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Jonathan Russell (composer)

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For other people named Jonathan Russell, see Jonathan Russell (disambiguation).
Jonathan Russell
GenresClassical
OccupationComposer
Instruments
Labels
Websitehttp://jonrussellmusic.com

Jonathan Russell (born 1979) is an American composer of classical music, clarinetist, and bass clarinetist. Russell was the founder of the Switchboard Music Festival, which will hold its 10th anniversary in the summer of 2018.[2][3] His primary teachers have included Paul Lansky, Barbara White, Steve Mackey, Elinor Armer, and Eric Ewazen.

Career

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Composer

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Russell has been commissioned by, worked with, and written for ensembles including the San Francisco Symphony, Prism Quartet, Symphony Number One, Empyrian Ensemble, Wild Rumpus, Woodstock Chamber Orchestra, and the JACK Quartet.[4][5]

The Imani Winds has a long-term relationship with Mr. Russell through the wind quintets Legacy Commissioning Project, which has led to three large scale arrangements of orchestral works for woodwind quintet.[6]

Clarinet and bass clarinet

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Soloist

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A frequent composer for various clarinets, Russell frequently solos as a bass clarinetist, performing his own and other works. Among his own works, he premiered his Sonata for Bass Clarinet and Piano with pianist Kate Campbell which Campbell herself commissioned.[7] Mr. Russell's performance of Debussy's Premiere Rhapsody was noted for giving, “increasing energy, leading to a smashingly tangy conclusion from a lurking opening. Russell is a real virtuoso with true command over his instrument’s range of expression…”[8]

Sqwonk

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Along with his partner Jeff Anderle, the bass clarinet duo Sqwonk performed in the San Francisco area.[9] The ensemble has self-released several albums of original music for bass clarinet duo as well as works for small ensemble.[10]

Edmund Welles

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Main article: Edmund Welles

Sqwonk members Anderle and Russell join with Cornelius Boots and Aaron Novik to form quartet Edmund Welles: The Bass Clarinet Quartet which themselves also have their own discography.[11]

List of works

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Original works

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  • ...and the Beast[12]
  • ...in the fir trees: fireflies[13]
  • Bass Clarinet Concerto[14]
  • Bass Clarinet Double Concerto
  • Claremont Suite[15]
  • Groove: for Bass Clarinet Solo[16]
  • Eleven[17][18]
  • KlezDuo (2005)[19]
  • Lament and Frippery[20]
  • Light Cathedral[21]
  • Octet[22]
  • O Cool is the Valley Now
  • Rain Has Fallen
  • Repetitive Stress[23][24]
  • Sonata for Bass Clarinet and Piano[25]
  • String Quartet[26]
  • Supra[27]
  • Technobabble[28]
  • Twelve Bean Groove Machine[29][30]

Arrangements

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  • Rimsky Korsakov: Scheherazade
  • Holst: The Planets
  • Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring[31][32][33]

Discography

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More (Symphony Number One)

The Valley Sings: Choral Music by Composers of the Hudson Valley (Kairos)

  • Released: 2013[36]
  • Format: CD
  • Label: MSR Classics
  • Writers: Aaron Copland, James Fitzwilliam, Craig Fryer, John B Hedges, Edward Lundergan, Panaiotis, Jonathan Russell, Peter Schickele, Peter Sipple, George Tsontakis, and Shirley Hoffman Warren
  • Tracks: "Rain Has Fallen", "O Cool is the Valley Now"

High Art (The Living Earth Show)

Stravinsky: Rite of Spring (Imani Winds) (EP)

References

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  1. ^ Sqwonk at Library of Congress
  2. ^ "San Francisco's Switchboard Music Festival Featuring Kronos Quartet, June 10". Amoeblog. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  3. ^ Van Houten, Ben (2016-06-16). "Tyondai Braxton (ex-Battles) leads Saturday's Switchboard Music Festival - The Bay Bridged - San Francisco Bay Area Indie Music". The Bay Bridged - San Francisco Bay Area Indie Music. Archived from the original on 2018-02-03. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  4. ^ "Classical & Opera Listings for May 22–28". The New York Times. 2015-05-21. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  5. ^ "Events in New Jersey for April 13-19, 2014". The New York Times. 2014-04-10. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  6. ^ "Legacy Commissioning Project". Imani Winds. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  7. ^ "Sonata for Bass Clarinet and Piano | Jonathan Russell". jonrussellmusic.com. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  8. ^ Bratman, David (March 28, 2014). "Oeninsula Symphony Rises to Musical Challenge". The San Mateo Daily Journal.
  9. ^ Smoliar, Stephen (2016-07-29). "The Rehearsal Studio: Jonathan Russell Provides Engaging Music for the Latest Garret + Moulton Premiere". The Rehearsal Studio. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  10. ^ "Sounds Heard: Sqwonk—Black". NewMusicBox. 2010-07-13. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  11. ^ "Edmund Welles: the bass clarinet quartet" (PDF). Chamber Music America. Chamber Music America. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  12. ^ VIAF 180533713
  13. ^ Sigler, Andrew (2012-11-28). "String Quartet Smackdown! In Austin". NewMusicBox. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  14. ^ Plum, Nancy. "Princeton University Orchestra Unveils 2014-15 Ensemble in Concerto Performance | Town Topics". www.towntopics.com. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  15. ^ OCLC 870153244
  16. ^ OCLC 819626771
  17. ^ OCLC 752588318
  18. ^ "A Taste of San Francisco's Switchboard Music Festival". WQXR. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  19. ^ KlezDuo at Library of Congress
  20. ^ "Wild Rumpus". wildrumpusmusic.org. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  21. ^ "Composition | Jonathan Russell". jonrussellmusic.com. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  22. ^ VIAF 295034143
  23. ^ Walsh, Kelsey (2012-04-12). "Switchboard Music Festival 2012 at Brava Theater". I CARE IF YOU LISTEN. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  24. ^ Cmiel, Scott. "Living Earth Show: A Striking Vision". San Francisco Classical Voice. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  25. ^ Gilman, Seth. "Review: Redshift at the Gershwin Hotel". New York Music Culture Examiner.
  26. ^ Moalem, Beeri. "Musical Marathon". San Francisco Classical Voice. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  27. ^ OCLC 869921409
  28. ^ OCLC 234315454
  29. ^ Cmiel, Matthew (2011-04-08). "Dialing it up at the Switchboard Music Festival". NewMusicBox. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  30. ^ Keebaugh, Aaron. "Boston Classical Review » Blog Archive » Boston New Music Initiative serves up a bracing array of works". bostonclassicalreview.com. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  31. ^ McQuillen, James (July 3, 2013). "Classical review: Imani Winds at Kaul Auditorium". The Oregonian. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  32. ^ Dalton, Joseph (2012-03-25). "Imani Winds @ Emma Willard School". Arts Talk. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  33. ^ Waddington, Chris (2013-03-09). "Imani Winds triumph in New Orleans, tapping jazz and classical styles with soul and savvy". Times Picayune. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  34. ^ "More". Symphony Number One. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  35. ^ Woolever, Lydia (February 8, 2017). "Music Reviews: February 2017 - The latest from PLRLS and Symphony Number One". Baltimore. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  36. ^ OCLC 819588410
  37. ^ Living Earth Show, The. "High Art". Innova. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
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