Christopher Rouse (composer)

Christopher Rouse (born 15 February 1949 in Baltimore, Maryland) is an American composer.

Biography

Rouse studied with Richard Hoffmann at Oberlin Conservatory of Music, graduating in 1971, and later completed graduate degrees under Karel Husa at Cornell University in 1977. In between, Rouse studied privately with George Crumb. Early recognition came from the BMI Foundation's BMI Student Composer Awards in 1972 and 1973. Rouse taught at the University of Michigan from 1978 to 1981 and at the Eastman School of Music from 1981 to 2002. He currently teaches at the Juilliard School (since 1997). In 2002, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

His notable students include Michael Torke and Kevin Puts.

He has four children: Angela, Jillian, Alexandra, and Adrian.

Music

Rouse is commonly referred to^{[weasel words]} as a neo-romantic composer, as many of his works attempt to combine diatonicism with more contemporary musical idioms. He has been praised for his orchestration skills, particularly with percussion [1]. He often quotes works of other composers (e.g., his Symphony #1, composed in 1986, incorporates quotations from the music of Bruckner and Shostakovich).^{[citation needed]}

Complete works

Orchestra

Gorgon (1984)
Phantasmata (1981/85)
Phaethon (1986)
Symphony No. 1 (1986, awarded the Kennedy Center Friedheim Award in 1988)
Iscariot (chamber orchestra, 1989)
Concerto per Corde (string orchestra, 1990)
Symphony No. 2 (1994)
Envoi (1995)
Rapture (2000)
The Nevill Feast (2003)
Friandises (ballet, 2005)
Concerto for Orchestra (2007/08)

Orchestra with soloist

Violin Concerto (1991)
Trombone Concerto (1991, awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1993)
Cello Concerto (1992-93)
Flute Concerto (1993)
Der gerettete Alberich (percussion, 1997)
Seeing (piano, 1998)
Concert de Gaudí (guitar, 1999)
Clarinet Concerto (2001)
Oboe Concerto (2004)

Voice and orchestra

Karolju (chorus, 1990)
Kabir Padavali ("Kabir Songbook", soprano, 1997-98)
Requiem (2001-02) Commissioned by Soli Deo Gloria, premiered 2006 by Los Angeles Master Chorale

Wind Ensemble

Wolf Rounds (2007)

Chamber music

Ogoun Badagris (percussion ensemble, 1976)
Quattro Madrigali (eight-voice choir, 1976)
Ku-Ka-Ilimoku (percussion ensemble, 1978)
Mitternachtslieder (bass-baritone and mixed ensemble, 1979)
Rotae Passionis (mixed ensemble, 1982)
String Quartet #1 (1982)
Lares Hercii (violin and harpsichord, 1983)
The Surma Ritornelli (mixed ensemble, 1983)
Artemis (brass quintet, 1988)
Bonham (percussion ensemble, 1988)
String Quartet #2 (1988)
Compline (flute, clarinet, harp and string quartet, 1996)
Rapturedux (cello ensemble, 2001)

Solo works

Morpheus (cello, 1975)
Little Gorgon (piano, 1986)
Ricordanza (cello, 1995)
Valentine (flute, 1996)

External links

Christopher Rouse - Composer (official site)
Art of the States: Christopher Rouse three works by the composer