Alice Shields (1943- )
Alice
Shields is an American composer in New York particularly known for her
work in electronic music, vocal music and opera. Music from her new
opera Criseyde (2010) was performed by the New York City Opera VOX
festival, and is based on Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde. Among
among her other operas, Apocalypse was released by CRI Records, and
Shaman and Mass for the Dead were premiered by the American Chamber
Opera Company. Unique among classical composers, Shields has been a
professional opera singer, performing traditional and modern roles at
the New York City Opera and the Washington National Opera. She has
performed Nattuvangam (South Indian rhythmic recitation) for Bharata
Natyam dance-drama, and has studied Hindustani raga. All Shields'
recent works are influenced by her immersion in Indian classical music
and dance.COMPOSITIONS Alice Shields Links ~ ~ ~ Works by Genre ~ ~ ~ Shields on Shields
Missa Brevis, oratorio, soprano, contralto, tenor, bass, flute, guitar and drum (1965)
Dance Suite, piccolo, clarinet and tuba (1965)
Volti (Dance Piece No. 1), dance piece, tape (1966)
Sow (as in"pig"), SCaTB soloists, chorus, children's chorus, 2 hn, 2 tpt, tuba, db, hp & 4 perc (1966) [text: based on mystery plays]
Wildcat Songs (3 songs), soprano and piccolo (1966) [text: poem by a Native American shaman]
Icarus and 4-H Club: Two Radio Plays by Sam Shepard, incidental music, [tape?] (1966)
Walking on the Surface of the Sun, tape (1966)
Domino, dance piece, tape (1967)
My Feathers are Growing Longer, dance pieces, tape (1967) [for Loizeaux-Murphy Dance Company]
The Storyteller, cantata, bass-baritone & orchestra (1967) [story by Shields; based on trad. NW Coast Native American story]
Spring Music, soprano, trumpet and oboe (1967) [text: "The Green Man" by Ronald Johnson]
The Witches’ Scenes from "Macbeth", incidental music, tape (1967)
Line of Apogee, film score (1967) [assisting Vladimir Ussachevsky, with Pril Smiley]
The Odyssey of Ulysses the Palmiped (Odyssey 1), opera in 1 act, w/dancers (1968)
[based on "Egyptian Book of the Dead" and Gilbert-LeConte's "The Odyssey of Ulysses the Palmiped"]
Dance Piece No. 2, dance piece, tape (1968) [for Mimi Garrard Dance Theatre]
Study for Voice and Tape (1968) [electronic music with Shields’ prerecorded voice on tape, on poem by Shields]
Richard III: Speeches for Male Actor, Trumpet & Drum, incidental music (1968) [text: Shakespeare]
Dance Piece No. 3, dance piece, tape (1969) [for Mimi Garrard Dance Theatre]
Odyssey 2, opera in 1 act, w/dancers (1970) ["Egyptian Bk of Dead" & Gilbert-LeConte's "Odyssey of Ulysses the Palmiped"]
We, incidental music for radio play, tape (1970) [with Vladimir Ussachevsky]
The Transformation of Ani, tape (1970)
Odyssey 3, opera in 1 act, w/dancers (1975) [based on Homer]
- Karate Scene, 8 percussionists (1975) [from the opera "Odyssey 3"]
- Telemachos' Song, tenor and piano (1975) [from the opera "Odyssey 3"]
Scenes for Baritone & Chamber Orchestra from the Opera "Odyssey" (1975)
- Ev's Song
- Yul Wool-Gathers
- Paper Woman Murder: Yul Up to No Good
- Yul Talks to the Sea
Ev's Song, baritone and piano (1975) [aria from the opera "Odyssey"]
