John T. La Barbera
Encyclopedia
John La Barbera is a musical composer
, arranger
and plays guitar
and mandolin
. He has performed at concert halls and music festivals, including the Montreal Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall, the Felt Forum, Alice Tully Hall, Guggenheim Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Smithsonian Institution
, UCLA, Field Museum in Chicago, Philadelphia Museum of Art, San Francisco World Music Festival, Central Park Summer Stage and at the Jones Beach Theater. He has toured tours throughout Eastern Europe, Italy, France, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland and in Brazil, where he was sponsored by the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil, Brasil Festeiro http://www.brasilfesteiro.com.br/ and SESC, in São Paulo.
He holds a B.M. from the Hartt School of Music, (Univ.of Hartford), and graduate courses at Hunter College (NYC) in ethnomusicology
, Villa Schifanoia (Rosary College), in Florence, Italy and at the Accademia Chigiana in Siena, Italy http://www.chigiana.it/, the film music seminar with Ennio Morricone
.
He currently teaches at the Bergen Community College in Paramus, New Jersey and has taught at The Julius Hartt School of Music (University of Hartford ),The Guitar Study Center of the New School in New York;Sessione Sienese http://sienamusic.org/, in Siena, Italy; SASI in Bratislava, Slovakia; and SESC in São Paulo, Brazil. He conducts workshops and lectures on mandolin
and acoustic guitar
styles, ethnomusicology
, world music, and has written for Acoustic Guitar magazine
and Meet the Composer
; commissioned by the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in New York City to compose the Opera: Stabat Mater-Donna Di Paradiso;
His music has been recorded by various artists including percussionists Yousef Sheronick and Joseph Gramley with Danza del Fuego for Marinba and Dumbeck http://cdbaby.com/cd/yousif; Jazz harmonica artist Enrico Granafei http://www.trumpetsjazz.com/artists/Enrico_Granafei.htm together with Fred Hersh http://www.fredhersch.com/index.html, Alan Nussbaum and Mark Johnson, who recorded Waltz for Waiting. He has received numerous composer awards from ASCAP and his song Sun Goes Down was awarded Jazz finalist in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest
http://www.jlsc.com/index.php. In 2005 , he was awarded for his role in the transmission and translation of Italian oral traditions from The Italian Oral History Institute http://www.iohi.org/NEW/index.html and recognized as one of the first transcribers of Southern Italian folk music in United States. He is the author of Southern Italian Mandolin and Fiddle Tunes, Mel Bay Publications http://www.melbay.com, to be released in early 2009.
; Neapolitan Heart (2002) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0328975/.
Kaos (2006) produced by The New York Theater Workshop Crazy Sounds (2006) produced at La MaMa theater NY http://www.lamama.org/; Retzach (2005) http://www.curtainup.com/retzach.html at Theater 59 East 59th, NY; Missionaries (1997) La MaMa theater NY http://www.lamama.org/; The Misadventures of Peter Pan and Captain Maledetto (1998), La MaMa Theater http://www.lamama.org/ and Dario D`Ambrosi`s Teatro Patologico di Roma; After the Rain (1997)Theater 4-Red Hudson Company.
The Voyage of the Black Madonna (1990)
http://www.alessandrabelloni.com/voyage.php
The Dance of the Ancient Spider (1996)
http://www.alessandrabelloni.com/voyage.php
La Lupa- the She-Wolf (1987)
http://www.alessandrabelloni.com/voyage.php
The Adventures of Don Giovanni and His Servant Pulcinella (1987)
http://www.alessandrabelloni.com/voyage.php
La Cantata dei Pastori (1985)
Neapolitan Heart (2002) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0328975/, directed by Paulo Santoni http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1228825/, Ready Made productions, Italy, with Jimmy Roselli.
The Moon in The Gutter (1983) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085878/, Jean-Jacques Bieneix http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000894/, Gaumont-Cinecitta, Italy, with Gérard Depardieu.
