the historic Cliff Dweller Club in Chicago. He has been nominated for the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center's Elise Stoeger Prize, and recognized by the Academy of Arts and Letters. He has received academic fellowship support from the University of Wisconsin, Boston University, New York University and the Guildhall in London. In the past year, Mr. Gordon’s works have been performed more than fifty times on three continents, including premieres conducted by rising stars including James Gaffigan and Ilan Volkov, and featuring soloists Moshe Aharonov and Megumi Kanda. Next season and beyond, highlights include new works for celebrated soloists Carol Wincenc (flute), Amy Dickson (saxophone) and Duo Arpello (cello/harp), as well as collaborations with Tessera Quartet, Gemeaux Quartett, Ensemble Meitar, BMOP, the Buffalo Philharmonic, Fulcrum Point and the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players, as well as several new CDs, to be released in 2012. He is the inaugural winner of the Abelson Foundation Prize, funding a new work for mezzo soprano and mixed chamber ensemble. He has been featured on the cover of M Magazine, and profiled on National Public Radio. His work has been broadcast on WFMT in Chicago and WNYC in New York. Mr. Gordon has also served as an ASCAP representative in Washington, lobbying Congress on behalf of copyright protection and composers’ rights. He is currently serving as composer-in-residence for the Boston-based Xanthos Ensemble, as well as serving as a staff composer for the American Composers Orchestra’s Compose Yourself program.

COMPOSITIONS                                                            Geoffrey Gordon Links     ~ ~ ~     Works by Genre
Morning Hymn (fantasia after Isaac Watts), orchestra (1993)
Pan and Eros, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets and 2 bassoons (1994)
The House of Bernarda Alba, ballet in 3 acts, chamber ensemble (1995) [after the Lorca play] [also 3 concert Suites]
Impromptu, piano (1995)
Arabesque and Charleston, violin and jazz ensemble (1996)
Missa solemnis in fragminis, chorus and chamber orchestra (1996)
Concerto in One Movement for Violin and Orchestra (1997)
Interludium, flute, clarinet, violin, viola and cello (1997)
Lines Written in Early Spring (after Wordsworth, 1789), flute, English horn (or viola) and piano (1998)
Mis en scene, orchestra (1999) [sometimes listed as "Mise en scene"]
Milleniumianna, orchestra (1999)
Lorca Music per cello solo (1999)
Collage a Trois Trobar, 5 voices, recorders and percussion (1999)
Love Among the Ruins, chorus (or chorus, 10 winds, 2 percussion, harp, piano and bass) (2000)
Cool RED Cool, flute, alto sax, trumpet, 2 percussion, piano and bass (2000) [after Andy Warhol Self Portrait]
Sonata da Chroma (3 mvts), oboe, clarinet, 1 percussion, cello & harpsichord (2000) [original title: "Trios cubes chromatique"]
Peter Quince at the Clavier, baritone voice and piano (2000) [text: Wallace Stevens]
Sones Sueño del Maya, orchestral winds/wind ensemble and percussion (2001)
Two Portraits for Violin and Harp (2001)
Aria and Cadenza, violin (2001)
wrecked angels ..., flute, guitar and cello (2003)
Interiors of a Courtyard (5 mvts), mandolin and guitar (2003)
An Imagined Poussin Triptych, a fantasia in three movements, string orchestra (2004)
A Canticle in Shards, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and piano (2004)
Stanza della Segnatura, 2 recorders, viola da gamba and harpsichord (2004)
la tristesse durera toujours (after Van Gogh), soprano, clarinet, violin, cello, 1 percussion and piano (2004)
Still River Bridge - Grove Street, orchestra (2005)
A Meditation on the Flight into Egypt, string orchestra (2005; unfinished)
Agnus Dei, chorus and 10 instruments (2005)
Shhhhh, triptych, chorus (2005)
Fallen Eve (Five Songs after Ted Hughes), mezzo-soprano, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, 1 percussion and piano (2005)
Fancywork (I, II, III), violin and guitar (2006)
Echoes of Ferrara, alto recorder/tenor & soprano recorders and harpsichord (2006)
Bright White Smooth, flute, viola and harp (or flute, cello, 1 percussionist and piano) (2006)
Altar Music, orchestra (2007)
Lux solis aeterna, chamber orchestra (2007)
Shock Diamonds, orchestra (2009)
Ink on Paper, string quartet (2009)
TRIO, clarinet, violin and cello (2009)
Flamingo (Five Views of the Calder Sculpture—Chicago) , flute/picc/alto fl, clarinet/bass cl, cello and piano (2010)
Reliquary, violin, cello and piano (2010) [work in progress]
    - II: Immanuel from Reliquary, violin, cello and piano (2010)
Meditation and Allegro, viola and chamber orchestra (2011)
Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra (2011)
Tiger Psalms, mezzo-soprano, flute, viola, 1 percussion (or trumpet, clarinet, double bass and piano (2011)