Farewell to a Hill, tape (1975) [using bells, ducks, and electronic sounds]
The little garter snake in the grass, children's voice and simple percussion (1976) [theater piece for children; on original story]
Jack and the Beanstalk, children's voices (1976) [little theater piece for children; on text by Shields, based on fairy tale]
Bicycle Music, documentary film score, tape (1977) [on sculptor Helene Brandt, using the sounds of Brandt's bicycle sculptures]
Fragments of Archilochos, high soprano, piccolo and violin (1978) [text: on poem of the ancient Greek writer Archilochos]
Coyote, tape (1980) [using wolf-calls, coyotes, and manipulated human voices; from the opera "Shaman"]
Neruda Songs (6 songs), soprano (or mezzo-soprano) and cello (1981) [text: Pablo Neruda]
O Gracious Light, chorus (1983) [text: traditional sacred text]
El’s Aria, soprano, flute and tape (1983)
Rhapsody (an homage to Brahms), piano and tape (1984)
The Black Lake, tenor, cello and tape (1984) [text: Edward Barrett; from the opera "Shaman"]
Shaman, opera in 1 act (1987) [text: Edward Barrett and the composer]
Aurora, violin and oboe (1987)
Levertov Songs, mezzo-soprano and viola (1987) [text: Denise Levertov]
Komachi at Sekidera, mezzo-soprano and koto (1987) [text: based on a Japanese Noh play about the famous poet Komachi]
Komachi at Sekidera, soprano (or mezzo-soprano) and: alto flute, koto; or alto flute; or alto flute, harp (1987; rev. 1999)
Wraecca, opera in 1 act, soprano, mezzo-soprano, baritone, cello and piano (1989)
- Trios from the opera "Wraecca", sopr., mz-soprano, baritone & piano (1989) [text: Shields, based on Anglo-Saxon poems]
- Wraecca's Song, baritone, cello and piano (1989) [from the opera "Wraecca"]
Voices, computer music (1989) [created on SUN computer]
Mass for the Dead, opera in 1 act (1992-93) [ased on a ghost story and the Gregorian chants of the Requiem Mass]
- Invocation, dance piece, tape (1992) [from the opera "Mass for the Dead", 1993]
- Possente Spirto, baritone and tape; or bar., sopr, mz-sopr & tape (1992) [aria from "Mass for the Dead"]
- The Virgin's Songs (3 songs), soprano & kybd (1992) [text: based on 13th-cent. Spanish song; from "Mass for the Dead"]
The Red Woman ("An Bean Rua"), female narrator and tape (1993) [poem in Irish and English by the composer]
Organ Screaming, mezzo-soprano (or baritone) and tape (1993) [aria from the electronic opera "Apocalypse"; in Greek]
Snow, male narrator and tape (1993) [text: the poem "Snow" by Greg Muirhead]
Shivatanz, dance-drama, mezzo-soprano and tape (1993) [text: on trad. Sanskrit poem, & poem by the composer in Hindi]
- Namaste ("Greetings"), mezzo-soprano & keyboard (1993) [text: on poem by the composer in Hindi; from "Shivatanz"]
From"fragile breakfast", visual/text animation (1993)
From "It's Haunted Here", visual/text animation (1993)
Apocalypse, opera in 2 acts, w/dancers (1993-94) [text: on Greek, Gaelic, and Sanskrit texts]
- Apocalypse Songs, mezzo-soprano and Keyboard (1994) [songs from the opera "Apocalypse"; in Irish]
- Background/surround for the opera "Apocalypse" (1994)
It's Haunted Here, Fragile Breakfast, & Sparkling Brains, multimedia on disk (1995-96) [poems & computer graphics by Shields]
Shanti. (1998; opera-in-progress) [for La Mama E.T.C., NYC.]
