Alexandra du Bois
Encyclopedia
Alexandra du Bois is an American composer and violinist living in New York.
, Howard Frazin, and David Patterson and continued her training on violin with Lynn Chang
and Sophie Vilker. At age sixteen, she began studies at the University of Massachusetts at Boston
and the Longy School of Music
. She credits the solitude of the ocean and rural farmland as a child to her first impetus to start composing.
A graduate of The Juilliard School
and the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music
with a Master of Music and a Bachelor of Music degree, respectively, du Bois began her earliest musical training on the violin at age two with Suzanne Schreck. While at Indiana University
, she studied under the direction of composers Sven-David Sandström
, Claude Baker
and Don Freund
and violinists Federico Agostini and Henryk Kowalski; at Juilliard, du Bois' sole teacher in composition was Christopher Rouse.
Du Bois has previously been composer-in-residence at Carnegie Hall
through The Weill Music Institute's Professional Training Workshop: Kronos: Signature Works, Dartmouth College
, Mammoth Lakes Music Festival, and Merkin Concert Hall
through the Zoom: Composers Close Up series. In 2010, du Bois was composer-in-residence with Southwest Chamber Music
throughout L.A. and Vietnam which preceded an artist residency at the Harrison House in Joshua Tree
.
in 2000, du Bois was commissioned to write Our Eyes for double a cappella choir; in honor of Kronos Quartet
's 30th anniversary in 2003, du Bois was commissioned to write her first string quartet. Chosen from among the work of more than 300 composers from 32 countries as the inaugural recipient of the Kronos: Under 30 Project, du Bois wrote String Quartet: An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind for Kronos Quartet which she cites as a protest to the U.S . led invasion of Iraq. New York City's
Kaufman Center
commissioned du Bois' Cloud Watching in honor of their 50th anniversary in 2004; The Beaux Arts Trio
commissioned her first piano trio (L'apothesose d'un reve) in honor of their 50th anniversary in 2004; Bargemusic
commissioned Soleil sur Mer as part of their 30th anniversary celebration in 2007; during the 1000th anniversary of the founding of the city of Hanoi
in 2010, du Bois' Within Earth, Wood Grows for chamber orchestra was premiered at the Hanoi Opera House by Southwest Chamber Music
on March 19, 2010. Du Bois was Composer-in-Residence with Southwest Chamber Music in connection with their Ascending Dragon Music Festival.
More recently, du Bois was commissioned by cellist Wendy Sutter (of Songs and Poems by Philip Glass
) for a multi-movement cello work," the Savannah Music Festival
for a second chamber work commission featuring violinist Daniel Hope, Present Music and PALS Children's Chorus for choral/instrument works, and the Anchorage Symphony and Cabrillo Festival Orchestra for orchestral works. Alexandra du Bois' compositions have been performed on five continents at venues including Carnegie Hall, New York; Concertgebouw
, Amsterdam
; Barbican Hall, London; Théâtre de la Ville
, Paris; Kursaal Centre, San Sebastian; Smetana Hall, Prague; Teatro Gran Rex
, Buenos Aires and Hanoi Opera House
, Hanoi, Vietnam, De Oosterpoort, Groningen and Muziekcentrum Frits Philips, Eindhoven.
. As explained by NewMusicBox.com, "The music born of this was starkly touching, conveying the complexity of individual human darkness rather than the epic turmoil of nations in a time of genocide." Du Bois stated of the nature and title of the same composition: “Night can represent the darkness of that time, of humanity, but it also represents the unconscious. Etty Hillesum was always uplifting—she was almost always singing a song. She had an incredible sense of inner light.” In 2004, du Bois received a grant from The Netherland-America Foundation
and traveled throughout the Netherlands and Poland to retrace Hillesum's footsteps in preparation for writing the quartet. Kronos Quartet presented the New York premiere of du Bois' third string quartet alongside the world premiere of Henryk Gorecki
's third string quartet ("...songs are sung") at Carnegie Hall on 24 March 2005.
Choral
Orchestral / Large ensemble
Voice and piano
Solo
Choreographed works
Arrangements
Film
Biography
Born in Virginia Beach, Virginia in 1981, du Bois later moved to rural, south-eastern Virginia with her parents at the age thirteen. After moving to Cambridge, Massachusetts, she began her formal training in composition with Osvaldo GolijovOsvaldo Golijov
Osvaldo Noé Golijov is a Grammy award–winning composer of classical music.-Biography:Osvaldo Golijov was born in and grew up in La Plata, Argentina, in a Jewish family that had emigrated to Argentina in the 1920s from Romania and Russia.Golijov has developed a rich musical language, the result of...
