Alex Shapiro

Alex Shapiro is the recipient of the 2003 Best Original Composition Award from the international music fraternity Mu Phi Epsilon for her three-movement chamber work for piano, marimba, vibraphone, and metal percussion, At the Abyss. Shapiro has been named the 2004 California MTNA Commissioned Composer by the California Association of Professional Music Teachers, and the resulting new chamber work will be premiered by The Los Angeles Flute Quartet at CAPMT's state conference in February 2004 in Los Angeles. She was awarded an artist residency fellowship at The MacDowell Colony, where she spent most of September 2003. Shapiro received a 2003 award from The American Music Center, as well as a 2003 Subito Award from The American Composers Forum to assist in the recording of her string quintet, Current Events, for her upcoming CD containing several of her chamber music and jazz ensemble works. Shapiro invites readers to visit her website at www.alexshapiro.org to read more about her work and to listen to audio samples of her recent pieces.

Premieres

Current Events was introduced in March 2003 on the Pacific Serenades concert series, Los Angeles, CA, by violinists Miwako Watanabe and Connie Kupka, violists Victoria Miskolczy and David Walther, and cellist David Speltz. At the Abyss was first heard in concert at Santa Clara (CA) University, April 2003, with Teresa McCollough, piano; Luanne Warner, marimba and vibraphone; and Peggy Benkeser, percussion. Violinist Sabrina Ann Berger premiered Desert Waves, May 2003, Fort Lee, NJ. Desert Passage was presented by The Cleveland Duo with James Umble, June 2003, World Saxophone Congress, Minneapolis, MN.

Publications

At the Abyss, commissioned by Teresa McCollough, piano, marimba, vibraphone, metal percussion; Current Events, commissioned by Gerry Aster and J. Christopher Kennedy for Pacific Serenades; Desert Waves, 5-string electric violin and prerecorded electronics; Desert Passage, violin, tenor saxophone, piano; Celebrate!, SSA choir and piano; all by Activist Music.

Further Information