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Joseph Schwantner Celebrates 70!

Mar. 05, 2013

Joseph Schwantner Celebrates 70!

We send our warmest birthday wishes to American master Joseph Schwantner who celebrates his 70th birthday on March 22. In honor of the special occasion, we've gathered together a lifetime of creative achievements documented in photos, performances, music and video posts, and more. Follow the links below and join us in celebrating the life and music of Joseph Schwantner!

Viewable Scores  Music On Spotify  YouTube In the News  Performances  Discography  Scrapbook

One of the most admired and widely performed of living American composers, Schwantner is an extraordinary orchestral colorist whose music is celebrated internationally for its distinctive dramatic sense. His scores across a wide range of genres consistently display a seamless and rich interplay of disparate elements. The Pulitzer Prize-winning composer has experienced no shortage of activity surrounding his music in recent years. Among recent commissions are the Concerto No. 2, for percussion section, timpani and orchestra, composed for the Percussive Arts Society and Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra; Dream Drapery, for contralto and baroque string quartet written for Karen Clark and the Galax Quartet; The Poet’s Hour, a soliloquy for violin and string orchestra commissioned by the Seattle Symphony Orchestra in honor of Gerard Schwarz’ final season as Music Director; Silver Halowritten for Flute Force in memory of flutist Samuel Baron; and his exhilarating work for Pierrot ensemble, Rhiannon’s Blackbirds, commissioned by eighth blackbird.

In 2007, Schwantner was chosen by the Ford Made in America Commissioning Consortium to compose Chasing Light, which toured to more than 50 orchestras across the US from 2008 through 2010. More on Chasing Light and the Ford Made in America Consortium is available on YouTube here.

A tireless educator, Mr. Schwantner is in constant demand for ensemble and university composer residencies. Recent posts include residencies at the Eastman School of Music, Nashua Symphony Orchestra, Huntsville Symphony Orchestra, Vanderbilt University, University of Memphis, Central Ohio Symphony Orchestra, Omaha Symphony Orchestra, DePauw University, Ohio State University and the University of Delaware.

A wealth of Mr. Schwantner’s music has been released on commercial recordings including five Naxos discs and two Schwantner portrait albums. Joseph Schwantner: Sparrows/Music of Amber was released in 2004 featuring performances of ensemble works by the Holst Sinfonietta and Klaus Simon. Chasing Light was released on the follow up Grammy-winning portrait disc in 2011, featuring the Nashville Symphony and Music Director Giancarlo Guerrero also performing Morning’s Embrace and the world renowned Percussion Concerto. The recording of the Percussion Concerto, featuring soloist Christopher Lamb, won the 2012 Grammy Award for Best Classical Instrumental Solo.

Happy Birthday, Mr. Schwantner! Your many distinguished accomplishments, tireless advocacy for new music and exemplary leadership in music education are cherished by friends, colleagues, students and audiences alike.

For all the latest Schwantner news, works and events visit his composer profile atwww.schott-music.com.

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