William Albright (musician)
Encyclopedia
William Albright was an American composer
, pianist
and organist
.
Albright was born in Gary, Indiana
, and began learning the piano at the age of five, and attended the Juilliard Preparatory Department
(1959–62), the Eastman School of Music
(1962–63) and the University of Michigan
(1962–70), where he studied composition with Ross Lee Finney
and George Rochberg
, and organ with Marilyn Mason. He interrupted his studies for the 1968–69 academic year when he received a Fulbright scholarship to study with Olivier Messiaen
in Paris
. Upon his graduation in 1970 he was appointed to the faculty of the University of Michigan
, where he taught until his death from liver failure in Ann Arbor, Michigan
in 1998 (Griffiths 1998).
His music combined elements of tonal
and non-tonal
classical music (in particular the influence of Messiaen) with American popular music
and non-Western music (Gillespie 2001), in what has been described as "polystylistic" or "quaquaversal" music (Chambers 1999, 32)—which makes the definition of an overall style difficult (Perone 1988, abstract). In particular, he was an enthusiast for ragtime
(Bassett 1999, 28–29).
In addition to his compositional and teaching activities, he pursued an active career as an organist and commissioned new works for this instrument from other contemporary composers to play on his concert tours of North America and Europe (Griffiths 1998). His hymns appear in hymnals of the Unitarian
and Episcopalian
Churches.
Albright's notable students include Derek Bermel
, John Edgar Berners, John Burke
, Evan Chambers
, Chihchun Chi-sun Lee
, Katt Hernandez
, Gabriela Lena Frank
, David Karl Gompper, Evan Hause
, Carter Pann
, Frank Ticheli, Gordon Beeferman and Michael Sidney Timpson
.
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...
, pianist
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and organist
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
.
Albright was born in Gary, Indiana
Gary, Indiana
Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city is in the southeastern portion of the Chicago metropolitan area and is 25 miles from downtown Chicago. The population is 80,294 at the 2010 census, making it the seventh-largest city in the state. It borders Lake Michigan and is known...
, and began learning the piano at the age of five, and attended the Juilliard Preparatory Department
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...
(1959–62), the Eastman School of Music
Eastman School of Music
The Eastman School of Music is a music conservatory located in Rochester, New York. The Eastman School is a professional school within the University of Rochester...
(1962–63) and the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
(1962–70), where he studied composition with Ross Lee Finney
Ross Lee Finney
Ross Lee Finney Junior was an American composer born in Wells, Minnesota who taught for many years at the University of Michigan. He studied with Nadia Boulanger, Edward Burlingame Hill, Alban Berg and Roger Sessions...
and George Rochberg
George Rochberg
George Rochberg was an American composer of contemporary classical music.-Life:Rochberg was born in Paterson, New Jersey. He attended the Mannes College of Music, where his teachers included George Szell and Hans Weisse, and the Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied with Rosario Scalero and...
, and organ with Marilyn Mason. He interrupted his studies for the 1968–69 academic year when he received a Fulbright scholarship to study with Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen was a French composer, organist and ornithologist, one of the major composers of the 20th century. His music is rhythmically complex ; harmonically and melodically it is based on modes of limited transposition, which he abstracted from his early compositions and improvisations...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Upon his graduation in 1970 he was appointed to the faculty of the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, where he taught until his death from liver failure in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
in 1998 (Griffiths 1998).
His music combined elements of tonal
Tonality
Tonality is a system of music in which specific hierarchical pitch relationships are based on a key "center", or tonic. The term tonalité originated with Alexandre-Étienne Choron and was borrowed by François-Joseph Fétis in 1840...
and non-tonal
Atonality
Atonality in its broadest sense describes music that lacks a tonal center, or key. Atonality in this sense usually describes compositions written from about 1908 to the present day where a hierarchy of pitches focusing on a single, central tone is not used, and the notes of the chromatic scale...
classical music (in particular the influence of Messiaen) with American popular music
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
and non-Western music (Gillespie 2001), in what has been described as "polystylistic" or "quaquaversal" music (Chambers 1999, 32)—which makes the definition of an overall style difficult (Perone 1988, abstract). In particular, he was an enthusiast for ragtime
Ragtime
Ragtime is an original musical genre which enjoyed its peak popularity between 1897 and 1918. Its main characteristic trait is its syncopated, or "ragged," rhythm. It began as dance music in the red-light districts of American cities such as St. Louis and New Orleans years before being published...
(Bassett 1999, 28–29).
In addition to his compositional and teaching activities, he pursued an active career as an organist and commissioned new works for this instrument from other contemporary composers to play on his concert tours of North America and Europe (Griffiths 1998). His hymns appear in hymnals of the Unitarian
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
and Episcopalian
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
Churches.
Albright's notable students include Derek Bermel
Derek Bermel
Derek Bermel is an American composer, clarinetist and conductor whose music blends various facets of world music, funk and jazz with largely classical performing forces and musical vocabulary...
, John Edgar Berners, John Burke
John Burke (composer)
John Joseph Burke is a Canadian composer and music educator. As a composer he has written mainly works for chamber ensembles, and his music displays an acute sensitivity to instrumental balance and timbre...
, Evan Chambers
Evan Chambers
Evan Chambers is a composer, traditional Irish fiddler, and Professor of Composition at the University of Michigan. He received a Doctorate in music composition from the University of Michigan...
, Chihchun Chi-sun Lee
Chihchun Chi-sun Lee
Chihchun Chi-sun Lee is a composer of contemporary classical music. Dr. Lee is originally from Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and is currently on the faculty of the University of South Florida, in Tampa, USA, She received a doctoral degree from the University of Michigan, two masters’ degrees from Ohio...
, Katt Hernandez
Katt Hernandez
Katt Hernandez is a violinist living in Stockholm, Sweden with strong connection to Boston, Massachusetts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Baltimore, Maryland. Katt's violin playing employs many virtuostic extended techniques, as well as microtones. Her influences range a vast gamut of music, and...
, Gabriela Lena Frank
Gabriela Lena Frank
Gabriela Lena Frank is an American composer of contemporary classical music and pianist.- Biography :...
, David Karl Gompper, Evan Hause
Evan Hause
Evan Hause is an American composer, percussionist and conductor. Hause has composed over fifty works ranging from rock music to opera.-Biography and career:...
, Carter Pann
Carter Pann
Carter Pann is an American composer. He studied composition and piano at the Eastman School of Music and the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where he earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree...
, Frank Ticheli, Gordon Beeferman and Michael Sidney Timpson
Michael Sidney Timpson
Michael Sidney Timpson is an American composer of contemporary classical music.Although clearly a composer of the concert art-music genre, his definitive style combines elements of European, American, and Asian musical sources...
.