Annual American Composers Update
Robert Washburn
SAI Friend of the Arts Robert Washburn serves as
Dean Emeritus and Senior Fellow in Music at the Crane
School of Music, SUNY College at Potsdam. In addition,
he has been Composer-in-Residence at Appalachian State
Univ., in North Carolina, April 1998, and at Gettysburg
Coll., May 1999; and Adjudicator/clinician at music festivals
in New Orleans and Toronto. In 1999, he attended a conference
of former Fulbright Fellows in Cairo, Egypt (Nov.), and
chaired a session of student compositions at the NYSSMA
conference at the Eastman School of Music (Dec.). He received
an annual ASCAP Award.
Premieres
Works heard first at the Crane School of Music included
Overture for a New Millenium, with the Crane Wind
Ensemble, Nov. 1998; and
Fantasia on Shenandoah,
for string orchestra, with the composer conducting. The
Fayetteville-Manlius (NY) Symphony Orchestra, under Washburn,
premiered
Erie Canal Sketches, Apr. 12, 1998. In
Berwyn, PA, he led the District Festival Orchestra in
the first performance of
Tredyffrin Overture, Nov.
10, 1998. The Syracuse Symphony, Grant Cooper conducting,
introduced
Five Adirondack Sketches, heard four
times during Apr. 1999.
Performances
While at Gettysburg Coll., Washburn heard performances
of five pieces, with various ensembles. The Lake Placid
Sinfonietta played
Adirondack Sketches five times
in July 1999. The Crane Chamber Orchestra presented
Three
Pieces for Orchestra at SUNY College at Potsdam. In
honor of his 70th birthday, a concert at SUNY College
at Potsdam featured 12 of his compositions for symphonic
wind ensemble. Among the works heard at his residencies
were
Symphony for Band, Kilimanjaro, New Welcome, Summer,
Lord of Lyfe, Hornography, and
Spring Cantata.
Publications
Overture for a New Millennium; Henry Purcell Suite;
both by
Warner
Brothers Publications.
Recordings
Queen Noor Suite for Strings, Hartt School of Music
String Orchestra; Mark Records. Three works for orchestra;
London Symphony Orchestra;
Virgin
Classics CD, Jan. 2000.
Further Information
