Conductor and radio commentator Bill McGlaughlin began composing in 1997, whereupon he left his conducting position at the Kansas City Symphony and moved to New York City to concentrate on composing. The outcome of the move was a flurry of creativity, and he has been composing successfully, although more intermittently, since then. Well over half of his works have been commissioned. In 1998 McGlaughlin signed a contract with Subito Music, which now publishes all of his work.
McGlaughlin's first major work was Three Dreams and a Question: Choral Songs on e.e. cummings, prompted by the death of a friend — which he debuted with the Kansas City Symphony on April 28, 1998, to an enthusiastic audience and press.[1] It was quickly followed by five more premieres within a ten-month span.[2]
For a millennial celebration, McGlaughlin was chosen from a field of 350 composers to write a major new work for Continental Harmony, a nationwide cultural initiative commissioned by the National Endowment for the Arts and the American Composers Forum. The composition, Walt Whitman's Dream, premiered in July 2000, and celebrated the new millennium with a combined chorus of nearly 800 singers from around the world, accompanied by orchestra.[3][4][5]
On December 15, 2005, the national two-hour daily NPR classical music radio program Performance Today announced that out of all of the music aired that week, McGlaughlin's new commissioned composition Remembering Icarus garnered the most, and the most heartfelt, listener response.[6]
McGlaughlin describes his compositional style as more intuitive than intellectual,[7] and says that he does not shun tonality: "I think when composers turn completely away from tonality, they lose a big part of storytelling."[8] Some of his work incorporates or references elements of jazz — for instance Bela's Bounce, an homage to Béla Bartók and Charlie Parker.[8][9]
McGlaughlin characterizes his creative process as both studied and extemporaneous, experimenting with various methods to elicit the elusive "moment of inspiration." His compositional ideas often spring from external sources, either literary, personal, or musical, or from inspired tangents on commissioned requests. His muse-seeking practices have included walking in nature, running, meditating, and staying up all night at the keyboard. McGlaughlin's advice to young composers is never to shrug off an idea, even if at first it seems insignificant or similar to an existing work: "Write it down and throw it out later if you have to, but don't avoid the impulse."[9][10]
Compositionsedit
1990sedit
Solstice: Fantasy on Old English Carols (premiere December 10, 1997 – Kansas City Symphony). Orchestra. Christmas piece.
Crooked Timber (premiere January 23, 1998 – Kansas City Symphony). Orchestra. A celebration of the irregular, based on Immanuel Kant's words, "Out of timber so crooked, as that from which man is made, nothing entirely straight can be built."[9]
Three Dreams and a Question: Choral Songs on e.e. cummings (premiere April 28, 1998 – Kansas City Symphony). Chorus and orchestra. Written in memory of composer and pianist Kevin Oldham.[11]
Aaron's Horizons (premiere June 18, 1998 – Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra). Chamber orchestra. A tribute to composer Aaron Copland, with whom McGlaughlin worked in the 1970s.[12] Heard nationwide in a broadcast performed by the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra.[13]
Three Mile Table (premiere July 18, 1998 – Music at Gretna festival; commissioned). Sextet of flute, oboe, violin, cello, guitar, and piano. In honor of the recently completed, 11-mile-long Vasco da Gama Bridge, the longest bridge in Europe, in Lisbon, Portugal. The title refers to a table constructed and placed on the bridge to celebrate its opening. The piece utilizes Portuguese folk melodies in a whimsical and buoyant way.[9]
Walt Whitman's Dream (premiere July 15, 2000 – International Choral Festival, in Missoula, Montana; commissioned). Chorus and orchestra. Commissioned by a national program called Continental Harmony — a Millennium Celebration sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the American Composers Forum. The premiere of Walt Whitman's Dream celebrated the new millennium with a combined chorus of nearly 800 singers from around the world, accompanied by the Missoula Symphony. McGlaughlin explained that his composition "... would allow the audience to feel the power of the human voice to bridge over language and culture." The text is from Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass.[3][4][5][14]
Aunt Eva Suite (Surveying Lake Wobegon) (premiere September 3, 2000 – Ravinia Festival). Narrator and orchestra or chamber ensemble. Narration written by Garrison Keillor.
