Kyle Gann

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kyle Gann (born November 21 1955) is a composer and music critic born in Dallas, Texas. As a critic for The Village Voice (from November 1986 to December 2005) and other publications he has been a supporter of "progressive music" including such Downtown movements as postminimalism and totalism. As a composer his works fall generally into three categories:

microtonal works in just intonation, involving electronics;
rhythmically complex works for Disklavier (computer-driven acoustic piano); and
piano and ensemble music whose rhythmic complexity tends to be milder and within a single tempo framework.

Raised in a musical family, Gann began composing at the age of 13. He attended Oberlin Conservatory of Music where he obtained a B.Mus. in 1977 and Northwestern University where he received his M.Mus. in 1981 and then his D.Mus. in 1983. He studied composition primarily with Ben Johnston (1984-86) and Peter Gena (1977-81), and briefly with Morton Feldman (1975). In 1981-82 he worked for the New Music America festival, and afterward gained experience as a journalist at the Chicago Reader, Tribune, Sun-Times, and New York Times. He was hired at The Village Voice in 1986, where he wrote a weekly column until 1997 and then less frequently until December, 2005. He taught part-time at Bucknell University from 1989 to 1997. Since 1997 he has taught music theory, history, and composition at Bard College in upstate New York.

Gann's books include:

American Music in the 20th century, ISBN 0-02-864655-X

The Music of Conlon Nancarrow, ISBN 0-521-46534-6

Music Downtown: Writings from the Village Voice, ISBN 0-520-22982-7

[edit] Major works

On Reading Emerson for piano (2006)
Implausible Sketches for piano four hands (2006)
my father moved through dooms of love for chorus, violin, and piano (2005-6)
The Day Revisited for flute, clarinet, keyboard sampler, synthesizer, and fretless bass (2005)
Unquiet Night for Disklavier (computer-driven acoustic piano) (2004)
Scenario for female voice and soundfile/orchestra (2003-4)
Private Dances for piano (2000/04)
The Watermelon Cargo, microtonal chamber opera for six singers, three synthesizers, flute, fretless bass, and drummer (2002-3)
Love Scene for string quartet (2003)
Petty Larceny for Disklavier (computer-driven acoustic piano) (2003)
Tango da Chiesa for Disklavier (computer-driven acoustic piano) (2003)
Cinderella's Bad Magic, microtonal chamber opera for six singers, three synthesizers, flute, and fretless bass (2001-2)
Transcendental Sonnets for chorus and orchestra (2001-2)
New World Coming for solo bassoon with flute (or oboe), violin (or viola), and piano (2001)
The Planets (Sun, Moon, Venus, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Neptune so far) for Relâche: flute, oboe, alto saxophone, bassoon, viola, contrabass, synthesizer, and percussion (1994-2001)
Hovenweep for flute, clarinet, violin, viola, cello (2000)
Time Does Not Exist for piano (2000)
"Last Chance" Sonata for clarinet and piano (1999)
Custer and Sitting Bull for speaker, synthesizer, and soundfile (1996-99)
The Disappearance of All Holy Things from this Once So Promising World for orchestra (1998)
Snake Dance No. 2 for five percussionists (1994)
Desert Sonata for piano (1994)
Chicago Spiral for flute, clarinet, saxophone (or three flutes), violin, viola, cello, synthesizer, and drums (1990-91)
Cyclic Aphorisms for violin and piano (1987)
I'itoi Variations for two pianos (1985)
Baptism for two flutes, synthesizer, and two drums (1983)
Long Night for three pianos (1980-81)