William_Susman

William Susman

William Susman

American composer and pianist

William Joseph Susman (born August 29, 1960) is an American composer of concert and film music and a pianist. He has written orchestral and chamber music as well as documentary film scores.[1]

Quick Facts Born, Education ...

Music

Susman's music is inspired by Afro-Cuban montuño, medieval hocket and isorhythm. In addition to performances of his music in the U.S. and Europe, his compositions have been broadcast, for example his piano concerto on WQXR,[2] in New Sounds on WNYC,[3] Echoes[4] on NPR and Concertzender.[5]

He founded the record label Belarca Records to distribute his material and the work of other living composers.

Influences

Susman's earliest orchestral works were influenced by Iannis Xenakis and György Ligeti.[6] He is interested in algorithmic composition, following his composition teacher Herbert Brun at the University of Illinois.[7] His microtonal compositions were influenced by Ben Johnston. He also studied piano with Pauline Lindsey (a student of Artur Schnabel), Steve Behr (pianist with Louis Armstrong) and Alan Swain.

Awards

  • ASCAP Foundation Young Composer Award for Trailing Vortices[8]
  • ASCAP Foundation Raymond Hubbell Award for Movement for Orchestra
  • BMI Student Composer Award for Pentateuch[9]
  • Fromm Music Foundation at Harvard for Trailing Vortices[10]
  • Gaudeamus International Musicweek for Trailing Vortices
  • International Documentary Association Pare Lorenz Award, for Oil on Ice [11]
  • KUCYNA/ALEA III International Composers Competition for Twisted Figures
  • Percussive Arts Society for Exchanges

Works

Orchestra

  • In A State of Patterns (2018)
  • Piano Concerto (2011)
  • Snow Lion of Peace (2009)
  • Zydeco Madness: To the Forgotten of Hurricane Katrina (2006)
  • Angels of Light (1991)
  • Uprising (1989)
  • Trailing Vortices (1986)
  • Pentateuch (1984)
  • Openings (1982)
  • Movement for Orchestra (1980)

Chamber ensemble

  • Seven Scenes for Four Flutes (2011)
  • Camille (2010)
  • Clouds and Flames (2010)
  • Native New Yorker (2005)
  • Three Different Keyboards (2001)
  • The Starry Dynamo (1994)
  • Exposé (1989)
  • Twisted Figures (1987)
  • Streamlines (1984)
  • For Three Trombones (1983)

Wind quintet

  • Six Minutes Thirty Seconds (1995)

Brass quintet

  • The Heavens Above (1998)

Vocal/Choral

  • Salaam Alaykum, Shalom Alaychem (2011) SATB
  • Eternal Light (2010) SATB
  • Scatter My Ashes (2009)
  • Living These Seasons (2009) SATB & piano
  • Moving in to an Empty Space (1992)
  • Interlude (1984)
  • Two Songs (1983)
  • Elie (1983) SATB
  • Three Songs (1981)

Percussion

  • Haskalah for marimba and organ (2017)
  • Material Rhythms for percussion quartet (2010)
  • Amores Montuños for flute & marimba (2008)
  • Marimba Montuño for marimba (2002)
  • Floating Falling for cello and timpani (1987)
  • Exchanges for percussion soloist and winds (1982)

String quartet

  • String Quartet No. 6: Isolation Songs (2020)
  • String Quartet No. 5: Dancing on Air (2013)
  • String Quartet No. 4: Zydeco Madness (2006)
  • String Quartet No. 3: Patterns of Change (1997)
  • String Quartet No. 2: Up to the Sky (1988)
  • String Quartet No. 1: Streams (1984)

Piano Trio

  • Clouds and Flames (2010)

Piano

  • Quiet Rhythms - Book IV (2013) A set of 22 piano pieces
  • Quiet Rhythms - Book III (2012) A set of 22 piano pieces
  • Quiet Rhythms - Book II (2010) A set of 22 piano pieces
  • Quiet Rhythms - Book I (2010) A set of 22 piano pieces
  • Piano Montuño (2004)
  • Uprising (1988)

Solo and duo

  • Zydeco Madness for accordion (2005)
  • Duo Montuño for clarinet & piano (2004)
  • Duo Montuño for alto sax & piano (2004)
  • Duo Montuño for viola and piano (2004)
  • Motions of Return for flute & piano (1996)
  • For Cello (1984)
  • Halilah for viola (1983)
  • Nnyl for trombone (1983)
  • Turbulence for flute (1983)
  • Violin Study (1983)

Electronic

  • Waves for piano and computer-generated sound (version with notated piano part) (1982)
  • Waves for Any number of improvisers and computer-generated sound (1982)

Film music

  • People of the Graphic Novel (2012)
  • Joann Sfar Draws from Memory (2012)
  • When Medicine Got It Wrong (2009)
  • Balancing Acts: A Jewish Theater in the Soviet Union (2008)
  • Making the Man (2007)
  • Fate of the Lhapa (2007)
  • Native New Yorker (2005)
  • Oil on Ice (2004)
  • Asphyxiating Uma (2002)
  • Deep Under the Ice (2000) aka NASA Explores Under the Ice
  • Daydream Believer (1998)
  • Alaska's Arctic Wildlife (1997)
  • Indonesia (1996)
  • The Philippines (1996)
  • Southern Africa Safari (1995)
  • Discovering the Amazon and the Andes (1994)
  • The Elephant Seals of Ano Nuevo (1994)
  • Exploring Tropical Australia (1993)

References

  1. [1]
    "All Music" William Susman Biography
  2. [2]
    Last played Monday, July 18 2016 at 01:18 AM / Piano Concerto / William Susman WQXR 18 July 2016
  3. [3]
    "New Sounds, WNYC" Psychosounds, J. Schaefer, New Sounds, Broadcast on WNYC (archive of the original)
  4. [4]
    "Echoes Radio Show" Syndicated to NPR (Public Radio International)
  5. [5]
    Concertzender (8 September 2003). "14:00 - 16:00 Thema: William Susman".
  6. [6]
    Opus One Memphis Interview with William Susman
  7. [7]
    All Music Guide Stephen Eddins Biography for William Susman
  8. [8]
    ASCAP. Morton Gould Young Composer Awards Recipients 1979-2003
  9. [9]
    BMI Student Composer Award Winners BMI
  10. [10]
    Fromm Music Foundation archives. Fromm Commission
  11. [11]
    IMDb.IDA Pare Lorenz Award 2004
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