Angelus (premiere March 17, 2002 – Civic Orchestra of Minneapolis; commissioned). Orchestra. A 9/11 remembrance. Composed in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Minneapolis Civic Orchestra.
Three Pieces for Wind Trio, also known as Three Sketches for Three Winds (premiere June 1, 2002 – Kemper Museum in Kansas City, Missouri). Flute, oboe, bassoon.
Theme to Exploring Music (premiere October 3, 2003 – Exploring Music)
The Bells of St. Ferdinand (premiere October 2003 – Tucson Symphony Orchestra; commissioned). Orchestra. Orchestral variations, in celebration of Tucson Symphony's 75th anniversary.[5][9][10][15]
2004–presentedit
Remembering Icarus (premiere October 2005 – Las Cruces Symphony, Las Cruces, New Mexico; commissioned). Orchestra. Honors local radio pioneer Ralph Willis Goddard, who was electrocuted in 1929 while checking a radio transmitter during a thunderstorm. Las Cruces public radio station KRWG, which commissioned the piece, uses his initials as its call letters. Remembering Icarus was subsequently aired nationally on NPR's Performance Today on December 9, 2005, and has been re-broadcast on radio three times.[16][17][18]
Bagatelles: 1. Antique Dance with Ground Round 2. Fast and Loose (premiere February 22, 2008 – Washington Saxophone Quartet, at Wolf Trap; commissioned). Saxophone quartet. Co-commissioned by Wolf Trap and the Washington Saxophone Quartet.[19]
The Heart's Light: An Essay for Orchestra (premiere March 30, 2008 – Temple University Symphony Orchestra; commissioned).[20] Orchestra. Also performed at Carnegie Hall on April 2, 2008.[21]
Old American Songs for G.K. (premiere May 13, 2008 – Boston Pops with Garrison Keillor, Symphony Hall, Boston; commissioned). Orchestra.[17]
Brave New World (premiere September 29, 2012 – Las Cruces Symphony, commissioned). Orchestral instruments plus harp, piano, and marimba. In honor of the 100th anniversary of New Mexico’s becoming a state in 1912.[22][23]
Composer-in-residence engagementsedit
McGlaughlin has had three composer-in-residence engagements. They are as follows:
^"Continental Harmony – Harmony for everybody". Retrieved 5 August 2016.
^"Continental Harmony – Harmony for everybody". Retrieved 5 August 2016.
Referencesedit
Bio – American International Artists
External linksedit
Audio
Audio interview and performance of Remembering Icarus on Performance Today, December 2005
Bela's Bounce performed in 2003 by the TMEA Symphony Orchestra
1-minute audio sample of Walt Whitman's Dream
Biographical
The Chamber Music Conference and Composers' Forum of the East
December 18, 2023
list, compositions, bill, mcglaughlin, conductor, radio, commentator, bill, mcglaughlin, began, composing, 1997, whereupon, left, conducting, position, kansas, city, symphony, moved, york, city, concentrate, composing, outcome, move, flurry, creativity, been, . Conductor and radio commentator Bill McGlaughlin began composing in 1997 whereupon he left his conducting position at the Kansas City Symphony and moved to New York City to concentrate on composing The outcome of the move was a flurry of creativity and he has been composing successfully although more intermittently since then Well over half of his works have been commissioned In 1998 McGlaughlin signed a contract with Subito Music which now publishes all of his work Contents 1 Selected major works musical style 2 Compositions 2 1 1990s 2 2 2000 2003 2 3 2004 present 3 Composer in residence engagements 4 See also 5 Footnotes 6 References 7 External linksSelected major works musical style editMcGlaughlin s first major work was Three Dreams and a Question Choral Songs on e e cummings prompted by the death of a friend which he debuted with the Kansas City Symphony on April 28 1998 to an enthusiastic audience and press 1 It was quickly followed by five more premieres within a ten month span 2 For a millennial celebration McGlaughlin was chosen from a field of 350 composers to write a major new work for Continental Harmony a nationwide cultural initiative commissioned by the National Endowment for the Arts and the American Composers Forum The composition Walt Whitman s Dream premiered in July 2000 and celebrated the new millennium with a combined chorus of nearly 800 singers from around the world accompanied by orchestra 3 4 5 On December 15 2005 the national two hour daily NPR classical music radio program Performance Today announced that out