9/17/2015

JohnHarbisonLongBiographyMusicSalesClassical

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John Harbison
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John Harbison
Born: 1938
Nationality: American
Publisher: AMP
Photo Katrin Talbot
ComposerJohnHarbisonisamongAmerica'smostprominentartisticfigures.Hehas
receivednumerousawardsanddistinctions,includingtheprestigiousMacArthurFoundation's
"genius"award,thePulitzerPrize,andtheHeinzAwardintheArtsandHumanities.Harbison
hascomposedmusicformostofthiscountryspremieremusicalinstitutions,includingthe
MetropolitanOpera(forwhomhewroteTheGreatGatsby),theChicagoLyricOpera,theNew
YorkPhilharmonic,theChicagoSymphony,theBostonSymphony,theLosAngeles
Philharmonic,TheChamberMusicSocietyofLincolnCenter,andtheSantaFeandAspen
festivals.Hisworksincludefivestringquartets,sixsymphonies,aballet,threeoperas,and
numerouschamberandchoralworks.
Harbison'smusicisdistinguishedbyitsexceptionalresourcefulnessandexpressiverange.
Heisconsideredtobe"original,varied,andabsorbingrelativelyeasyforaudiencesto
graspandyetformalandcomplexenoughtoholdourinterestthroughrepeatedhearings
hisstyleboastsbothlucidityandlogic"(Fanfare).Harbisonisalsoagiftedcommentatoron
theartandcraftofcompositionandwasrecognizedinhisstudentyearsasanoutstandingpoet(hewrotehisownlibrettofor
Gatsby).
Severalofhisworkshaverecentlypremiered:KoussevitskySaidandSymphonyNo.6,bothbytheBostonSymphony
ClosertoMyOwnLife,ontextsbyAliceMunro,bytheMetOrchestraandmezzosopranoChristineRiceledbyFabioLuisi
Finale,Presto,a"comment"onHaydnsunfinishedOp.103invitedbytheBrentanoQuartetStringQuartetNo.5bythePro
ArteQuartetSonataNo.1forViolinandPianoforChoLiangLinDoubleConcertoforViolinandCellowiththeBoston
SymphonyOrchestraMaryLou(forthePittsburghYouthSymphony)TheSevenAges(AKoussevitskycommissionforthe
NewYorkNewMusicEnsembleandtheSanFranciscoContemporaryMusicPlayers)AClearMidnight(ProArteSingers)
Winter'sTale(BostonModernOrchestraProject[BMOP],completerevisedversion)SymphonyNo.5,commissionedbythe
BostonSymphonyOrchestraTheGreatGatsbySuite(fortheAspenFestivalOrchestra)Cortge,forsixpercussionists(New
EnglandConservatory)MiloszSongs(commissionedbytheNewYorkPhilharmonicforlongtimeHarbisonchampionDawn
Upshaw)theConcertoforBassViol(commissionedbytheInternationalSocietyforDoubleBassistsforaconsortiumof15
majororchestras)andButMaryStood:SacredSymphonyforSoprano,ChorusandStrings(CantataSingersofBoston).
Harbison'spresentcompositionprojectsincludeaworkforvoice,oboe,andstringquartet(cocommissioned)aworkfor
mezzosopranoandstringquartet(NetworkforNewMusic)andastringtrioforCamerataPacifica.
HarbisonsoperaFullMooninMarch(BMOPSound)wasreleasedonCDinApril2009andTheFirstFourStringQuartets
(Centaur)followedinSeptember,aheadofseveralnewrecordingsissuedlastseasonChristmasVespers(BrassjarMusic),
MontaleOccasions(Albany),andtheballetUlysses(BMOPSound).OtherrecentreleasesincludeCortge(Naxos),Rubies
(afterTheloniusMonks"Ruby,MyDear")(Naxos:Schwarz/Seattle)SuiteforCelloSolo(Albany:CarolinStinson,cello)
andtheWoodwindQuintet(Summit:LieuranceWoodwindQuintet).Altogether,morethan90ofhiscompositionshavebeen
recordedonlabelssuchasAlbany,Centaur,Nonesuch,Northeastern,HarmoniaMundi,NewWorld,Decca,Koch,Archetype,
CRI,Naxos,Bridge,Cedille,andMusicaOmnia.TheMusicaOmniadoublealbumofworksforstringquartetwasnamedone
ofthetoptenclassicalCDsoftheyearbyTheNewYorkTimes
HarbisonhasbeencomposerinresidencewiththePittsburghSymphony,theLosAngelesPhilharmonic,theTanglewood,
Marlboro,andSantaFeChambermusicfestivals,Songfest,andtheAmericanAcademyinRome.Asaconductor,Harbison
hasledanumberofleadingorchestrasandchambergroups.From1990to1992hewasCreativeChairwiththeSt.Paul
ChamberOrchestra,conductingmusicfromMonteverditothepresent,andin1991,attheOjaiFestival,heledtheScottish
ChamberOrchestra.Harbisonhasalsoconductedmanyotherensembles,amongthemtheLosAngelesPhilharmonic,the
BostonSymphony,andtheHandelandHaydnSociety.Mr.HarbisonfirstledBachcantataperformancesin1958as
conductorofHarvardsBachSocietyOrchestra.Hehascontinuedtodosoeveryyearsincethen,intwotenuresasmusic
directorofBostonsCantataSingers,andthenformanyyearsasprincipalguestconductorofEmmanuelMusicinBoston,
leadingperformancestherenotonlyofBachcantatas,butalso17thcenturymotets,andcontemporarymusic.
HarbisonwasborninOrange,NewJerseyonDecember20,1938intoamusicalfamily.Hewasimprovisingonthepianoby
fiveyearsofageandstartedajazzbandatage12.HedidhisundergraduateworkatHarvardUniversityandearnedanMFA
fromPrincetonUniversity.FollowingcompletionofajuniorfellowshipatHarvard,Harbisonjoinedthefacultyatthe
MassachusettsInstituteofTechnologywhere,in1984,hewasnamedClassof1949ProfessorofMusicin1994,Killian
AwardLecturerinrecognitionof"extraordinaryprofessionalaccomplishments"andin1995hewasnamedInstituteProfessor,
thehighestacademicdistinctionMITofferstoresidentfaculty.HehasalsotaughtatCalArtsandBostonUniversity,andin
1991hewastheMaryBiddleDukeLecturerinMusicatDukeUniversity.Furtheringtheworkofyoungercomposersisoneof
Harbison'sprimeinterests,anduntilrecentlyheservedaspresidentoftheAaronCoplandFundforMusic.
In1998,HarbisonwasnamedwinneroftheHeinzAwardfortheArtsandHumanities,aprizeestablishedinhonorofthelate
SenatorJohnHeinzbyhiswifeTeresatorecognizefiveleadersannuallyforsignificantandsustainedcontributionsintheArts
andHumanities,theEnvironment,theHumanCondition,PublicPolicyandTechnology,andtheEconomyandEmployment.

