Brian Fennelly

Professor Emeritus in the School of Arts and Science at New York University, Brian Fennelly spent five weeks at Copland House in early 2005 as resident composer, working on String Quartet No. 3 (Sigol: Thirty Flowers) for the Pro Arte Quartet. He has also enjoyed serving on music panels for the Fulbright awards and remains active as Co-Director of the Washington Square Contemporary Music Society, now in its 28th season of presenting concerts of new music in New York City (www.wscms.org).

Premieres

Quincunx, commissioned by and dedicated to Joseph Alessi, principal trombonist of the New York Philharmonic, was premiered in recital February 25, 2004, by Alessi with pianist Warren Jones and percussionist Daniel Druckman, at the Julliard School, New York, NY. The United States premiere of Sukhi! was given April 10 by the Syracuse Society for New Music at SUNY- Geneseo, NY. Composition for Liam and a newly revised version of Monogram were premiered December 7 by pianist Margaret Mills in recital at Carnegie (Weill) Hall, New York, NY.

Performances

The New York Consort of Viols played Tombeau and Tango at Sarah Lawrence College, NY, on March 10, 2004. The Da Capo Chamber Players gave additional performances of Skyscapes III for mixed quintet April 21, at Bard College, NY, and April 30, at Eastern Conservatory of the Arts, Oldwick, NJ. Canzona and Dance for clarinet, strings, and piano will be played by the ensemble counter)induction at Merkin Hall, New York, NY, on March 9, 2005.

Publications

Quincunx, trombone, piano, and marimba/vibraphone; Maverick Tango, written for guitarist David Starobin; Sasquatch, bass or contrabass trombone and two percussionists, written for David Bobroff; Sigol Musings, solo violin, written for Rolf Schulte; ThingamaBob, harpsichord or piano, written for Robert Conant; Composition for Liam, Monogram, and Tangoblique, all for piano in revised computer-copied scores; by American Composers Edition. Two Poems of Shelley, SATB chorus is also now computer-copied, available from Earnestly Music/Frank Warren Music Service.

Recordings

Craig Hultgren has recorded Tesserae II for solo cello for Living Artists Recordings as part of the “Craig Hultgren Solo Cello Works” Biennial CD. The Da Capo Chamber Players have recorded Skyscapes III and Sukhi! for future CD release on Albany Records.

Further Information

• 2002-2003 American Composers Update
• 2001-2002 American Composers Update
• 2000-2001 American Composers Update
• 1999-2000 American Composers Update
• 1998-1999 American Composers Update
• 1997-1998 American Composers Update
• 1996-1997 American Composers Update
• SAI's Music for Young People section