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MORTON SUBOTNICK,
Mel Powell Chair in Composition
MORTON SUBOTNICK is one of the acknowledged pioneers
in the field of electronic music and an innovator in works involving
instruments and other media. He was the first composer to be
commissioned to write an electronic composition expressly for
the phonograph medium, Silver Apples of the Moon (Nonesuch, 1967).
This now classic work and The Wild Bull (also an electronic commission
for Nonesuch, 1968) have been choreographed by leading dance
companies throughout the world and remain in permanent repertory.
In addition to composing numerous works in the electronic medium,
Subotnick has written eight works for orchestra (including a
Bicentennial commission played by the six major U.S. orchestras);
chamber and ensemble works (including The Fluttering of Wings premiered
by the Juilliard String Quartet); and music for the theatre and multi-media events.
The Double Life of Amphibians was a collaboration
between director Lee Breuer, visual artist Irving Petlin and
composer Subotnick utilizing live interaction between singers,
instrumentalists and computer in a staged tone poem, premiered
at the Los Angeles Olympic Arts Festival; a chamber version of
that piece was premiered in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Jacob's Room is a
monodrama composed for the Kronos Quartet and Joan La Barbara,
which received its premiere in San Francisco. A Key To Songs (based on
Max Ernst's surrealistic novel in collage entitled "Une
Semaine de Bonte") for chamber orchestra and synthesizer
was premiered at the Aspen Music Festival. "Hungers", for Joan
La Barbara, computers, video, instrumental ensemble and dancer,
was completed in collaboration with video artist Ed Emshwiller
and commissioned by and premiered at the Los Angeles Festival.
Subotnick's interest in inspiring children to learn music led him to
develop several CD-ROMs and the "creatingmusic.com" web site.
Subotnick tours extensively as a lecturer and composer/performer,
is published by Theodore Presser, Universal Editions and Editions
Jobert.