Evan Ziporyn (1959- )
Evan
Ziporyn makes music at the crossroads of genre and culture,
high and low, west and east. Raised in a musically ecumenical household
in Evanston, Illinois, he grew up listening to his father's violin, his
grandmother's Yiddish Socialist chorus, his mother's extensive folk
& jazz collection, and the sounds of top 40 & Motown on
AM
radio. At his father's insistence he began violin at age 3, giving it
up for piano within weeks. A deep desire to play trumpet was thwarted
by his 4th grade bandmaster, and his career as a clarinetist began. He
started composing music at age 13 after a visionary high school music
teacher, Betty Jacobsen, played him - in rapid succession - Le Sacre,
Charles Ives' Quarter Tone Studies, Alvin Lucier's I Am Sitting in A
Room, and Steve Reich's Come Out. He soon thereafter began managing his
father's small record store, beginning work the same week Bob Dylan's
Blood on the Tracks and Earth, Wind & Fire's That's the Way of
the
World were released. By the end of high school he had composed earnest,
undistinguished works for full orchestra, jazz ensemble, the high
school musical (YAMO), and his basement prog rock band,
Chronosynclastic Infundibulum. Persisting, he studied composition at
Eastman with Joseph Schwantner and at Yale with Robert Moore, David
Lewin, and Martin Bresnick, while also studying piano and and
clarinet. In 1979, he heard a short recording of
traditional
Balinese gamelan and had a self-described 'conversion experience.' He
spent the following summer in Oakland working with Wayan Suweca and
Michael Tenzer in the newly formed Gamelan Sekar Jaya, then traveled to
Bali on Yale Murray Fellowship upon graduation in 1981. There he
studied gender wayang, the music of the shadow play, with Wayan Suweca,
and pelegongan drumming with I Madé Lebah, who had previously been
Colin McPhee's driver and chief musical informant in the
1930s. Returning to the US after traveling through Asia
&
Africa, he received his MA & PhD in composition from UC
Berkeley,
studying with Gerard Grisey and Andrew Imbrie, and continuing his
involvement with Sekar Jaya, eventually becoming their music director
in 1989. He returned to Bali on a Fulbright Fellowship in
1987,
learning the Sukawati gender wayang repertoire from I Wayan Loceng.
Earlier that summer, he was invited back to New York to perform a solo
clarinet work at a small new music festival, whimsically titled the
First Annual Bang on a Can Marathon. Returning to the US in 1988, he
began an ongoing involvement with Bang on a Can that continues to this
day. In 1992 he became a founding member of the Bang on a Can
All-stars. In 1990, Ziporyn joined the MIT faculty, founding
Gamelan Galak Tika as a student group there in 1993. He also began
composing an ongoing series of groundbreaking cross-cultural works,
imbuing his work for western instruments with doses of Balinese
sensibility, and in turn combining gamelan with saxophones, guitars,
electronics, Chinese and African instruments, and full orchestra. His
works have also been commissioned and performed by Yo-yo Ma's Silk Road
Project, Kronos Quartet, Orkest de Volharding, Maya Beiser, So
Percussion, Gamelan Semara Ratih, and the Boston Modern Orchestra
Project, with whom he recorded his 2006 orchestral CD, Frog's Eye. In
recognition of his accomplishments, he received the 2007 USA Artists
Walker Award and the 2004 American Academy of Arts and Letters Goddard
Lieberson Fellowship. Recordings of his works have also been released
on Cantaloupe, Sony Classical, New Albion, New World, Koch, Innova, and
CRI. He is Kenan Sahin Distinguished Professor of Music at MIT.COMPOSITIONS Ziporyn Links ~ ~ ~ Works by Genre ~ ~ ~ Ziporyn on Ziporyn
[under construction]
WORKS BY GENRE Ziporyn Links ~ ~ ~ Ziporyn on Ziporyn ~ top of page ~
Dramatic/Theater
Shadow Bang, full-length theater work for Balinese dalang (shadow puppeteer) (2001) [collab. w/puppeteer I Wayan Wija]