Vegetable Karma, computer music on CD (1999)
Quintet for Bass Flute, Bass Clarinet, Contrabassoon, Cello and Small Bell (2000)
Sahityam, marimba (or bassoon) (2000)
Dust, dance piece, computer music on CD (2001) [also "concert" version]
Kirtannam No. 1, 2 cellos & tubular bells; or oboe, violin & perc [1 player: tubular bells, glockenspiel & high triangle] (2001)
Kirtannam No. 2, 2 vc, tubular bells; cl, bsn; fl, ob; ob, bsn; ob, vln, tb bells; cl, bsn, hn; ob, bsn, hn; ob, bsn, tb bells (2001)
Kirtannam No. 3, clarinet, bassoon and small bell; or bass clarinet, contrabassoon and small bell (2001)
Aje to ananda, mezzo-soprano (or baritone), organ (or accordian) and tubular bells (2001) [text: on traditional poem in Hindi]
Sumirana kareley, soprano and string quartet (2001) [text: on traditional poem in Hindi]
Shenandoah, dance piece, computer music on CD (2002) [choreographic title, "In This Valley"] [also "concert" version]
Ya Devi, mezzo-soprano (or baritone), flute, harp and string quartet (2002) [text: on traditional chant in Sanskrit]
Rani tero, alto voice (or baritone) and 4 bass viols (2000/2002) [text: on traditional poem in Hindi]
The Mud Oratorio, dance piece, computer music on CD (2003) [choreographic title, "Stirrings"]
Ave Maris Stella, chorus (2003) [text: Bsed on the Gregorian chant Ave Maris Stella]
Fanfare, 2 trumpets and 2 trombones (2003)
Azure, flute, violin, viola, cello & tape; flute, violin, viola, cello & perc; flute, violin, viola & cello (2003)
Mioritza — Requiem for Rachel Corrie, trombone and tape (2003)
Aba mane manele, flute, viola and harp (2004) [on a traditional song in Hindi]
Kyrielle, violin and tape (2005) [based on Gregorian chants associated with the Virgin Mary]
Saundarya Lahari, flute, viola and harp (2006)
Percussion Quartet, 2 glockenspiels, vibraphone and xylophone (2007)
The River of Memory, trombone and computer music (2008)
Criseyde, chamber opera in 2 acts (2010) [Middle English libretto: Nancy Dean, w/Medieval Italian from Boccaccio]
Namasté, mezzo-soprano and piano (2011)
Zhaojun - A Woman of Peace, feminist chamber opera, in 1 act (2011) [libretto: Alice Shields]
WORKS BY GENRE Alice Shields Links ~ ~ ~ Shields on Shields ~ top of page ~
Dramatic/Theater
The Odyssey of Ulysses the Palmiped (Odyssey 1), opera in 1 act, w/dancers (1968)
[based on "Egyptian Book of the Dead" and Gilbert-LeConte's "The Odyssey of Ulysses the Palmiped"]
Odyssey 2, opera in 1 act, w/dancers (1970) ["Egyptian Bk of Dead" & Gilbert-LeConte's "Odyssey of Ulysses the Palmiped"]
Odyssey 3, opera in 1 act, w/dancers (1975) [based on Homer]
The little garter snake in the grass, children's voice and simple percussion (1976) [theater piece for children; on original story]
Jack and the Beanstalk, children's voices (1976) [little theater piece for children; on text by Shields, based on fairy tale]
Shaman, opera in 1 act (1987) [text: Edward Barrett and the composer]
Komachi at Sekidera, [mini-opera], soprano (or mz-sopr), alto flute & koto (or solo alto fl; or alto fl & harp) (1987; rev. 1999)
Wraecca, opera in 1 act, soprano, mezzo-soprano, baritone, cello and piano (1989)
Mass for the Dead, opera in 1 act (1992-93) [ased on a ghost story and the Gregorian chants of the Requiem Mass]
Apocalypse, opera in 2 acts, w/dancers (1993-94) [text: on Greek, Gaelic, and Sanskrit texts]
Shanti. (1998; opera-in-progress) [for La Mama E.T.C., NYC.]
