Composers Bureau

Leslie Bassett

Biography

Leslie Bassett, recipient of the Pulitzer Prize (1966), Rome Prize, Fulbright Fellowship to Paris, two Guggenheim Foundation Fellowships, holds membership in the American Academy of Arts and Letters, is the Albert A. Stanley Distinguished University Professor Emeritus of Music at the University of Michigan, winner of Naumburg Recording Award, the award from the Society for the Publication of American Music, the John Philip Sousa award, the James Phelan Award, and a number of other recognitions. There have been commissions from the National Endowment for the Arts, Philadelphia Orchestra, Detroit Symphony, Koussevitsky Foundation and McKim foundations in the Library of Congress, Cork Choral Festival, Schoenberg Institute, and many others.

His orchestral performances include those by Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Baltimore, Detroit, Syracuse, Rome, Zurich, Oporto, Indianapolis, American Composers Orch., Florida, Toledo, Lansing, Grand Rapids, Fresno, Moravia, and Minneapolis, under conductors Ormandy, Mehta, Maazel, Harsh, Solomon, Scaglia, Thor Johnson, Pittman, Ehrling, Jarvi, Herbig, Larry Smith, Comissiona, Meier, Alcantara, Comet, Akiyama, Sternberg, Zimmerman, Hoffman, Micka, Mackerras, etc. Mr. Bassett's scores for band and wind ensemble, soloists, chamber and choral groups are regularly performed. Most of his publications are with C. F. Peters Corporation, New York; there are others by Merion Music, Alphonse Leduc (King), American Composers Edition, World Library, Highgate Press, Philharmonia, Alfred, Roseanne. CD recordings are with CRI, Opus One, Leonarda, Crystal, Atlanta, and MMC.

Leslie Bassett, born Jan. 22, 1923, in Hanford, CA, was educated at California State University, Fresno, the University of Michigan, and the Ecole Normale de Musique, Paris, a pupil of Ross Lee Finney, Roberto Gerhard, Arthur Honegger and Nadia Boulanger. He later worked with Roberto Gerhard and with Mario Davidovsky in electronic music. There was service during World War II as a trombonist and arranger in an army band.

Recordings - CD

• Variations for Orchestra - Orchestra of Radio Zurich, Jonathan Sternberg, conductor, Composers Recordings "American Masters Series," Music of Leslie Bassett, CRI CD 677. Pulitzer Prize, 1966
• Echoes from an Invisible World - Baltimore Sym. Orch., Sergiu Comissiona, cond., Composers Recordings CRI "American Masters Series," Music of Leslie Bassett, CD 677 , U. S. Bi-centennial commission
• Sextet for Piano and Strings - Concord String Quartet with John Graham, viola, and Gilbert Kalish, piano. Composers Recordings "American Master Series", Music of Leslie Bassett, CRI CD 677. Koussevistsky Foundation in Library of Congress commission, Naumburg Recording Award
• Duo Concertante - alto sax and piano, Kenneth Fischer, Richard Zimdars, One World Records, ACA Digital Recordings, Atlanta.
• Trio for Violin, Clarinet and Piano - Verdehr Trio, Leonarda Records, LE 326
• Dialogues for Oboe and Piano - Harry Sargous, Robert Conway, Crystal Records, CD326
• Lullaby - (band), Lawrence University Wind Ensemble, Robert Levy, cond., Mark Records MCD-1302
• Colors and Contours - Miami Univ. Wind Ensemble, Stevens Records, STR920002
• Arias for Clarinet and Piano - Fred Ormand, Ellen Weckler, Opus One Records CD 161
• Illuminations for Flute and Piano - Bryan-Keys Duo, Opus One Records CD 161
• From a Source Evolving - Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra, Joel Suben, cond., Opus One Records CD 156
• Suite for Unaccompanied Trombone - Ralph Sauer, Crystal Records Recital Series 5381; Christian Lindberg, Fermat FLPS 49
• A Ring of Emeralds - in "Choral Tapestries", The Emily Lowe Singers, Northeastern Records Classical Arts NR 241CD
• Brass Quintet - Chestnut Brass Co., in preparation, Albany Records CD
• Thoughts that Sing, Breathe and Burn - orchestra, MMC Records, soon in prep., distributed by Albany Records.
• Narratives for Guitar Quartet - Minneapolis Guitar Quartet, Troy 207, Albany Records, U.S.

Compositions

Further Information

A complete list of his publications and recordings, along with a few reviews and other information, may be found on Leslie Bassett's website at www.LeslieBassett.com

Last updated 8/3/06
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