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9/17/2015

JohnHarbisonLongBiographyMusicSalesClassical
Heistherecipientofnumerousotherawards,amongthemtheDistinguishedComposerawardfromtheAmericanComposers
Orchestra(2002),theHarvardArtsMedal(2000),theAmericanMusicCenter'sLetterofDistinction(2000),theKennedy
CenterFriedheimFirstPrize(forhisPianoConcerto),aMacArthurFellowship(1989),andthePulitzerPrize(1987).Healso
holdsfourhonorarydoctorates.
MuchofHarbisonsviolinmusichasbeencomposedforhiswifeRoseMary,withwhomheservesasartisticdirectorofthe
annualTokenCreekChamberMusicFestival,foundedin1989andheldonthefamilyfarminWisconsin,wheremuchof
Harbisonsmusichasbeencomposed.
Inrecentyears,Harbisonhasrevivedhiscareerasajazzpianist.Earlyon,asthefounderleaderoftheHarbisonHeptetand
assidemaninmanyothergroupsplayingwithTomArtin,BuckClayton,VicDickenson,JoJones,andEdmundHall(1952
1963)hetookajazzsabbaticalforfourdecades,returningin2003tofoundtheTokenCreekJazzEnsemble.Thequartet
andguestsperformexclusivelyfortheannualTokenCreekFestivalinWisconsin.Asakeyboardplayerheexploresaffinities
betweenjazzchangeplayingandfiguredbassrealization.
HarbisonsmusicispublishedexclusivelybyAssociatedMusicPublishers.
December2013
Forspecificinquiriesaboutthiscomposer,pleasecontactEd.Matthew@schirmer.comorcall2122542100.

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