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 ...
William Susman |
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![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e2/William_Susman.jpg/150px-William_Susman.jpg) |
Born | William Joseph Susman (1960-08-29) August 29, 1960 (age 63)
Chicago, United States |
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Education | University of Illinois |
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Occupation(s) | Composer, pianist, film producer |
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Years active | 1983–present |
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Website | www.susmanmusic.com |
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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.
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.
- 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
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
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
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)