, South African vocalist and star from Broadway’s The Lion King; Susan McKeown, http://susanmckeown.com/, Irish Traditional Singer/Songwriter; Visual Artist Matthew Barney
; Palestinian oud virtuoso and violinist, Simon Shaheen http://www.simonshaheen.com/biography.htm; from Italy: Maria Carta
, Pupi e Fressedde, and vocalist/percussionist Alessandra Belloni http://www.alessandrabelloni.com/; Brazilian guitar duo DUOFEL http://www.eyefortalent.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/artist.detail/artist_id/26 and guitarist Paulo Freire; Jazz artists Mark Gross
and Mulgrew Miller http://www.mulgrewmiller.com/; master percussionist Glen Velez, http://www.glenvelez.com/ and Yousif Sheronick http://www.yousifsheronick.com/; Bansuri
flutist Steve Gorn http://www.stevegorn.com/; Russian vocalist Masha Itkina; Countertenor Robert Crowe http://www.robertcrowe.com/; and composer/organist of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine: Dorothy Papadakos http://www.dorothypapadakos.com/.
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, arranger
Arranger
In investment banking, an arranger is a provider of funds in the syndication of a debt. They are entitled to syndicate the loan or bond issue, and may be referred to as the "lead underwriter". This is because this entity bears the risk of being able to sell the underlying securities/debt or the...
and plays guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
. He has performed at concert halls and music festivals, including the Montreal Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall, the Felt Forum, Alice Tully Hall, Guggenheim Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
, UCLA, Field Museum in Chicago, Philadelphia Museum of Art, San Francisco World Music Festival, Central Park Summer Stage and at the Jones Beach Theater. He has toured tours throughout Eastern Europe, Italy, France, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland and in Brazil, where he was sponsored by the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil, Brasil Festeiro http://www.brasilfesteiro.com.br/ and SESC, in São Paulo.
He holds a B.M. from the Hartt School of Music, (Univ.of Hartford), and graduate courses at Hunter College (NYC) in ethnomusicology
Ethnomusicology
Ethnomusicology is defined as "the study of social and cultural aspects of music and dance in local and global contexts."Coined by the musician Jaap Kunst from the Greek words ἔθνος ethnos and μουσική mousike , it is often considered the anthropology or ethnography of music...
, Villa Schifanoia (Rosary College), in Florence, Italy and at the Accademia Chigiana in Siena, Italy http://www.chigiana.it/, the film music seminar with Ennio Morricone
Ennio Morricone
Ennio Morricone, Grand Officer OMRI, , is an Italian composer and conductor, who wrote music to more than 500 motion pictures and television series, in a career lasting over 50 years. His scores have been included in over 20 award-winning films as well as several symphonic and choral pieces...
.
He currently teaches at the Bergen Community College in Paramus, New Jersey and has taught at The Julius Hartt School of Music (University of Hartford ),The Guitar Study Center of the New School in New York;Sessione Sienese http://sienamusic.org/, in Siena, Italy; SASI in Bratislava, Slovakia; and SESC in São Paulo, Brazil. He conducts workshops and lectures on mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
and acoustic guitar
Acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
styles, ethnomusicology
Ethnomusicology
Ethnomusicology is defined as "the study of social and cultural aspects of music and dance in local and global contexts."Coined by the musician Jaap Kunst from the Greek words ἔθνος ethnos and μουσική mousike , it is often considered the anthropology or ethnography of music...
