Annual American Composers Update

Donald Grantham

Donald Grantham lives in Austin, TX, where he works at the University of Texas School of Music. His recent wind-ensemble commissions are Fantasy on Mr. Hyde's Song, from the U.S. Navy Band; Southern Harmony, from the Southeast Conference of Band Directors; and Fantasy Variations, from a consortium including the wind ensembles of the Universities of Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Florida (Gainesville), Illinois, and Michigan State.

Premieres

At Carnegie Hall, New York, NY, the University of Texas Wind Ensemble, led by Jerry Junkin, premiered Fantasy Variations, Feb. 19, 1998. The Voices of Change introduced Quintet: Sacred Harp, Apr. 19, 1998 in Austin. The U.S. Navy presented Fantasy on Mr. Hyde's Song, for wind ensemble, at the T.U.B.A. Convention, held at the University of Minnesota, and then included the work on their 1998 spring tour.

Performances

In New York, NY, the Amato Opera Theater produced The Boor, a comic opera in one act, June 26-28, 1998 and July 3-6, 1998. In Sept. 1997, Ian Davidson played Caprichos II, for solo oboe, at Rachmaininoff Hall, Moscow; at the Institute of Cultural Arts, St. Petersburg; and in Amsterdam. Timothy Muffitt led the Chautauqua Festival Orchestra in To the Wind's Twelve Quarters, July 6, 1998. Many wind ensembles around the country have performed Bum's Rush.

Recordings

Fantasy Variations; University of Texas Wind Ensemble, Junkin, conductor; Fantasy Variations; University of Florida at Gainesville, David Waybright, conductor; both by Mark Recordings, Inc.