WORKS BY GENRE                                                            Geoffrey Gordon Links     ~ top of page ~
Dramatic/Theater
The House of Bernarda Alba, ballet in 3 acts, chamber ensemble (1995) [after the Lorca play] [also 3 concert Suites]

Orchestra
Morning Hymn (fantasia after Isaac Watts), orchestra (1993)
Mis en scene, orchestra (1999) [sometimes listed as "Mise en scene"]
Milleniumianna, orchestra (1999)
Sones Sueño del Maya, orchestral winds/wind ensemble and percussion (2001)
An Imagined Poussin Triptych, a fantasia in three movements, string orchestra (2004)
Still River Bridge - Grove Street, orchestra (2005)
A Meditation on the Flight into Egypt, string orchestra (2005; unfinished)
Altar Music, orchestra (2007)
Lux solis aeterna, chamber orchestra (2007)
Shock Diamonds, orchestra (2009)

Band
Sones Sueño del Maya, orchestral winds/wind ensemble and percussion (2001)

Soloist(s) w/Orchestra or Ensemble
Arabesque and Charleston, violin and jazz ensemble (1996)
Concerto in One Movement for Violin and Orchestra (1997)
Meditation and Allegro, viola and chamber orchestra (2011)
Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra (2011)

Chorus w/Orchestra
Missa solemnis in fragminis, chorus and chamber orchestra (1996)

Choral
Love Among the Ruins, chorus (or chorus, 10 winds, 2 percussion, harp, piano and bass) (2000)
Agnus Dei, chorus and 10 instruments (2005)
Shhhhh, triptych, chorus (2005)

Chamber
Pan and Eros, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets and 2 bassoons (1994)
Interludium, flute, clarinet, violin, viola and cello (1997)
Lines Written in Early Spring (after Wordsworth, 1789), flute, English horn (or viola) and piano (1998)
Cool RED Cool, flute, alto sax, trumpet, 2 percussion, piano and bass (2000) [after Andy Warhol Self Portrait]
Sonata da Chroma (3 mvts), oboe, clarinet, 1 percussion, cello & harpsichord (2000) [original title: "Trios cubes chromatique"]
    - Orphism
    - Caravaggio, oboe (or trumpet), clarinet, 1 percussion, cello and harpsichord (or piano) (2000)
    - Apollinaire
Two Portraits for Violin and Harp (2001)
    - I. A Winter Landscape
    - II. Still Life
wrecked angels ..., flute, guitar and cello (2003)
Interiors of a Courtyard (5 mvts), mandolin and guitar (2003)
    - Prelude [from "Interiors of a Courtyard"]
    - Interlude I [from "Interiors of a Courtyard"]
    - Interlude II [from "Interiors of a Courtyard"]
    - Interlude III [from "Interiors of a Courtyard"]
    - Postlude [from "Interiors of a Courtyard"]
A Canticle in Shards, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and piano (2004)
Stanza della Segnatura, 2 recorders, viola da gamba and harpsichord (2004)
Fancywork (I, II, III), violin and guitar (2006)
Echoes of Ferrara, alto recorder/tenor & soprano recorders and harpsichord (2006)
Bright White Smooth, flute, viola and harp (or flute, cello, 1 percussionist and piano) (2006)
Ink on Paper, string quartet (2009)
TRIO, clarinet, violin and cello (2009)
Flamingo (Five Views of the Calder Sculpture—Chicago) , flute/picc/alto fl, clarinet/bass cl, cello and piano (2010)
    - The View from Dearborn Street [flute, clarinet, cello and piano]
    - The View from Above [flute, clarinet and cello]
    - The View from Adams Street [flute, clarinet and piano]
    - The View from Below [alto flute, bass clarinet and cello]
    - The View from the Willis Tower Skydeck [piccolo, clarinet and piano]
Reliquary, violin, cello and piano (2010) [work in progress]
    - I: ???
    - II: Immanuel from Reliquary, violin, cello and piano (2010)