, world music, and has written for Acoustic Guitar magazine
Awards and commissions
La Barbera has won several awards and commissions for his musical compositions. From the Jerome Foundation http://www.jeromefdn.org/ he was commissioned to write a work for the ETHOS Percussion ensemble http://www.ethospercussiongroup.com/, The Marimba’Ba Suite for percussion, which premiered in 2001 and released on their CD Sol Tunnels http://cdbaby.com/cd/ethospg; in 1996 by Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, The Martin Gruss Foundation http://www.guidestar.org/pqShowGsReport.do?partner=grantexplorer&grantType=grant&ein=13-3132987&gotoNext=/reports/partners/grantexplorer/showGrants.jsp, and the New York State Council on the Arts, to compose The Dance of the Ancient Spider http://www.alessandrabelloni.com/giullari.php, which premiered at Alice Tully Hall. Funding from the New York State Council on the ArtsNew York State Council on the Arts
The New York State Council on the Arts is an arts council serving the U.S. state of New York. It was established in 1960 through a bill introduced in the New York State Legislature by New York State Senator MacNeil Mitchell , with backing from Governor Nelson Rockefeller, and began its work in 1961...
and Meet the Composer
Meet the Composer
Meet the Composer is an American organization founded in 1974 by the composer John Duffy as a project of the New York State Council on the Arts. It seeks to assist composers in making a living through writing music by sponsoring commissioning, residency, education, and audience interaction...
; commissioned by the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in New York City to compose the Opera: Stabat Mater-Donna Di Paradiso;
His music has been recorded by various artists including percussionists Yousef Sheronick and Joseph Gramley with Danza del Fuego for Marinba and Dumbeck http://cdbaby.com/cd/yousif; Jazz harmonica artist Enrico Granafei http://www.trumpetsjazz.com/artists/Enrico_Granafei.htm together with Fred Hersh http://www.fredhersch.com/index.html, Alan Nussbaum and Mark Johnson, who recorded Waltz for Waiting. He has received numerous composer awards from ASCAP and his song Sun Goes Down was awarded Jazz finalist in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest
John Lennon Songwriting Contest
The John Lennon Songwriting Contest, named for the former member of The Beatles, is a songwriting competition for songwriters, open to amateurs and professionals. The contest accepts instrumental pieces as well as songs with a vocal component. Though all entries must include a CD, cassette, or...
http://www.jlsc.com/index.php. In 2005 , he was awarded for his role in the transmission and translation of Italian oral traditions from The Italian Oral History Institute http://www.iohi.org/NEW/index.html and recognized as one of the first transcribers of Southern Italian folk music in United States. He is the author of Southern Italian Mandolin and Fiddle Tunes, Mel Bay Publications http://www.melbay.com, to be released in early 2009.
Film composing credits
Film composing credits include: Documentary film Sacco and Vanzetti (2007) awarded best historical film from the American Historical Association; Pane Amaro (2007) RAI-National Italian TV network http://www.lagrandestoria.rai.it/category/0,1067207,1067034-1070313,00.html; What's Up Scarlet? (2006); http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0465666/fullcredits#cast; Children of Fate (1992) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0791625/fullcredits#cast nominated for a Best Documentary Feature Academy Award and winner of the 1993 Sundance Film Festival; La Festa, (1998); Tarantella, (1997) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114616/; starring Mira SorvinoMira Sorvino
Mira Katherine Sorvino is an American actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Mighty Aphrodite and is also known for her role as Romy White in Romy and Michele's High School Reunion.- Early life :Sorvino was born in Tenafly, New Jersey...
; Neapolitan Heart (2002) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0328975/.
Theater credits
Theater credits as composer-musical director, include several off- Broadway productions: Souls of Naples, (2004) starring John Turturro, Theater for a New Audience at the New Duke Theater on 42nd Street;Kaos (2006) produced by The New York Theater Workshop Crazy Sounds (2006) produced at La MaMa theater NY http://www.lamama.org/; Retzach (2005) http://www.curtainup.com/retzach.html at Theater 59 East 59th, NY; Missionaries (1997) La MaMa theater NY http://www.lamama.org/; The Misadventures of Peter Pan and Captain Maledetto (1998), La MaMa Theater http://www.lamama.org/ and Dario D`Ambrosi`s Teatro Patologico di Roma; After the Rain (1997)Theater 4-Red Hudson Company.