, Howard Frazin, and David Patterson and continued her training on violin with Lynn Chang
Lynn Chang
Lynn Chang is a Chinese American violinist known for his work as both a soloist and a chamber musician. Chang is a founding member of the Boston Chamber Music Society and is currently a faculty member at MIT, Boston University, the Boston Conservatory, and the New England Conservatory of...
and Sophie Vilker. At age sixteen, she began studies at the University of Massachusetts at Boston
University of Massachusetts Boston
The University of Massachusetts Boston, also known as UMass Boston, is an urban public research university and the second largest campus in the five-campus University of Massachusetts system. The university is located on on Harbor Point in the City of Boston, Massachusetts, United States...
and the Longy School of Music
Longy School of Music
The Longy School of Music of Bard College is a conservatory located near Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1915, it was one of the four independent degree-granting music schools in the Boston region along with the New England Conservatory, Berklee College of Music, and Boston...
. She credits the solitude of the ocean and rural farmland as a child to her first impetus to start composing.
A graduate of The Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
and the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music
Jacobs School of Music
The Jacobs School of Music of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, is a music conservatory established in 1921. Until 2005, it was known as the Indiana University School of Music...
with a Master of Music and a Bachelor of Music degree, respectively, du Bois began her earliest musical training on the violin at age two with Suzanne Schreck. While at Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
, she studied under the direction of composers Sven-David Sandström
Sven-David Sandström
Sven-David Sandström is a Swedish composer best known for his compositions operas, oratorios, battets, and choral works, as well as orchestral works.Sandström studied art history and musicology at Stockholm University...
, Claude Baker
Claude Baker
W. Claude Baker Jr. is an American composer of contemporary classical music.Claude Baker attained a B.M. degree, magna cum laude, from East Carolina University in 1970. He subsequently studied composition at the Eastman School of Music with Samuel Adler and Warren Benson, and holds M.M. and D.M.A...
and Don Freund
Don Freund
Don Freund is an American composer and Professor of Composition at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music...
and violinists Federico Agostini and Henryk Kowalski; at Juilliard, du Bois' sole teacher in composition was Christopher Rouse.
Du Bois has previously been composer-in-residence at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
through The Weill Music Institute's Professional Training Workshop: Kronos: Signature Works, Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
, Mammoth Lakes Music Festival, and Merkin Concert Hall
Merkin Concert Hall
Merkin Concert Hall is a 449-seat concert hall in Manhattan, New York City. The hall, named in honor of Hermann and Ursula Merkin, is part of the Kaufman Center, a complex that includes the Lucy Moses School, a community arts school, and the Special Music School , a New York City public school for...
through the Zoom: Composers Close Up series. In 2010, du Bois was composer-in-residence with Southwest Chamber Music
Southwest Chamber Music
Southwest Chamber Music is an ensemble of 15 musicians based in Los Angeles County, California. The organization was founded in 1987 by Artistic Director Jeff von der Schmidt and Executive Director Jan Karlin...
throughout L.A. and Vietnam which preceded an artist residency at the Harrison House in Joshua Tree
Joshua tree
Yucca brevifolia is a plant species belonging to the genus Yucca. It is tree-like in habit, which is reflected in its common names: Joshua tree, Yucca palm, Tree yucca, and Palm tree yucca....
.
Du Bois' music
The music of du Bois appears to consistently attract commissions of commemorative connotation; in honor of the 35th anniversary of the University Chorus at the University of Massachusetts - BostonUniversity of Massachusetts Boston
The University of Massachusetts Boston, also known as UMass Boston, is an urban public research university and the second largest campus in the five-campus University of Massachusetts system. The university is located on on Harbor Point in the City of Boston, Massachusetts, United States...
in 2000, du Bois was commissioned to write Our Eyes for double a cappella choir; in honor of Kronos Quartet
Kronos Quartet
Kronos Quartet is a string quartet founded by violinist David Harrington in 1973 in Seattle, Washington. Since 1978, the quartet has been based in San Francisco, California. The longest-running combination of performers had Harrington and John Sherba on violin, Hank Dutt on viola, and Joan...