of all of the music aired that week McGlaughlin s new commissioned composition Remembering Icarus garnered the most and the most heartfelt listener response 6 McGlaughlin describes his compositional style as more intuitive than intellectual 7 and says that he does not shun tonality I think when composers turn completely away from tonality they lose a big part of storytelling 8 Some of his work incorporates or references elements of jazz for instance Bela s Bounce an homage to Bela Bartok and Charlie Parker 8 9 McGlaughlin characterizes his creative process as both studied and extemporaneous experimenting with various methods to elicit the elusive moment of inspiration His compositional ideas often spring from external sources either literary personal or musical or from inspired tangents on commissioned requests His muse seeking practices have included walking in nature running meditating and staying up all night at the keyboard McGlaughlin s advice to young composers is never to shrug off an idea even if at first it seems insignificant or similar to an existing work Write it down and throw it out later if you have to but don t avoid the impulse 9 10 Compositions edit1990s edit Solstice Fantasy on Old English Carols premiere December 10 1997 Kansas City Symphony Orchestra Christmas piece Crooked Timber premiere January 23 1998 Kansas City Symphony Orchestra A celebration of the irregular based on Immanuel Kant s words Out of timber so crooked as that from which man is made nothing entirely straight can be built 9 Three Dreams and a Question Choral Songs on e e cummings premiere April 28 1998 Kansas City Symphony Chorus and orchestra Written in memory of composer and pianist Kevin Oldham 11 Aaron s Horizons premiere June 18 1998 Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra Chamber orchestra A tribute to composer Aaron Copland with whom McGlaughlin worked in the 1970s 12 Heard nationwide in a broadcast performed by the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra 13 Three Mile Table premiere July 18 1998 Music at Gretna festival commissioned Sextet of flute oboe violin cello guitar and piano In honor of the recently completed 11 mile long Vasco da Gama Bridge the longest bridge in Europe in Lisbon Portugal The title refers to a table constructed and placed on the bridge to celebrate its opening The piece utilizes Portuguese folk melodies in a whimsical and buoyant way 9 Bela s Bounce premiere October 4 1998 Camerata Orchestra of Bloomington Indiana commissioned Orchestra An homage to Bela Bartok and Charlie Parker 9 2000 2003 edit Walt Whitman s Dream premiere July 15 2000 International Choral Festival in Missoula Montana commissioned Chorus and orchestra Commissioned by a national program called Continental Harmony a Millennium Celebration sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the American Composers Forum The premiere of Walt Whitman s Dream celebrated the new millennium with a combined chorus of nearly 800 singers from around the world accompanied by the Missoula Symphony McGlaughlin explained that his composition would allow the audience to feel the power of the human voice to bridge over language and culture The text is from Walt Whitman s Leaves of Grass 3 4 5 14 Aunt Eva Suite Surveying Lake Wobegon premiere September 3 2000 Ravinia Festival Narrator and orchestra or chamber ensemble Narration written by Garrison Keillor Carol Antiqua premiere December 23 2000 A Prairie Home Companion from Town Hall New York Ensemble of neglected instruments Christmas piece Angelus premiere March 17 2002 Civic Orchestra of Minneapolis commissioned Orchestra A 9 11 remembrance Composed in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Minneapolis Civic Orchestra Three Pieces for Wind Trio also known as Three Sketches for Three Winds premiere June 1 2002 Kemper Museum in Kansas City Missouri Flute oboe bassoon Echoes premiere summer 2003 The Chamber Music Conference and Composers Forum of the East in Bennington Vermont commissioned 13 Horn trio Three by Six premiere summer 2003 The Chamber Music Conference and Composers Forum of the East in Bennington Vermont commissioned 13 Chamber ensemble Theme to Exploring Music premiere October 3 2003 Exploring Music The Bells of St Ferdinand premiere October 2003 Tucson Symphony Orchestra commissioned Orchestra Orchestral variations in celebration of Tucson Symphony s 75th