Criseyde, chamber opera in 2 acts (2010) [Middle English libretto: Nancy Dean, w/Medieval Italian from Boccaccio]
Zhaojun - A Woman of Peace, feminist chamber opera, in 1 act (2011) [libretto: Alice Shields]
Dance
Volti (Dance Piece No. 1), dance piece, tape (1966)
Domino, dance piece, tape (1967)
My Feathers are Growing Longer, dance pieces, tape (1967) [for Loizeaux-Murphy Dance Company]
Dance Piece No. 2, dance piece, tape (1968) [for Mimi Garrard Dance Theatre]
Dance Piece No. 3, dance piece, tape (1969) [for Mimi Garrard Dance Theatre]
Invocation, dance piece, tape (1992) [from the opera "Mass for the Dead", 1993]
Shivatanz, dance-drama, mezzo-soprano and tape (1993) [text: on trad. Sanskrit poem, & poem by the composer in Hindi]
Dust, dance piece, computer music on CD (2001) [also "concert" version]
Shenandoah, dance piece, computer music on CD (2002) [choreographic title, "In This Valley"] [also "concert" version]
The Mud Oratorio, dance piece, computer music on CD (2003) [choreographic title, "Stirrings"]
Choral
Missa Brevis, oratorio, soprano, contralto, tenor, bass, flute, guitar and drum (1965)
Sow (as in"pig"), SCaTB soloists, chorus, children's chorus, 2 hn, 2 tpt, tuba, db, hp & 4 perc (1966) [text: based on mystery plays]
O Gracious Light, chorus (1983) [text: traditional sacred text]
Ave Maris Stella, chorus (2003) [text: Bsed on the Gregorian chant Ave Maris Stella]
Chamber
Dance Suite, piccolo, clarinet and tuba (1965)
Karate Scene, 8 percussionists (1975) [from the opera "Odyssey 3"]
Aurora, violin and oboe (1987)
Quintet for Bass Flute, Bass Clarinet, Contrabassoon, Cello and Small Bell (2000)
Kirtannam No. 1, 2 cellos & tubular bells; or oboe, violin & perc [1 player: tubular bells, glockenspiel & high triangle] (2001)
Kirtannam No. 2 (2001)
- 2 cellos and tubular bells
- clarinet and bassoon
- flute and oboe
- oboe and bassoon
- oboe, violin and tubular bells
- clarinet, bassoon and horn
- oboe, bassoon and horn
- oboe, bassoon and tubular bells
Kirtannam No. 3, clarinet, bassoon and small bell; or bass clarinet, contrabassoon and small bell (2001)
Fanfare, 2 trumpets and 2 trombones (2003)
Azure (2003)
- flute, violin, viola, cello and tape
- flute, violin, viola, cello and percussion
- flute, violin, viola and cello
Aba mane manele, flute, viola and harp (2004) [on a traditional song in Hindi]
Saundarya Lahari, flute, viola and harp (2006)
Percussion Quartet, 2 glockenspiels, vibraphone and xylophone (2007)
Solo Instrument
Sahityam, marimba (or bassoon) (2000)
Mioritza — Requiem for Rachel Corrie, trombone and tape (2003)
Kyrielle, violin and tape (2005) [based on Gregorian chants associated with the Virgin Mary]
The River of Memory, trombone and computer music (2008)
Piano
Rhapsody (an homage to Brahms), piano and tape (1984)
Vocal
Missa Brevis, oratorio, soprano, contralto, tenor, bass, flute, guitar and drum (1965)
Sow (as in"pig"), SCaTB soloists, chorus, children's chorus, 2 hn, 2 tpt, tuba, db, hp & 4 perc (1966) [text: based on mystery plays]
Wildcat Songs (3 songs), soprano and piccolo (1966) [text: poem by a Native American shaman]
The Storyteller, cantata, bass-baritone & orchestra (1967) [story by Shields; based on trad. NW Coast Native American story]
Spring Music, soprano, trumpet and oboe (1967) [text: "The Green Man" by Ronald Johnson]
Study for Voice and Tape (1968) [electronic music with Shields’ prerecorded voice on tape, on poem by Shields]
Richard III: Speeches for Male Actor, Trumpet & Drum, incidental music (1968) [text: Shakespeare]
