Donald Grantham

In 2005, Donald Grantham received a commission from Daniel Hamermesh for Five Preludes for Piano. He has also been actively engaged as guest composer serving as: Composer-in-Residence, Hendrix College, Conway, AR, November 2004; guest composer, Baton Rouge Symphony, February 2005; Composer-in-Residence, Louisiana State University New Music Festival, February 2005; and Composer-in-Residence, Oklahoma State University, April 2005.

Premieres

Baron Samedi’s Sarabande (and Soft Shoe) was commissioned and introduced by the Tennessee Tech Wind Ensemble on November 3, 2005. Music for the Blanton for large chamber ensemble, commissioned by the University of Texas to celebrate the opening of the Blanton Museum, was presented on April 24 and 30, 2005 by faculty members of the School of Music at the Museum. The Cross Town Trio commissioned and premiered Music for the Cross Town Trio, for saxophone, viola, and piano, at the International Saxophone Congress, July 8, in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The children’s musical Three Grimm Fairy Tales, a commissioned 45-minute work for three actors designed to be performed at elementary school in central Texas, was introduced on August 8 in Dallas, TX. Commissioning artist Carlos Prieto presented Son of Cimetière, for cello and piano, in fall 2006, while the wind ensemble Trumpet Gloria also premiered in the fall in a performance by a consortium of wind ensembles under the direction of Paula Crider.

Publications

Music for the Blanton, large chamber ensemble; Baron Samedi’s Sarabande (and Soft Shoe), wind ensemble; Music for the Cross Town Trio, saxophone, viola, and piano; Three Grimm Fairy Tales, children’s musical; Son of Cimetière, cello and piano; Trumpet Gloria, wind ensemble; all by Piquant Press, www.piquantpress.com.

Recordings

Houston Strokes for percussion ensemble; University of Houston Percussion Ensemble, conducted by Blake Wilkins; Albany Records. We Remember Them, for a cappella chorus, text from the Hebrew Union Prayer Book; Conspirare Choir directed by Craig Hella Johson; Clarion. Court Music for wind ensemble; Showa Wind Symphony led by Eugene Corporon; CAFU Records, Inc. Japan. Fantasy Variations on “Gershwin Remembered“ for wind ensemble; U.S. Coast Guard Band, under the direction of Lt. Kenneth W. Megan; United States Information Agency. Baron Cimetière’s Mambo on “To The Edge of Space” for wind ensemble; U.S. Air Force Mid America Band, Capt. Donald Schofield, conductor; United States Information Agency.

Further Information

• 2004-2005 American Composers Update
• 2003-2004 American Composers Update
• 2000-2001 American Composers Update
• 1999-2000 American Composers Update
• 1998-1999 American Composers Update
• SAI's Composers Bureau Online