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Composers BureauJames Mulcro DrewBiography Early Years/Early Works American composer James Drew was raised in New York City and began music studies at age five. His adult music studies began in the l950’s when he studied counterpoint, harmony and composition with Wallingford Riegger. During the early l960’s Drew’s work began to take on an independent musical direction; and with such works as The Lute In The Attic (New Orleans, l963) and Music For Three Muted Pianos (St. Louis, l964) followed by Primo Libro De Referencia Labarinto (New Haven l967) radical notational concepts appeared for the first time in Drew’s work. He has since become a renowned member of the American Experimental Tradition, and has created various Theatre companies dedicated to performing his own works. His current company is the Nighttown Operatheatre. University Teaching: Concepts of Arts Education James Mulcro Drew has been a faculty member of numerous universities, including Yale, Northwestern U, LSU, Cal State-Fullerton, Cal State-Northridge and UCLA. While teaching at Northwestern University (l964-66) Drew began composing a series of small works that children would be able to perform. His interest in bringing new music to children continued when the composer joined the faculty of Yale University (l967) where he began creating what would later be known as the Greywolf Performing Arts Institute, advocating Learning By Creating which expands student’s knowledge through all Arts. Drew and Mary Gae George have been Co-Directors of the Institute since 1990. Orchestral/Chamber works, 1967-73 During l967-73, Drew’s First and Second Symphonies were composed and premiered, as well as October Lights, Metal Concert, Almost Stationary, New Haven Green 1969 and Concerto For Small Percussion Orchestra. In l972-73, the composer was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship and during the same time Drew was Fromm Foundation Orchestral Composer at the l973 Tanglewood Music Festival where Gunther Schuller conducted the BSO in the world premiere of Drew’s West Indian Lights, which was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Also in the l970’s, Drew’s first works for theatre were composed and produced, which included Cruxifixus and Song of Death And Bluelight Dancing. East Coast/West Coast, 1970s-1980s Appointed Distinguished Lecturer at California State University-Fullerton and UCLA in the mid l970’s, Drew returned to composing chamber music, including The Orangethorpe Aria, Trio For The Firey Messengers, and Violin Sonata. More theatre works followed in the l980’s with Five O’clock Ladies, ‘Live’ From The Black Eagle, Whisper (Film) and Rats Teeth produced or composed while the composer was artist-in-residence for the city of Durham. Blue In Atlantis, Drew’s first theatre for radio, was created in New Orleans 1983. Theatre Works/Architectual Projects, 1990s-2000 Recent theatre works include The Clown’s Evening and the Petite Petersburg Play. His music in Architecture Projects has included being a member of the Concordia Group that created the Musical Courtyard of the Hotel Inter-Continental, in New Orleans, as well as the kinetic drama (with sculptor Lin Emery) Becket: The Final Moments, The Sound Stations Project (known as the Egg Project). Sound Installations/Visual Music In 2005, James Drew and visual artist Autumn K.C. Tan, founded DREWTAN INTERNATIONAL-- inventing unique ways to present new classical art through kinetic sound sculptures, theatre boxes, and experimental performance installations. Visual Forms of Musical Communication
The Experimental Series
Recent WorksIn the 1990s – 2000s, Drew continues to work and tour under the auspices of the Greywolf Performing Arts Institute composing a broad spectrum of chamber and orchestral music including Symphony No. 3, Book Of Lights, Viola Concerto (Cellar – Lise’s Alleluias), Piano Concerto (Celestial Cabaret), Hypothetical Structures, Books 1, 2, And 3 For Two Pianos, Music Of Suspended Colours, 3 Pianos, Gongs, And Cloud Chambers, Contrabass Concerto (Jacopo’s Sub-Harmonic Hymns) The Golden Threads, 3 Pianos, Cloud Chambers, And Gongs, Stations, Chamber Ensemble, Animating Degree Zero, Chamber Ensemble, Transcending Music For Toru Takemitsu, Chamber Ensemble, Songs Of Autumn - bass-baritone, string quartet, 2 trombones and piano, New Orleans Requiem, large orchestra and chorus, and Violin Concerto. Theatre/Ballet WorksDance Theatre Projects Music, Scenario, And Mise En Scene Of The Ballets Giggles and Paper Lantern Tales and producing theatre works Through MTT Theatre (Netherlands), Blast Opera Theatre (US-Europe), and his current companies, The Nighttown Operatheatre, and the Harmonic Theatre, The Greywolf Performing Arts Institute’s The Sonorous Circus (Children’s Ensemble) and The Golden Threads: A Theatre Of Lights, Pianos, Gongs, And Cloud Chambers. The main body of Drew’s works over the years has been fueled by his concepts of combination-tones which produce additional overtones that are heard from sound locations unknown. Drew’s theatrical concepts continue in his largest ongoing work with the Nighttown Operatheatre, The Surprise Operas Cycle, which now spans over two decades. James Drew’s works have been nominated three times for the Pulitzer Prize. Recordings/PublishersJames Drew’s music is published by Theodore Presser Company, Artistry Press International and is available worldwide. Recordings of his works are available on Music & Arts, 9 Winds, Cinnabar Recordings, Gw Recordings. Performing Rights Organization: ASCAP. Further InformationFor further information, visit www.greywolf-artistry.com, Who’s Who, International Directory of Musicians, Contemporary Composers (St James Press), Baker’s 20th Century Edition, and Grove 20th Century Edition. eLettre address: Jacopodrew@cs.com
Contact Information GreyWolf Arts Institute |
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Last updated
3/25/06 |
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