's 30th anniversary in 2003, du Bois was commissioned to write her first string quartet. Chosen from among the work of more than 300 composers from 32 countries as the inaugural recipient of the Kronos: Under 30 Project, du Bois wrote String Quartet: An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind for Kronos Quartet which she cites as a protest to the U.S . led invasion of Iraq. New York City's
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
Kaufman Center
Kaufman Center
Kaufman Center is a notable performing arts complex in New York City that houses Lucy Moses School, the Special Music School, and Merkin Concert Hall. Originally known as the Hebrew Arts School, it was founded in 1952 and is currently located on West 67th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam...
commissioned du Bois' Cloud Watching in honor of their 50th anniversary in 2004; The Beaux Arts Trio
Beaux Arts Trio
The Beaux Arts Trio was a noted piano trio. They made their debut on July 13, 1955 at the Berkshire Music Festival, known today as the Tanglewood Music Center. Their final American concert was held at Tanglewood on August 21, 2008. It was webcast live and archived on NPR Music...
commissioned her first piano trio (L'apothesose d'un reve) in honor of their 50th anniversary in 2004; Bargemusic
Bargemusic
Bargemusic, formally known as Bargemusic, Ltd. is a classical music venue and cultural icon in Brooklyn, New York. Founded in 1977, it is housed on a converted coffee barge moored at Fulton Ferry Landing on the East River near the Brooklyn Bridge....
commissioned Soleil sur Mer as part of their 30th anniversary celebration in 2007; during the 1000th anniversary of the founding of the city of Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
in 2010, du Bois' Within Earth, Wood Grows for chamber orchestra was premiered at the Hanoi Opera House by Southwest Chamber Music
Southwest Chamber Music
Southwest Chamber Music is an ensemble of 15 musicians based in Los Angeles County, California. The organization was founded in 1987 by Artistic Director Jeff von der Schmidt and Executive Director Jan Karlin...
on March 19, 2010. Du Bois was Composer-in-Residence with Southwest Chamber Music in connection with their Ascending Dragon Music Festival.
More recently, du Bois was commissioned by cellist Wendy Sutter (of Songs and Poems by Philip Glass
Philip Glass
Philip Glass is an American composer. He is considered to be one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century and is widely acknowledged as a composer who has brought art music to the public .His music is often described as minimalist, along with...
) for a multi-movement cello work," the Savannah Music Festival
Savannah music festival
The Savannah Music Festival is Georgia's largest musical arts festival. The festival is a cross-genre event that celebrates both the musical heritage of the South and international musicians. The festival is held annually over eighteen consecutive days in the springtime in Savannah, Georgia...
for a second chamber work commission featuring violinist Daniel Hope, Present Music and PALS Children's Chorus for choral/instrument works, and the Anchorage Symphony and Cabrillo Festival Orchestra for orchestral works. Alexandra du Bois' compositions have been performed on five continents at venues including Carnegie Hall, New York; Concertgebouw
Concertgebouw
The Concertgebouw is a concert hall in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The Dutch term "concertgebouw" literally translates into English as "concert building"...
, Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
; Barbican Hall, London; Théâtre de la Ville
Théâtre de la Ville
The Théâtre de la Ville is one of the two theatres built in the 19th century by Baron Haussmann at Place du Châtelet, Paris; the other being the Théâtre du Châtelet...
, Paris; Kursaal Centre, San Sebastian; Smetana Hall, Prague; Teatro Gran Rex
Teatro Gran Rex
The Teatro Gran Rex is an Art Deco style theatre in Buenos Aires, Argentina which opened on July 8, 1937, as the largest cinema in South America....
, Buenos Aires and Hanoi Opera House
Hanoi Opera House
The Hanoi Opera House is an opera house in central Hanoi, Vietnam. It was erected by the French colonial administration between 1901 and 1911. It was modeled on the Palais Garnier, the older of Paris's two opera houses, and is considered to be one of the architectural landmarks of Hanoi.The Hanoi...
, Hanoi, Vietnam, De Oosterpoort, Groningen and Muziekcentrum Frits Philips, Eindhoven.
Night Songs
Du Bois' third string quartet, Night Songs (Nachtliederen), also commissioned by Kronos Quartet, was composed from inspiration received from the letters and diaries of Holocaust victim Etty HillesumEtty Hillesum
Esther "Etty" Hillesum was a young Jewish woman whose letters and diaries, kept between 1941 and 1943 describe life in Amsterdam during the German occupation...