Telemachos' Song, tenor and piano (1975) [from the opera "Odyssey 3"]
Scenes for Baritone & Chamber Orchestra from the Opera "Odyssey" (1975)
- Ev's Song
- Yul Wool-Gathers
- Paper Woman Murder: Yul Up to No Good
- Yul Talks to the Sea
Ev's Song, baritone and piano (1975) [aria from the opera "Odyssey"]
Fragments of Archilochos, high soprano, piccolo and violin (1978) [text: on poem of the ancient Greek writer Archilochos]
Neruda Songs (6 songs), soprano (or mezzo-soprano) and cello (1981) [text: Pablo Neruda]
El’s Aria, soprano, flute and tape (1983)
The Black Lake, tenor, cello and tape (1984) [text: Edward Barrett; from the opera "Shaman"]
Levertov Songs, mezzo-soprano and viola (1987) [text: Denise Levertov]
Komachi at Sekidera, [mini-opera], mezzo-soprano and koto (1987) [text: based on Japanese Noh play about poet Komachi]
Komachi at Sekidera, [mini-opera] (1987; rev. 1999)
- for soprano (or mezzo-soprano), alto flute and koto
- for soprano (or mezzo-soprano) and alto flute
- for soprano (or mezzo-soprano), alto flute and harp
Trios from the opera "Wraecca", soprano, mezzo-soprano, baritone & piano (1989) [text: Shields, based on Anglo-Saxon poems]
Wraecca's Song, baritone, cello and piano (1989) [from the opera "Wraecca"]
Possente Spirto (1992) [aria from the electronic opera "Mass for the Dead"; based on Monteverdi's "Orfeo"]
- for baritone and tape
- for baritone, soprano, mezzo-soprano and tape
The Virgin's Songs (3 songs), soprano & kybd (1992) [text: based on 13th-cent. Spanish song; from opera "Mass for the Dead"]
The Red Woman ("An Bean Rua"), female narrator and tape (1993) [poem in Irish and English by the composer]
Organ Screaming, mezzo-soprano (or baritone) and tape (1993) [aria from the electronic opera "Apocalypse"; in Greek]
Shivatanz, dance-drama, mezzo-soprano and tape (1993) [text: on trad. Sanskrit poem, & poem by the composer in Hindi]
- Namaste ("Greetings"), mezzo-soprano & keyboard (1993) [text: on poem by the composer in Hindi; from "Shivatanz"]
Snow, male narrator and tape (1993) [text: the poem "Snow" by Greg Muirhead]
Apocalypse Songs, mezzo-soprano and Keyboard (1994) [songs from the opera "Apocalypse"; in Irish]
Aje to ananda, mezzo-soprano (or baritone), organ (or accordian) and tubular bells (2001) [text: on traditional poem in Hindi]
Sumirana kareley, soprano and string quartet (2001) [text: on traditional poem in Hindi]
Ya Devi, mezzo-soprano (or baritone), flute, harp and string quartet (2002) [text: on traditional chant in Sanskrit]
Rani tero, alto voice (or baritone) and 4 bass viols (2000/2002) [text: on traditional poem in Hindi]
Namasté, mezzo-soprano and piano (2011)
Incidental/Film/Multimedia
Icarus and 4-H Club: Two Radio Plays by Sam Shepard, incidental music, [tape?] (1966)
The Witches’ Scenes from "Macbeth", incidental music, tape (1967)
Line of Apogee, film score (1967) [assisting Vladimir Ussachevsky, with Pril Smiley]
We, incidental music for radio play, tape (1970) [with Vladimir Ussachevsky]
Bicycle Music, documentary film score, tape (1977) [on sculptor Helene Brandt, using the sounds of Brandt's bicycle sculptures]
From"fragile breakfast", visual/text animation (1993)
From "It's Haunted Here", visual/text animation (1993)
Background/surround for the opera "Apocalypse" (1994)
Electronic
Volti (Dance Piece No. 1), dance piece, tape (1966)
Walking on the Surface of the Sun, tape (1966)
Domino, dance piece, tape (1967)
My Feathers are Growing Longer, dance pieces, tape (1967) [for Loizeaux-Murphy Dance Company]
Dance Piece No. 2, dance piece, tape (1968) [for Mimi Garrard Dance Theatre]