A House in Bali, opera (2009) [based on the memoir of Colin McPhee]
Sanghyang Proposal, a synaesthetic Kecak-opera (in progress) [collaborarion with film maker Bill Morrison]
Orchestra
Pleasureville, Pain City, orchestra (1985)
Filling Station, orchestra (1986)
Frog's Eye, orchestra (2002)
War Chant, orchestra (2004)
Big Grenadilla, orchestra (2006)
Bayu Sabda Idep, orchestra, with gamelan (2007)
Hard Drive, orchestra (2007)
Band/Wind Ensemble
Tsmindao Ghmerto, bass clarinet and wind ensemble (1995)
Houtman's Men in Buleleng, wind ensemble (1996)
Drill, concerto, bass clarinet and wind ensemble (2002)
The Ornate Zither and the Nomad Flute, soprano and wind ensemble (2005)
Soloist(s) w/Orchestra or Band/Wind Ensemble
Tsmindao Ghmerto, bass clarinet and wind ensemble (1995)
Drill, concerto, bass clarinet and wind ensemble (2002)
Ngaben (for Sari Club), Balinese gamelan and orchestra (2003)
Big Grenadilla, concerto, bass clarinet and chamber orchestra (2006)
Tabla Concerto: Mumbai, tabla, string orchestra and percussion (2010)
Gamelan
Night Bus, Sundanese gamelan (1990)
Kekembangan, saxophone quartet and Balinese gamelan (1990) [collaboration with I Nyoman Windha]
Aneh Tapi Nyata, chamber ensemble and Balinese percussion (1992)
Tire Fire, Balinese gamelan, 2 electric guitars, electric bass and keyboard (1994)
Amok! (6 mvts), Balinese gamelan, double bass and sampler (1996)
Kebyar Kebyar, Balinese gamelan (2002)
Ngaben (for Sari Club), Balinese gamelan and orchestra (2003)
Aradhana, Balinese gamelan, with Pipa'st Wu Man (2004)
Sabar Gong, Balinese gamalen, with Senegalese Sabar drummers (lead by Lamine Toure) (2005)
CuBaliBre, gender wayang duo (2007)
Bayu Sabda Idep, just intonation slendro chamber gamelan and chamber string orchestra (2007)
Lapanbelas, Balinese gamelan semara dana (2010)
Chamber
Ten String Quartets (1979)
LUVTime (3 mvts), bass clarinet, baritone saxophone, trombone, piano and percussion (1984)
Dog Dream, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, electric guitar, piano and percussion (1990)
Tree Frog, violin, bass clarinet, baritone saxophone, trombone, keyboard and percussion (1990)
Bossa Nova, brass quintet (1991)
Be-In, string quintet (1991)
Esto House, violin, viola, electric guitar, bass clarinet and keyboard (1993)
Pay Phone, violin, viola, electric guitar, bass clarinet and keyboard (1993)
Kebyar Maya, 8 cellos (1995)
Eel Bone, string quartet (1996) [commissioned and premiered by Kronos Quartet]
Dreams of a Dominant Culture, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, electric piano and percussion (1997)
Serenity Now, wind nonet (1998)
Current Rate, Chinese pipa and pre-recorded CD (or 2 pipa) (1999)
Melody Competition, percussion sextet (1999; rev. 2000)
Typical Music (3 mvts), piano trio/violin, cello and piano (2000)
Tight Fitting Garments, violin and clarinet (2002)
- It Is And It Isn't
- Illusions of Purity
- Jubilee of Indifference
More Songs About Telephones and Dogs (4 mvts), mixed ensemble (2002)
- Iris in Furs
- Jubilee of Indifference
- ...no messages...
- Dog Heaven
No Return (4 mvts), violin, clarinet, and sounds of the Salmon River (2002)
Breathing Space (3 mvts), string quartet (2003)
Thread, alto and bass flute, clarinet, violin and cello (2005)
Belle Labs, violin, clarinet and robotic xylophone (Heliphon) (2006)
Sulvasutra, pipa, tabla and string quartet (2006)
Hive, 4 clarinets (2007)
Where Was I?, cello, piano and percussion (2008)
Instrument and Piano
China Spring, oboe and piano (1991)
Speak, At-man!, alto flute and piano (2006)
Solo Instrument
Two Obsessions, clarinet (1980)
Waiting By The Phone, clarinet (1986)
The Motions, viola (or viola and CD) (1990)
Studies in Normative Behaviour, Vol. 1, solo percussionist (1991)
Walk the Dog, bass clarinet and electronics (1992)
Tsmindao Ghmerto, bass clarinet (1992)
Kebyar Maya, cello and prerecorded CD (1995)
Partial Truths, bass clarinet (1997)
Current Rate, Chinese pipa and pre-recorded CD (or 2 pipa) (1999)