Composer of original Folk Operas
Stabat Mater: Donna di Paradiso (1995)The Voyage of the Black Madonna (1990)
http://www.alessandrabelloni.com/voyage.php
The Dance of the Ancient Spider (1996)
http://www.alessandrabelloni.com/voyage.php
La Lupa- the She-Wolf (1987)
http://www.alessandrabelloni.com/voyage.php
The Adventures of Don Giovanni and His Servant Pulcinella (1987)
http://www.alessandrabelloni.com/voyage.php
La Cantata dei Pastori (1985)
Film appearances
When In Rome, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1185416/ (band leader/mandolinist) directed by Mark Steven Johnson http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0425756/ with Danny De Vito and Angelica Houston. To be released in Spring `09.Neapolitan Heart (2002) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0328975/, directed by Paulo Santoni http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1228825/, Ready Made productions, Italy, with Jimmy Roselli.
The Moon in The Gutter (1983) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085878/, Jean-Jacques Bieneix http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000894/, Gaumont-Cinecitta, Italy, with Gérard Depardieu.
Studio musician credits
As a studio musician in New York City, La Barbera has worked on jingles and soundtracks and performed and recorded with various musicians and singers including: American Folk Singer Judy Collins; Tsidii Le LokaTsidii Le Loka
Tsidii Le Loka is an actress, vocalist, and composer originally from South Africa and The Kingdom of Lesotho. She is best known for creating the role of Rafiki in the original Broadway production of Disney's stage musical, The Lion King.-Theatre:...
, South African vocalist and star from Broadway’s The Lion King; Susan McKeown, http://susanmckeown.com/, Irish Traditional Singer/Songwriter; Visual Artist Matthew Barney
Matthew Barney
Matthew Barney is an American artist who works in sculpture, photography, drawing and film. His early works were sculptural installations combined with performance and video...
; Palestinian oud virtuoso and violinist, Simon Shaheen http://www.simonshaheen.com/biography.htm; from Italy: Maria Carta
Maria Carta
Maria Carta was a Rome-based Sardinian folk music singer-songwriter. She also performed in film and theater and, in 1975, she wrote a book of poetry, Ritual Song.She was born in Siligo, Sassari, Sardinia....
, Pupi e Fressedde, and vocalist/percussionist Alessandra Belloni http://www.alessandrabelloni.com/; Brazilian guitar duo DUOFEL http://www.eyefortalent.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/artist.detail/artist_id/26 and guitarist Paulo Freire; Jazz artists Mark Gross
Mark Gross
Mark Gross is a Baltimore-born jazz alto saxophonist. He studied at the Berklee College of Music, graduating in 1988, then worked in the band of Lionel Hampton, performing in Five Guys Named Moe on Broadway...
and Mulgrew Miller http://www.mulgrewmiller.com/; master percussionist Glen Velez, http://www.glenvelez.com/ and Yousif Sheronick http://www.yousifsheronick.com/; Bansuri
Bansuri
The bansuri is a transverse alto flute of Bangladesh, India and Nepal made from a single hollow shaft of bamboo with six or seven finger holes. An ancient musical instrument associated with cowherds and the pastoral tradition, it is intimately linked to the love story of Krishna and Radha, and is...
flutist Steve Gorn http://www.stevegorn.com/; Russian vocalist Masha Itkina; Countertenor Robert Crowe http://www.robertcrowe.com/; and composer/organist of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine: Dorothy Papadakos http://www.dorothypapadakos.com/.
Recordings
His music has been recorded on Shanachie records http://www.shanachie.com/, Meadowlark http://www.meadowlarkrecords.com/, Rounder Records http://www.rounder.com/, Lyrichord Disks http://www.lyrichord.com/, Ellipsis Arts http://www.ellipsisarts.com/ and Bribie records.External links
- JohnTLabarbera.com http://www.johntlabarbera.com/
- A Troubadour's Journey, Part 1 http://essenceofitaly.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=360461 (Biographical Podcast featuring his education and performances in Italy)
- A Troubadour's Journey, Part 2 http://essenceofitaly.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=370829 (Biographical Podcast featuring his performances after returning to the U.S.)