anniversary 5 9 10 15 2004 present edit Remembering Icarus premiere October 2005 Las Cruces Symphony Las Cruces New Mexico commissioned Orchestra Honors local radio pioneer Ralph Willis Goddard who was electrocuted in 1929 while checking a radio transmitter during a thunderstorm Las Cruces public radio station KRWG which commissioned the piece uses his initials as its call letters Remembering Icarus was subsequently aired nationally on NPR s Performance Today on December 9 2005 and has been re broadcast on radio three times 16 17 18 Bagatelles 1 Antique Dance with Ground Round 2 Fast and Loose premiere February 22 2008 Washington Saxophone Quartet at Wolf Trap commissioned Saxophone quartet Co commissioned by Wolf Trap and the Washington Saxophone Quartet 19 The Heart s Light An Essay for Orchestra premiere March 30 2008 Temple University Symphony Orchestra commissioned 20 Orchestra Also performed at Carnegie Hall on April 2 2008 21 Old American Songs for G K premiere May 13 2008 Boston Pops with Garrison Keillor Symphony Hall Boston commissioned Orchestra 17 Brave New World premiere September 29 2012 Las Cruces Symphony commissioned Orchestral instruments plus harp piano and marimba In honor of the 100th anniversary of New Mexico s becoming a state in 1912 22 23 Composer in residence engagements editMcGlaughlin has had three composer in residence engagements They are as follows Music at Gretna 1998 International Choral Festival Missoula Montana 2000 Continental Harmony commission for Millennial Celebration 3 24 25 26 The Chamber Music Conference and Composers Forum of the East Bennington College Bennington Vermont 2003 See also editExploring MusicFootnotes edit McGlaughlin resume 2003 Archived 2011 07 07 at the Wayback Machine People Bill McGlaughlin WQXR Retrieved August 5 2016 a b c Bill McGlaughlin and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra Retrieved 5 August 2016 a b International Choral Festival History of the Festival Archived 2004 08 03 at the Wayback Machine a b c Bio American International Artists Mail Performance Today December 15 2005 December 9 2005 interview on Performance Today a b Phillips Lisa Public Radio Behind the Voices Vanguard Press 2006 p 319 a b c d e f Bio Subito Music Archived from the original on 2008 05 27 Retrieved 2008 10 29 a b Buckley Daniel Return to Desert Inspires Former TSO Conductor Tucson Citizen November 20 2003 Phillips Lisa Public Radio Behind the Voices Vanguard Press 2006 p 318 Bill McGlaughlin and Aaron s Horizons a b c Official bio on Exploring Music site Archived 2008 03 07 at the Wayback Machine Continental Harmony PBS Retrieved 5 August 2016 Buckley Daniel He Hangs Up Baton Rings Up Success Tucson Citizen October 23 2003 Audio interview and performance of Remembering Icarus on Performance Today December 2005 a b William McGlaughlin Bio American International Artists PDF Archived from the original PDF on 2014 09 03 Retrieved 2012 02 19 Entertainment The Best of 2007 Archived 2008 12 02 at the Wayback Machine Las Cruces Sun News December 28 2007 Wolf Trap Press Release February 11 2008 p 2 Temple University Symphony performance March 30 2008 Going Philadelphia archive Temple University Symphony Orchestra Stern Auditorium Perelman Stage Wednesday April 2 2008 at 8 PM Carnegie Hall Box Office Events archives Zeitlin Leora Brave New World Composer Bill McGlaughlin amp Conductor Lonnie Klein Discuss World Premiere KRWG org November 8 2012 Las Cruces Symphony World Premiere 9 29 12 BillMcGlaughlin com Continental Harmony Walt Whitman s Dream Continental Harmony Harmony for everybody Retrieved 5 August 2016 Continental Harmony Harmony for everybody Retrieved 5 August 2016 References editMcGlaughlin resume 2003 Official bio on Exploring Music site Bio and List of Works Subito Music Bio American International ArtistsExternal links editAudio Audio interview and performance of Remembering Icarus on Performance Today December 2005 Bela s Bounce performed in 2003 by the TMEA Symphony Orchestra 1 minute audio sample of Walt Whitman s Dream Theme to Exploring MusicBiographical McGlaughlin resume 2003 Bio and List of Works Subito Music Official bio on Exploring Music site The Chamber Music Conference and Composers Forum of the East Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title List of compositions by Bill McGlaughlin amp oldid 1171203379, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