. As explained by NewMusicBox.com, "The music born of this was starkly touching, conveying the complexity of individual human darkness rather than the epic turmoil of nations in a time of genocide." Du Bois stated of the nature and title of the same composition: “Night can represent the darkness of that time, of humanity, but it also represents the unconscious. Etty Hillesum was always uplifting—she was almost always singing a song. She had an incredible sense of inner light.” In 2004, du Bois received a grant from The Netherland-America Foundation
Netherland-America Foundation
The Netherland-America Foundation supports bilateral exchange between the United States of America and the Netherlands. It was founded in 1921. Two of the founders were Franklin D. Roosevelt, later the U.S...
and traveled throughout the Netherlands and Poland to retrace Hillesum's footsteps in preparation for writing the quartet. Kronos Quartet presented the New York premiere of du Bois' third string quartet alongside the world premiere of Henryk Gorecki
Henryk Górecki
Henryk Mikołaj Górecki was a composer of contemporary classical music. He studied at the State Higher School of Music in Katowice between 1955 and 1960. In 1968, he joined the faculty and rose to provost before resigning in 1979. Górecki became a leading figure of the Polish avant-garde during...
's third string quartet ("...songs are sung") at Carnegie Hall on 24 March 2005.
Selected works
Chamber- (1999) Trio for violin, cello and double bass
- (1999) Sonata for violin and piano ("The Storm")
- (2001) String Quintet: A Requiem for the Living for two violins, viola and two double basses'
- (2003) String Quartet: Oculus pro oculu totum orbem terrae caecat
(An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind) - (2003) Tempête de Sable (Storm of Sand) for clarinet, violin and viola
- (2003) String Quartet No. 2: Quartet of Images (quartet satz)
- (2003) Sonata for cello and piano
- (2004) Piano Trio: L'apothéose d'un rêve (Apotheosis of a Dream)
- (2005) String Quartet No. 3: Night Songs (Nachtliederen)
- (2006) Bruciare Distante (Burning Distant) for piano, violin, two cellos and double bass
- (2007) The Speaking Tide for piano, bass clarinet and cello
- (2007) Soleil sur Mer (Sun on Sea) for piano, clarinet and cello
- (2008) Dopo il duol, dopo il mal (After Sorrow, After Woe) for alto flute, harp and hand percussion
- (2009) Chanson d'orage (Thunderstorm of Song) for two violins
- (2010) Interstices of Aurorae for clarinet and cello
- (2011) Quintet for piano, violin, cello and double bass
Choral
- (2000) Our Eyes (a cappella)
- (2001) Júdica Me (a cappella)
- (2008) In Beauty, May I Walk (a cappella)
- (2009) In Beauty, May I Walk for women's choir, children's choir, clarinet, string quartet and double bass
Orchestral / Large ensemble
- (2001) Four Songs for mezzo soprano and orchestra
- (2004) Luminocity for mixed, amplified ensemble
- (2007) A Requiem for the Living for string orchestra
- (2009) Fanfare for Change (2-2-2-2; 4-3-2-1; timp.; strings)
- (2009) In Beauty, May I Walk for women's choir, clarinet, string quartet and double bass
- (2010) Within Earth, Wood Grows for large chamber orchestra and Vietnamese Dan Bau
- (2011) Prologue: The Quechol's Cry for children's choir, prepared piano and string quartet
Voice and piano
- (1999) El Regreso (The Return) (mezzo soprano)
- (2000) Corazón Nuevo (New Heart) (tenor)
Solo
- (2001) Preludes to Solitude (guitar)
- (2004) Imaginary Pieces (piano)
- (2007) Prelude (organ)
- (2009) Out of Blue (cello)
Choreographed works
- (2006) Bruciare Distante (Burning Distant)
- (2007) The Speaking Tide
Arrangements
- (2006) I Wonder As I Wander
- (2006) Lamentu di Maria (Anonymous)
- (2007) Night Songs (Nachtliederen) Excerpts for Woodwind Quintet
- (2007) Bryant Medley
Film
- (2010) Patent Leather Scars by Yusef Miller; du Bois' The Speaking Tide licensed for soundtrack on complete version of film (not yet released)
Further reading
- NPR Radio - Alexandra du Bois commentary (2003)
- The Hilferty Harangue - Concert Review (2009)
- Strings Magazine - article
- Present Music: Meet composer Alexandra du Bois (2009)
- ThirdCoast Digest: photographic & audio slideshow (2009)
- Video Interview with Martin PerlichMartin PerlichMartin Perlich, born 1937 in Cleveland, Ohio is an American broadcaster and writer. He attended Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio and Columbia University where he studied music history with composer Douglas Moore....
(2009) - LA Times: Du Bois and the Ascending Dragon Music Festival (2010)
- LA Times: Faces to Watch in 2010 - Music
External links
- Alexandra du Bois on MyspaceMyspaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
- Alexandra du Bois on FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...