Department of Music

U.Va. Music Arts Board Announces Celebrated American Composer Philip Glass as Artist-in-Residence

Philip Glass 2014 Residency Schedule

The University of Virginia Music Arts Board is pleased to announce that Philip Glass -- one of the most prolific and influential composers of the late 20th century -- will be the 2014 artist-in-residence from March 31 through April 2.

Through his operas, his symphonies, his compositions for his own ensemble and his collaborations with artists ranging from Twyla Tharp to Allen Ginsberg, Woody Allen to David Bowie, Glass has had an extraordinary and unprecedented impact upon the musical and intellectual life of his times.

“Philip Glass is without a doubt America’s most famous living composer of classical music,” best-selling music critic Alex Ross has written in The New Yorker. “In fact, he may be America’s only famous living composer of classical music.”

The preliminary event to Glass’ residency will include screenings of “Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts,” a 2007 documentary that describes a year in the life of the composer, and “The Truman Show,” the 1998 film starring Jim Carrey featuring soundtrack music written and performed by Glass. These will be screened beginning at 5pm on Sunday in the Newcomb Theatre.

On Monday at 7 p.m., an “Ode to Glass” concert will be held in Old Cabell Hall featuring the New Music Ensemble, University Chamber Singers and Mobile Interactive Computer Ensemble performing selections of Glass’ work. A discussion with Glass on creativity and collaboration will follow the concert beginning at 8 p.m.

On Tuesday, Glass will interact with students in their classes and then give a solo piano performance at 8 p.m. in Old Cabell Hall.

Throughout his residency, Glass will also visit several University classes.

All of the events during the residency will take place on the U.Va. Grounds, and with the exception of the academic classes, will be free and open to members of both the University and Charlottesville community.

Glass’ music is often described as minimalist and grouped with the work of other minimalist composers such as Terry Riley and Steve Reich. But Glass describes himself as a “classicist” or as a composer of  “music with repetitive structures.”

A prolific composer, Glass has written works for the Philip Glass Ensemble (with which he still performs on keyboards), as well as operas, musical theatre works, ten symphonies, eleven concertos, solo works, chamber music including string quartets and instrumental sonatas, and film scores. Three of his film scores have been nominated for Academy Awards. .

Glass’ sense of sonic landscape and body of work have changed the mode of musical discourse in both the popular and classical spheres since his earliest, seminal works such as “Music in Twelve Parts” and “Einstein on the Beach.”

Glass’ work surpasses musical genres, and he has influenced many new and veteran musicians. He is the first composer to win a wide, multi-generational audience in the opera house, the concert hall, the dance world, in film and in popular music -- simultaneously.

Glass was born in 1937 in Baltimore. His father, Ben Glass, played an important role in his son’s musical development by introducing chamber music into his early repertoire. Glass studied classically at the University of Chicago and the Juilliard School before deciding that his concept of modern music didn’t align with the current model.

Glass continued his studies in Paris under Nadia Boulanger whose teachings, especially regarding Bach and Mozart, had a lasting impact on him. While in Paris, Glass met and worked with Ravi Shankar, broadening his musical idiom to include Indian themes. This was a pivotal moment for his career, changing the course of his earlier work to a newer, diverse sound that reflected Eastern music and rhythmic structures.

After Glass’ return from Paris, he formed the Philip Glass Ensemble. During this period, Glass composed some of his most well-known works. Since his popular opera “Einstein on the Beach” (with Robert Wilson), Glass has composed a wide array of pieces, ranging from film scores to opera to symphonic works, and collaborated with many notable artists.

His most recent works include “Cello Concerto No. 2 ‘Naqoyqatsi,’” the chamber opera “In the Penal Colony,” “The Passion Ramakrishna” and “Symphony No. 9.”

All public events for the Philip Glass residency are free of charge. The solo piano performance on Tuesday, April 1 is a ticketed event and all tickets have been reserved. Those who have reserved tickets may pick them up at the Old Cabell Hall between 7 and 7:45pm on April 1st; however, it is recommended that you pick your tickets up in advance at the Arts Box Office. The Arts Box Office is located in the lobby of the Drama Building at 109 Culbreth Road and is open Monday through Friday from 12 pm to 5 pm. Tickets left unclaimed at 7:45pm on April 1st will be released.   In the unlikely event that tickets become available, they will be distributed at 7:45pm on April 1st, directly outside of Old Cabell Hall on the Lawn.”

Members of the U.Va. Music Arts Board for 2013-14

Chairs:

Committee Members:

Old Cabell Hall is located on the south end of UVA's historic Lawn, directly opposite the Rotunda. Parking is available in the Central Grounds Parking Garage, or in the lots off University Avenue at the University Corner.  Handicapped parking is available in the C1 parking lot or in designated spaces on McCormick Avenue.

For more information please call the McIntire Department of Music at 434-924-3052.