Alvin Singleton facts for kids

Alvin Singleton (born December 28, 1940, in Brooklyn, New York) is a talented composer from the United States. He has written many different kinds of music, including pieces for orchestras, ballets, and solo instruments. His music is known for mixing various styles and often includes unexpected elements.

Singleton grew up in New York City. He studied music at New York University, where his teachers included Hall Overton and Charles Wuorinen. Later, he went to the Yale School of Music and learned from Yehudi Wyner and Mel Powell.

After his studies in the U.S., Singleton received a special scholarship called the Fulbright Scholar. This allowed him to study in Rome, Italy, at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia from 1971 to 1985. There, he studied with a famous composer named Goffredo Petrassi.

Coming Back to the United States

After living in Europe for 14 years, Singleton returned to the United States. He became a Composer-in-Residence for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra from 1985 to 1988. This means he worked closely with the orchestra, often writing new music for them.

He also held similar positions at other places:

• Resident Composer at Spelman College in Atlanta (1988-1991)
• UNISYS Composer-in-Residence with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (1996-1997)
• Composer-in-Residence with the Ritz Chamber Players in Jacksonville, Florida (2002-2003)

Singleton has also been a Visiting Professor of Composition at the Yale University School of Music, teaching new composers.

Alvin Singleton's Music Style

Alvin Singleton's music is influenced by many different artists and styles. He has mentioned influences from classical composers like Mahler and Bach, to jazz musicians like Thelonious Monk and Charlie Parker, and even pop artists like Prince. His pieces often include elements of theater and surprise, making them exciting to listen to.

One of his notable works is a series of eight pieces called Argoru. These pieces are written for different solo instruments and were composed over many years, from 1968 to 2002.

Important Compositions

• TRUTH (2006): This is a choral ballet, which means it combines singing, dancing, and music played by instruments. It tells the story of Sojourner Truth, a famous person who fought for human rights.
• BluesKonzert (1995): This is a piano concerto, a piece for piano and orchestra. It was first performed at Carnegie Hall in 2010, with pianist Ursula Oppens as the soloist.

Recordings of His Music

Many of Alvin Singleton's compositions have been recorded so people can listen to them. Albany Records has released several albums of his music, including:

• Extensions of a Dream (2002), which features percussion music.
• Sing to the Sun (2007), with choral and chamber music.
• Sweet Chariot (2014), featuring solo and chamber music.

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus have recorded his piece called PraiseMaker. His four string quartets have been recorded by the Momenta Quartet.

Awards and Recognition

Alvin Singleton has received important awards for his work. In 2003, he was given a Guggenheim Fellowship, which is a prestigious award that helps artists and scholars continue their creative work.

List of Compositions

Here are some of Alvin Singleton's published compositions:

• String Quartet No. 1 (1967)
• Dream Sequence '76 (opera) (1976)
• A Yellow Rose Petal for orchestra (1982)
• After Fallen Crumbs for orchestra (1987)
• Shadows for orchestra (1987)
• String Quartet No.2 Secret Desire to be Black (1988)
• Between Sisters for soprano, alto flute, vibraphone and piano (1990)
• String Quartet No.3 Somehow We Can (1994)
• BluesKonzert for piano and orchestra (1995)
• PraiseMaker for mixed chorus and orchestra (1998)
• Greed Machine for vibraphone and piano (2003)
• When Given a Choice for orchestra (2004)
• TRUTH, choral ballet (2006)
• Brooklyn Bones for chorus and orchestra (2008)
• Different River for orchestra (2012)
• Sweet Chariot, for chamber ensemble (2013)
• Prayer for tenor solo, chamber choir, organ, harp, trumpet, and cello (2016)
• String Quartet No.4 Hallelujah Anyhow (2019)

You can find a full list of his works on Alvin Singleton's website.