Composers Bureau

B. Charmian Tashjian

Biography

B. Charmian Tashjian (1950-) received her Doctor of Music in composition from Northwestern University, where she studied with Alan Stout and M. William Karlins. Her Master of Arts degree was granted by Stanford University, where she studied with Gyorgy Ligeti and computer-generated composition with John Chowning. She has received awards for composition from ASCAP, Northwestern University, and the Composers Guild, and commissions from the Loop Group, the American String Teacher's Association and the DuPage Youth Symphony. Songs of the Sea was performed at the Women's Music Festival'85 in Boston, and was recorded and broadcast by WFMT-FM as part of its series, "Music: Chicago Style." It was also performed by the Chicago Chamber Musicians at Symphony Center in Chicago in 1997. An eighty- minute program, including music and an interview, was produced by Bruce Duffie on WNIB-FM and aired in honor of her fortieth birthday. Armenechos was performed at the Ravinia Festival, Chicago, in 1992. Her String Quartet has been published by T.C.A. Publications. Coalescences for Orchestra was performed by Symphony II in 1993; in 1990 it was selected as one of three works by Illinois composers to be read and taped by the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. Resan was released on Capriccio Records on the first recording of their series of New American Music, and has subsequently been broadcast throughout the U.S. and abroad. Her biography is included in the International Who's Who in Music and in the Encyclopedia of Women Composers by Albert Cohen. Ms. Tashjian is a founder and past President of American Women Composers, Midwest, having served three terms and serving on the Board for fifteen years. She has taught at Columbia College, Northwestern University, Lake Forest College, and is presently a member of the faculty at DePaul University.

Compositions

Expressions of Youth for youth orchestra (junior high - high school). Six movements: "Anxious", "Curious", "Energetic", "Carefree", "Cool", and "Hopeful". Approx. 15 minutes. Full orchestra.

• Coalescences for orchestra. One movement. Full orchestra. Approx. 15 minutes.
• Songs of the Sea, cycle of five songs for mezzo-soprano or contralto, viola (alternately English horn or alto flute), and piano. Approx. 9 minutes.
  1. "The Tide Rises, the Tide Falls" (H. Longfellow)
  2. "Flowers by the Sea" (W. Carlos Williams)
  3. "Heaven, Haven" (G. Manley Hopkins)
  4. "Sea and the Gull" (Bidu Tashjian)
  5. "Just Wind" (Bidu Tashjian)
• Music for Flute, Harp and Snare Drum, 1969. Two movements. Approx. 5 minutes.
• String Quartet. Two movements. Commissioned by ASTA, Chicago Chapter, for junior high/high school level string students. TCA Publications. Approx. 5 minutes.
• Resan, for English horn, amplified harpsichord, viola, contrabass and 7 percussionists (marimbas, almglocken, gongs, crotales, cymbals, tamtam, chimes, bongos), 1978. Recorded on Capriccio Records series of New American Music, volume I. Approx. 14 minutes.
• Songs for Chorus and Brass Sextet, for SATB chorus, 2 cornets, 2 french horns, and 2 euphoniums, 1978. Four movements. Alternate accompaniment for organ or piano.
  1. "Mustaleinen" (anonymous Finnish)
  2. "Prayer" (Dag Hammerskold)
  3. "John Muir Quotations" (two quotes of John Muir)
• Antiphonies I for solo alto saxophone, soprano doubling alto flute, 2 harps, 2 french horns, chimes, 2 sets of timpani, 2 tamtams, 1977. Approx. 8 minutes. One movement.
• Refractions for clarinet (A), harpsichord and cello, 1971. One movement. Approx. 8 minutes.
• Armenechos for alto flute, bass clarinet, cello and vibraphone, 1970. One movement. Approx. 7 minutes.
• Brass Quintet in two movements. Approx. 6 minutes.
• Colloquies of Birds for junior high level string orchestra, 1991. Commissioned by ASTA. One movement. Approx. 5 minutes.

• Pan Pipes 1997-1998 Annual Composer Update
• SAI's Music for Young People

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Last updated 10/15/03
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