William Susman
| William Susman | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
William Joseph Susman August 29, 1960 Chicago, United States |
| Education | University of Illinois |
| Occupation | Composer, pianist, film producer |
| Years active | 1983–present |
| Website |
www |
William Joseph Susman (born August 29, 1960) is an American composer of concert and film music and a pianist. He has written orchestral and chamber music as well as documentary film scores.[1]
Music
Susman's music is inspired by Afro-Cuban montuño, medieval hocket and isorhythm. In addition to performances of his music in the U.S. and Europe, his compositions have been broadcast, for example his piano concerto on WQXR,[2] in New Sounds on WNYC,[3] Echoes[4] on NPR and Concertzender.[5]
He founded the record label Belarca Records to distribute his material.
Influences
Susman's earliest orchestral works were influenced by Iannis Xenakis and György Ligeti.[6] He is interested in algorithmic composition, following his composition teacher Herbert Brun at the University of Illinois.[7] His microtonal compositions were influenced by Ben Johnston. He also studied piano with Pauline Lindsey (a student of Artur Schnabel), Steve Behr (pianist with Louis Armstrong) and Alan Swain.
Awards
- ASCAP Foundation Young Composer Award for Trailing Vortices[8]
- ASCAP Foundation Raymond Hubbell Award for Movement for Orchestra
- BMI Student Composer Award for Pentateuch[9]
- Fromm Music Foundation at Harvard for Trailing Vortices[10]
- Gaudeamus International Musicweek for Trailing Vortices
- KUCYNA/ALEA III International Composers Competition for Twisted Figures
- Percussive Arts Society for Exchanges
Works
Orchestra
- Snow Lion of Peace (2009)
- Zydeco Madness: To the Forgotten of Huricaine Katrina (2006)
- Angels of Light (1991)
- Uprising (1989)
- Trailing Vortices (1986)
- Pentateuch (1984)
- Openings (1982)
- Movement for Orchestra (1980)
Chamber ensemble
- Seven Scenes for Four Flutes (2011)
- Camille (2010)
- Clouds and Flames (2010)
- Native New Yorker (2005)
- Three Different Keyboards (2001)
- The Starry Dynamo (1994)
- Exposé (1989)
- Twisted Figures (1987)
- Streamlines (1984)
- For Three Trombones (1983)
Wind quintet
- Six Minutes Thirty Seconds (1995)
Brass quintet
- The Heavens Above (1998)
Vocal/Choral
- Salaam Alaykum, Shalom Alaychem (2011) SATB
- Eternal Light (2010) SATB
- Scatter My Ashes (2009)
- Living These Seasons (2009) SATB & piano
- Moving in to an Empty Space (1992)
- Interlude (1984)
- Two Songs (1983)
- Elie (1983) SATB
- Three Songs (1981)
Percussion
- Material Rhythms for percussion quartet (2010)
- Amores Montuños for flute & marimba (2008)
- Marimba Montuño for Joseph Gramley (2002)
- Floating Falling for cello and timpani (1987)
- Exchanges for percussion soloist and winds (1982)
String quartet
- Zydeco Madness (2006)
- Patterns of Change (1997)
- Up to the Sky (1988)
- Streams (1984)
Piano Trio Clouds and Flames (2010)
Piano
- Quiet Rhythms - Book IV (2013) A set of 22 piano pieces
- Quiet Rhythms - Book III (2012) A set of 22 piano pieces
- Quiet Rhythms - Book II (2010) A set of 22 piano pieces
- Quiet Rhythms - Book I (2010) A set of 22 piano pieces
- Piano Montuño (2004)
- Uprising (1988)
Solo and duo
- Zydeco Madness for accordion (2005)
- Duo Montuño for clarinet & piano (2004)
- Duo Montuño for alto sax & piano (2004)
- Duo Montuño for viola and piano (2004)
- Motions of Return for flute & piano (1996)
- For Cello (1984)
- Halilah for viola (1983)
- Nnyl for trombone (1983)
- Turbulence for flute (1983)
- Violin Study (1983)
Electronic
- Waves for piano and computer-generated sound (version with notated piano part) (1982)
- Waves for Any number of improvisers and computer-generated sound (1982)
Film music
- People of the Graphic Novel (2012)
- Joann Sfar Draws from Memory (2012)
- When Medicine Got It Wrong (2009)
- Balancing Acts: A Jewish Theater in the Soviet Union (2008)
- Making the Man (2007)
- Fate of the Lhapa (2007)
- Native New Yorker (2005)
- Oil on Ice (2004)
- Asphyxiating Uma (2002)
- Deep Under the Ice (2000) aka NASA Explores Under the Ice
- Daydream Believer (1998)
- Alaska's Arctic Wildlife (1997)
- Indonesia (1996)
- The Philippines (1996)
- Southern Africa Safari (1995)
- Discovering the Amazon and the Andes (1994)
- The Elephant Seals of Ano Nuevo (1994)
- Exploring Tropical Australia (1993)
References
- ↑ "All Music" William Susman Biography
- ↑ Last played Monday, July 18 2016 at 01:18 AM / Piano Concerto / William Susman WQXR 18 July 2016
- ↑ "New Sounds, WNYC" Psychosounds, J. Schaefer, New Sounds, Broadcast on WNYC (archive of the original)
- ↑ "Echoes Radio Show" Syndicated to NPR (Public Radio International)
- ↑ Concertzender (8 September 2003). "14:00 - 16:00 Thema: William Susman".
- ↑ Opus One Memphis Interview with William Susman
- ↑ All Music Guide Stephen Eddins Biography for William Susman
- ↑ ASCAP. Morton Gould Young Composer Awards Recipients 1979-2003
- ↑ BMI Student Composer Award Winners BMI
- ↑ Fromm Music Foundation archives. Susman, William.
External links
- Susman Music - Official Website including audio files and scores
- William Susman on Twitter
- Music for Moving Pictures A review written for the Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange by Mark S. Tucker
- William Susman Fromm Music Foundation, Commission 1986
- National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. to Screen Award-Winning Film Native New Yorker mckenzienewsservice.com
- Contemporary Directions Ensemble Short biography, University of Michigan School of Music 1987
- First Dissertation Recital Short biography, University of Michigan School of Music 9 July 1987
- Native New Yorker 8th United Nations Associations Film Festival (UNAFF) 2005
- Sound of Silent Film: NYC acmusic.org
- In Conversation With William Susman Interview in The Voice Magazine, 2014
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