Four Impersonations, clarinet (1999)
- Honshirabe
- Bindu Semara
- Thum Nyatiti
- Pengrangrang Gede
Hval, double bass (2007)
Notes to Self, bass clarinet (2010)
Clarinet/Bass Clarinet
Two Obsessions, clarinet (1980)
Waiting By The Phone, clarinet (1986)
What She Saw There, bass clarinet (or cello) and 2 marimbas (1988)
Be-In, bass clarinet and string quartet (1991)
Walk the Dog, bass clarinet and electronics (1992)
Tsmindao Ghmerto, bass clarinet (1992)
- Tsmindao Ghmerto, bass clarinet and wind ensemble (1995)
Partial Truths, bass clarinet (1997)
Four Impersonations, clarinet (1999)
- Honshirabe
- Bindu Semara
- Thum Nyatiti
- Pengrangrang Gede
Drill, concerto, bass clarinet and wind ensemble (2002)
Big Grenadilla, concerto, bass clarinet and chamber orchestra (2006)
Hive, clarinet quartet (2 clarinets, 2 bass clarinets) (2007)
Notes to Self, bass clarinet (2010)
Piano
Weltscenen, piano (1981)
The Water's Fine, piano (1983)
Some Coal (10 mvts), piano (1985)
Fractal-Head, piano (1987)
Pondok, piano (2000)
- Fragrant Forest
- Tree Trunk
- Ginoman
- Gebyog (Husk)
In Bounds, piano (2004)
Vocal
Twine (3 mvts), soprano, 2 saxophones, bass clarinet, violin, viola and percussion (1985)
The Ornate Zither and the Nomad Flute, soprano and wind ensemble (2005)
Incidental/Film
Oedipus Rex, Greek choruses and onstage incidental music for Sophocles tragedy (2004)
Arrangements (all for Bang On A Can All-stars - cl, vc, db, e-gtr, pf/kybd, perc; except when otherwise noted)
B-52s: "Dead Beat Club" for solo piano (2008)
Conlon Nancarrow: Four Studies (2a, 3a, 3c, 11) (2002)
Kurt Cobain: "Lithium" (1995)
Brian Eno: "Music for Airports 2/2"
Brian Eno: "Burning Airlines Gives You So Much More"
Brian Eno: "Everything Merges Into Night"
Hermeto Pascoal: " Arapua"
Hermeto Pascoal: "Ilha das Gavotas"
Hermeto Pascoal: "Quiabo"
Robert Schumann: "Canon"
And various jazz and Balines transcriptions
EVAN ZIPORYN LINKS Works by Genre ~ ~ ~ Ziporyn on Ziporyn ~ top of page ~
Bang on a Gamelan - Interview (Opera News)
Fitzcarraldo Goes to Bali (Evan Ziporyn, NewMusicBox)
Moved by Music of the Tropics, A Composer Moves to Them (Steve Smith, The New York Times)
A New Sonic Language (MIT Soundings)
Composer's website . . . contact Evan Ziporyn: here
Nothing 2 Say But It’s Ok (composer's blog)
Ziporyn @ Wikipedia
Ziporyn @ AllAboutJazz also here
Ziporyn @ American Music Center
Ziporyn @ Art of the States
Ziporyn @ aworks
Ziporyn @ Bang on a Can
Ziporyn @ Cantaloupe Music
Ziporyn @ Carnegie Hall
Ziporyn @ Carnegie Hall Commissions
Ziporyn @ Classical Archives
Ziporyn @ ClassicsToday
Ziporyn @ composition:today
Ziporyn @ Facebook
Ziporyn @ A House in Bali
Ziporyn @ InstantEncore
Ziporyn @ MIT also here
Ziporyn @ MSN Music
Ziporyn @ MusicWeb International
Ziporyn @ MySpaceMusic
Ziporyn @ Naxos
Ziporyn @ New Albion Records
Ziporyn @ The New York Times
Ziporyn @ Open Ears
Ziporyn @ Sanghyang Proposal
Ziporyn @ Silk Road Project
Publisher
Ziporyn @ Airplane Ears Music
Ziporyn @ Judy Green Music
Streaming Audio
Ziporyn @ Composer's website
Ziporyn @ Art of the States
Ziporyn @ ASCAP Audio Portraits
Ziporyn @ Carnegie Hall Commissions
Ziporyn @ Classical Archives
Ziporyn @ Gamelan Galak Tika
Ziporyn @ last.fm
Ziporyn @ MySpaceMusic
Ziporyn @ NPRmusic
Ziporyn @ PBS NewsHour/Conversation with Musician Evan Ziporyn
Ziporyn @ Rhapsody.com
Recordings
Ziporyn @ Composer's website
Ziporyn @ ArkivMusic
Ziporyn @ Cantaloupe Music
Ziporyn @ ClassicsOnline
Ziporyn @ Discogs
Ziporyn @ New Albion Records
Video
Ziporyn @ YouTube
Ziporyn @ Google Video
Ziporyn @ Vimeo
~ top of page ~
Ziporyn on Ziporyn: Making Music/Carnegie Hall (VIDEO)
Ziporyn on Ziporyn: ASCAP Audio Portrait (streaming audio)
Composers
Speak on the Web at Pytheas~ click on composer picture to listen ~
Ziporyn on Ziporyn: Conversation with Jeffrey Brown/PBS NewsHour (streaming audio)
Composers
Speak on the Web at Pytheas~ click on composer picture to listen ~
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