Study for Voice and Tape (1968) [electronic music with Shields’ prerecorded voice on tape, on poem by Shields]
Dance Piece No. 3, dance piece, tape (1969) [for Mimi Garrard Dance Theatre]
The Transformation of Ani, tape (1970)
Farewell to a Hill, tape (1975) [using bells, ducks, and electronic sounds]
Bicycle Music, film score, tape (1977) [for film on sculptor Helene Brandt, using the sounds of Brandt's bicycle sculptures]
Coyote, tape (1980) [using wolf-calls, coyotes, and manipulated human voices; from the opera "Shaman"]
El’s Aria, soprano, flute and tape (1983)
The Black Lake, tenor, cello and tape (1984) [text: Edward Barrett]
Rhapsody (an homage to Brahms), piano and tape (1984)
Voices, computer music (1989) [created on SUN computer]
Invocation, dance piece, tape (1992) [from the opera "Mass for the Dead", 1993]
Snow, male narrator and tape (1993) [text: the poem "Snow" by Greg Muirhead]
The Red Woman ("An Bean Rua"), female narrator and tape (1993) [poem in Irish and English by the composer]
It's Haunted Here, Fragile Breakfast, & Sparkling Brains, multimedia on disk (1995-96) [poems & computer graphics by Shields]
Vegetable Karma, computer music on CD (1999)
Dust, dance piece, computer music on CD (2001)
- Dust : Concert Version, computer music on CD (2002)
Shenandoah, dance piece, computer music on CD (2002) [choreographic title, "In This Valley"]
- Shenandoah (Concert Version), computer music on CD (2002
The Mud Oratorio, dance piece, computer music on CD (2003) [choreographic title, "Stirrings"]
Mioritza — Requiem for Rachel Corrie, trombone and tape (2003)
Azure, flute, violin, viola, cello and tape (2003)
Kyrielle, violin and tape (2005)
The River of Memory, trombone and computer music (2008)
ALICE SHIELDS LINKS Works by Genre ~ ~ ~ Shields on Shields ~ top of page ~
The Archives of the Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center (The Free Library)
Can Music for Dance Stand Alone? (Alice Shields, NewMusicBox)
The Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center (Alice Shields, New World Records)
Spotlight on VOX: Alice Shields (New York City Opera)
Composer's website . . . contact Alice Shields: here
Alice Shields @ Wikipedia
Alice Shields @ Albany Records
Alice Shields @ American Music Center
Alice Shields @ ANABlog
Alice Shields @ Classical Composers Database
Alice Shields @ ClassicsToday
Alice Shields @ Electronic Girls
Alice Shields @ Facebook
Alice Shields @ Google Profiles
Alice Shields @ IMDb (Internet Movie Database)
Alice Shields @ InstantEncore
Alice Shields @ LinkedIn
Alice Shields @ Modern Classical
Alice Shields @ MySpaceMusic
Alice Shields @ New World Records
Alice Shields @ The New York Times
Alice Shields @ Opera America
Alice Shields @ Prince.org
Publisher
Alice Shields @ Composer's website
Alice Shields @ American Composers Alliance
Alice Shields @ Jilmar Music
Streaming Audio
Alice Shields @ Composer's website
Alice Shields @ last.fm
Alice Shields @ Rhapsody.com
Alice Shields @ UbuWeb
Recordings
Alice Shields @ Composer's website
Alice Shields @ Albany Records
Alice Shields @ Amazon.com
Alice Shields @ ArkivMusic
Alice Shields @ CD Universe
Alice Shields @ ClassicsOnline
Alice Shields @ Discogs
Alice Shields @ DRAM Online
Alice Shields @ itunes
Alice Shields @ New World Records
Video
Alice Shields @ YouTube
Alice Shields @ Google Video
~ top of page ~
Shields on Shields: On Criseyde, w/Leonard Schwartz (streaming audio)
Composers
Speak on the Web at Pytheas~ click on composer picture to listen ~
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