Solo Instrument
Lorca Music per cello solo (1999)
Aria and Cadenza, violin (2001)

Piano
Impromptu, piano (1995)

Vocal
Collage a Trois Trobar, 5 voices, recorders and percussion (1999)
Peter Quince at the Clavier, baritone voice and piano (2000) [text: Wallace Stevens]
la tristesse durera toujours (after Van Gogh), soprano, clarinet, violin, cello, 1 percussion and piano (2004)
Fallen Eve (Five Songs after Ted Hughes), mezzo-soprano, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, 1 percussion and piano (2005)
    - Reveille [I, from "Fallen Eve"]
    - It Is All [II, from "Fallen Eve"]
    - Cleopatra to the Asp [III, from "Fallen Eve"]
    - Theology [IV, from "Fallen Eve"]
    - Fallen Eve [V, from "Fallen Eve"]
Tiger Psalms, mezzo-soprano, flute, viola, 1 percussion (or trumpet, clarinet, double bass and piano (2011)


GEOFFREY  GORDON LINKS                                                            Works by Genre      ~ top of page ~
BMOP’s Masterful Execution of an Eclectic Array of Contemporary Music (Thomas Healy, Classical Voice of New England)
Chicago's Fulcrum Point Enters 10th Season with a Performance Full of 'Essential Elements' (MetromixChicago)
Fulcrum Point Serves Up Evening of Ritual with 2 Substantial New Works (Lawrence A. Johnson, Chicago Classical Review)
Geoffrey Gordon’s Trombone Concerto, Megumi Kanda a Hit (Tom Strini, ThirdCoast Digest)
MSO Concerto Premiere a Tour de Force for Trombone (Elaine Schmidt, JSOnline)
MSO's Kanda Breaks the Brass Ceiling (Elaine Schmidt, JSOnline)

Composer's website (@ ReverbNation)    . . .   contact Geoffrey Gordon:  here
Composer's Blog (@ MySpaceMusic)
Geoffrey Gordon @ Twitter

Geoffrey Gordon @ ReverbNation
Geoffrey Gordon @ SoundCloud
Geoffrey Gordon @ InstantEncore
Geoffrey Gordon @ Facebook
Geoffrey Gordon @ LinkedIn
Geoffrey Gordon @ last.fm
Geoffrey Gordon @ Tumblr
Geoffrey Gordon @ MySpaceMusic
Geoffrey Gordon @ International Trombone Association
Geoffrey Gordon @ itunes
Geoffrey Gordon @ Xanthos Ensemble  -  see under "Players"
Geoffrey Gordon @ Classical Connect
Geoffrey Gordon @ composition:today  -  contains outdated information
Geoffrey Gordon @ VoxNovus  -  contains outdated information
Geoffrey Gordon @ American Composers Forum  -  contains outdated information
Geoffrey Gordon @ Classical Composers Database  -  contains outdated information

Publisher
Geoffrey Gordon @ Wolfhead Music
Geoffrey Gordon @ Peacock Press
Geoffrey Gordon @ Oregon Literary Review

Streaming Audio
Geoffrey Gordon @ SoundCloud
Geoffrey Gordon @ ReverbNation
Geoffrey Gordon @ InstantEncore
Geoffrey Gordon @ last.fm
Geoffrey Gordon @ MySpaceMusic
Geoffrey Gordon @ Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
Geoffrey Gordon @ Classical Connect

Recordings
Geoffrey Gordon @ ArkivMusic
Geoffrey Gordon @ itunes

Video
Geoffrey Gordon @ LCMArtistsManagement's Channel/YouTube
Geoffrey Gordon @ YouTube
Geoffrey Gordon @ Google Video
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