Da Capo Chamber Players
Encyclopedia
Da Capo Chamber Players is an American contemporary music "Pierrot ensemble
," founded in 1970. Winners of the Naumburg Award in 1973, its founding members included composer/pianist Joan Tower
, violinist Joel Lester, Dean of Mannes College of Music
, and flutist Patricia Spencer. The current members are Curtis Macomber, violin; André Emelianoff, cello; Blair McMillen, piano; Patricia Spencer, flute; and Meighan Stoops, clarinet.
Da Capo Chamber Players has commissioned over 100 works from composers such as Joan Tower
, John Harbison
, Chinary Ung
, George Perle
, Shulamit Ran
, Philip Glass
, Kyle Gann
, Roberto Carnevale
, Milton Babbitt
, Martin Bresnick
, and David Lang
among others. In recent years, Da Capo has established active creative relationships with prominent Russian contemporary composers, and the ensemble regularly visits Russia for performances and master classes.
Da Capo Chamber Players has been in residence at Bard College
since 1982, and starting in the fall of 2006 will be ensemble-in-residence with the new Bard Conservatory. Da Capo has released recordings on labels such as Bridge, New World, CRI, and Innova.
Pierrot ensemble
A Pierrot ensemble is a musical ensemble comprising flute, clarinet, violin, cello and piano, frequently augmented by the addition of a singer or percussionist, and/or by the performers doubling on other woodwind/stringed/keyboard instruments.-History:...
," founded in 1970. Winners of the Naumburg Award in 1973, its founding members included composer/pianist Joan Tower
Joan Tower
Joan Tower is a Grammy-winning contemporary American composer, concert pianist and conductor. Lauded by the New Yorker as "one of the most successful woman composers of all time", her bold and energetic compositions have been performed in concert halls around the world...
, violinist Joel Lester, Dean of Mannes College of Music
Mannes College of Music
Mannes College The New School for Music is The New School university's music conservatory. While the university's main campus is located in Greenwich Village, New York City, Mannes maintains its main academic building on the Upper West Side of Manhattan....
, and flutist Patricia Spencer. The current members are Curtis Macomber, violin; André Emelianoff, cello; Blair McMillen, piano; Patricia Spencer, flute; and Meighan Stoops, clarinet.
Da Capo Chamber Players has commissioned over 100 works from composers such as Joan Tower
Joan Tower
Joan Tower is a Grammy-winning contemporary American composer, concert pianist and conductor. Lauded by the New Yorker as "one of the most successful woman composers of all time", her bold and energetic compositions have been performed in concert halls around the world...
, John Harbison
John Harbison
John Harris Harbison is an American composer, best known for his operas and large choral works.-Life:...
, Chinary Ung
Chinary Ung
Chinary Ung is a composer now living in the United States. After arriving in the United States in 1964 to study the clarinet, Ung studied composition with Chou Wen-chung and Mario Davidovsky. Ung is noted for combining traditional Cambodian musical elements with western instrumentation...
, George Perle
George Perle
George Perle was a composer and music theorist. He was born in Bayonne, New Jersey. Perle was an alumnus of DePaul University...
, Shulamit Ran
Shulamit Ran
Shulamit Ran is an Israeli-American composer. She moved from Israel to New York at 14, as a scholarship student at the Mannes College of Music. Her Symphony won her the Pulitzer Prize...
, 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...
, Kyle Gann
Kyle Gann
Kyle Eugene Gann is an American professor of music, critic and composer born in Dallas, Texas. As a critic for The Village Voice and other publications he has been a supporter of progressive music including such Downtown movements as postminimalism and totalism.- As composer :As a composer his...
, Roberto Carnevale
Roberto Carnevale
Roberto Carnevale is an Italian composer, pianist and conductor.- Biography and career :Born in Catania, he started studying piano at the age of seven. He took a degree in Arts at the University of Catania and he attended the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena...
, Milton Babbitt
Milton Babbitt
Milton Byron Babbitt was an American composer, music theorist, and teacher. He is particularly noted for his serial and electronic music.-Biography:...
, Martin Bresnick
Martin Bresnick
Martin Bresnick is a composer of contemporary classical music, film scores and experimental music.-Education and early career:Bresnick was born and raised in the Bronx, and is a graduate of New York City's specialized High School of Music and Art. He was educated at the University of Hartford ,...
, and David Lang
David Lang (composer)
David Lang is an American composer living in New York City. He was awarded the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Music for The Little Match Girl Passion.-Biography:...
among others. In recent years, Da Capo has established active creative relationships with prominent Russian contemporary composers, and the ensemble regularly visits Russia for performances and master classes.
Da Capo Chamber Players has been in residence at Bard College
Bard College
Bard College, founded in 1860 as "St. Stephen's College", is a small four-year liberal arts college located in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York.-Location:...
since 1982, and starting in the fall of 2006 will be ensemble-in-residence with the new Bard Conservatory. Da Capo has released recordings on labels such as Bridge, New World, CRI, and Innova.
Recordings
- Dreamtigers: Chamber Music by Judith Shatin (2004)
- Chamber Music of Shulamit RanShulamit RanShulamit Ran is an Israeli-American composer. She moved from Israel to New York at 14, as a scholarship student at the Mannes College of Music. Her Symphony won her the Pulitzer Prize...
(1995) - Joan TowerJoan TowerJoan Tower is a Grammy-winning contemporary American composer, concert pianist and conductor. Lauded by the New Yorker as "one of the most successful woman composers of all time", her bold and energetic compositions have been performed in concert halls around the world...
: Chamber & Solo Works (1994) - Arnold SchoenbergArnold SchoenbergArnold Schoenberg was an Austrian composer, associated with the expressionist movement in German poetry and art, and leader of the Second Viennese School...
: Pierrot LunairePierrot LunaireDreimal sieben Gedichte aus Albert Girauds 'Pierrot lunaire' , commonly known simply as Pierrot Lunaire, Op. 21 , is a melodrama by Arnold Schoenberg...
(1992)