Sebastian Currier
Encyclopedia
Sebastian Currier is an American composer
of music for chamber groups and orchestra
s. He was also a professor of music at Columbia University
from 1999 to 2007.
, also a noted composer. Sebastian Currier received degrees from the Juilliard School
and Manhattan School of Music
. His compositions include Crossfade, written for two harp
s, and Microsymph, described as a "30-minute symphony compressed into 10 minutes."
In October 2005, members of the Berlin Philharmonic performed an entire evening of his works, including the premiere of Remix.
Currier completed the orchestration of Stephen Albert
's Symphony No. 2, half of which was unfinished at the time of Albert's death. It was subsequently recorded on Naxos Records
along with Albert's Symphony No. 1 Riverrun, which won a Pulitzer Prize
.
Violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter
has recorded Currier's Aftersong, which the composer dedicated to her. On June 2, 2011, she also premiered his "Time Machines" (composed in 2007 and reworked by the composer in 2011) with the Slovak Roman Patkoló playing the contrabasso and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Alan Gilbert
. His Piano Concerto was premiered in April 2007 by Emma Tahmizian
.
Currier has received a Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition
, for Static, and a 2010 Distinguished Alumni Award from Manhattan School of Music.
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
of music for chamber groups and orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
s. He was also a professor of music at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
from 1999 to 2007.
Life
Currier was raised in Providence, RI, in a family of talented musicians, including his brother Nathan CurrierNathan Currier
- Biography :Coming from a musical family, composer Nathan Kind Currier is son of composer Marilyn Currier and brother of composer Sebastian Currier ....
, also a noted composer. Sebastian Currier received degrees from the Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
and Manhattan School of Music
Manhattan School of Music
The Manhattan School of Music is a major music conservatory located on the Upper West Side of New York City. The school offers degrees on the bachelors, masters, and doctoral levels in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition...
. His compositions include Crossfade, written for two harp
Harp
The harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...
s, and Microsymph, described as a "30-minute symphony compressed into 10 minutes."
In October 2005, members of the Berlin Philharmonic performed an entire evening of his works, including the premiere of Remix.
Currier completed the orchestration of Stephen Albert
Stephen Albert
Stephen Albert was an American composer.-Biography:Born in New York City, Albert began his musical training on the piano, French horn, and trumpet as a youngster. He first studied composition at the age of 15 with Elie Siegmeister, and enrolled two years later at the Eastman School of Music, where...
's Symphony No. 2, half of which was unfinished at the time of Albert's death. It was subsequently recorded on Naxos Records
Naxos Records
Naxos Records is a record label specializing in classical music. Through a number of imprints, Naxos also releases genres including Chinese music, jazz, world music, and early rock & roll. The company was founded in 1987 by Klaus Heymann, a German-born resident of Hong Kong.Naxos is the largest...
along with Albert's Symphony No. 1 Riverrun, which won a Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
.
Violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter
Anne-Sophie Mutter
Anne-Sophie Mutter is a German violinist.- Early life :Mutter was born in Rheinfelden, Germany. She began playing the piano at age five, and shortly afterwards took up the violin, studying with Erna Honigberger, a pupil of Carl Flesch...
has recorded Currier's Aftersong, which the composer dedicated to her. On June 2, 2011, she also premiered his "Time Machines" (composed in 2007 and reworked by the composer in 2011) with the Slovak Roman Patkoló playing the contrabasso and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Alan Gilbert
Alan Gilbert
Alan David Gilbert AO, was a historian and academic administrator who was until June 2010 the President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Manchester....
. His Piano Concerto was premiered in April 2007 by Emma Tahmizian
Emma Tahmizian
Emma Tahmizian is a Bulgarian pianist of Armenian descent living in the USA.She debuted at an international level at 11, representing Bulgaria at a concert series in Moscow. She has performed and recorded internationally regullarly since she won the 1977 Robert Schumann Competition...
.
Currier has received a Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition
Grawemeyer Award (Music Composition)
The Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition is an annual prize instituted by H. Charles Grawemeyer, industrialist and entrepreneur, at the University of Louisville in 1984. The award was first given in 1985...
, for Static, and a 2010 Distinguished Alumni Award from Manhattan School of Music.
Awards
- 2007 Grawemeyer AwardGrawemeyer AwardThe Grawemeyer Awards are five awards given annually by the University of Louisville in the state of Kentucky, United States. The prizes are presented to individuals in the fields of education, ideas improving world order, music composition, religion, and psychology...
for Static for flute, clarinet, violin, 'cello, and piano. Static is the second Grawemeyer Award-winning piece that does not require a conductor (the other is György LigetiGyörgy LigetiGyörgy Sándor Ligeti was a composer of contemporary classical music. Born in a Hungarian Jewish family in Transylvania, Romania, he briefly lived in Hungary before becoming an Austrian citizen.-Early life:...
's Piano Etudes, which won the award in 1986). - 1992 Guggenheim FellowshipGuggenheim FellowshipGuggenheim Fellowships are American grants that have been awarded annually since 1925 by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to those "who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts." Each year, the foundation makes...
- American Academy of ArtsAmerican Academy of ArtsThe American Academy of Arts is an independent, non-profit film school located in Escondido, California. It specializes in visual and digital media arts education and is staffed by working Hollywood and independent film professionals...
. - 1994 Rome PrizeRome PrizeThe Rome Prize is an American award made annually by the American Academy in Rome, through a national competition, to 15 emerging artists and to 15 scholars The Rome Prize is an American award made annually by the American Academy in Rome, through a national competition, to 15 emerging artists...
External links
- http://dramonline.org/mt/dram-featured/archives/2006/02/the_music_of_se.htmlArticle from Database of Recorded American MusicDatabase of Recorded American MusicThe Database of Recorded American Music is a continually growing, online resource providing on-demand, high-quality streaming access to nearly 9,000 essential musical works from 15 record labels, along with their liner notes, album art, and other related materials...
(DRAM)] - Biography from Columbia University
- Review of 'Static' in New York Times
- Announcement of Grawemeyer Award
- Further Information on Static and Grawemeyer Award
- Sebastian Currier @ Boosey & Hawkes