Annie Gosfield facts for kids
Annie Gosfield (born September 11, 1960) is a New York-based composer. She creates music that mixes different styles and sounds. Annie uses both written music and improvised parts. She also combines electronic sounds with traditional instruments.
Her music often includes unusual sounds. These can be things like satellite signals, machine noises, or even out-of-tune sounds. Annie Gosfield performs her music with her own group. They play in many different places, from concert halls to factories. She won a special award called the Berlin Prize in 2012.
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What Annie Gosfield Creates
Annie Gosfield writes many types of music. This includes large pieces, opera, and music for orchestras. She also creates chamber music (for small groups) and electronic music. Her work sometimes includes video projects and music for dance shows.
She uses traditional music notes, but also lets musicians improvise. Annie explores how music and noise can work together. Her ideas often come from non-musical sounds. These might be sounds from machines, old broken pianos, or even old, warped records. She likes to work with musicians to show off their special talents.
Famous Performances and Collaborations
Annie Gosfield's music has been played all over the world. Many famous groups have performed her pieces. These include The Bang on a Can Allstars and the FLUX Quartet. Her music has been featured at big festivals too. Some of these are Warsaw Autumn and the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival.
In 2017, the Los Angeles Philharmonic presented her first opera. An opera is a play where most of the words are sung. Her opera was based on Orson Welles's famous radio show, The War of the Worlds. This performance was very unique! It happened inside the Walt Disney Concert Hall and also on the streets of Los Angeles. They even used old air raid sirens to broadcast the music outside.
Annie has also created music for a factory in Germany. She worked with artist Manuel Ocampo on art installations. She even made a video for an imaginary orchestra of broken instruments. Annie has also composed music for many dance choreographers. Her dance music has been shown at big events like the Venice Biennale.
Inspiration and Recognition
Annie Gosfield's large musical works are often inspired by interesting ideas. For example, Daughters of the Industrial Revolution was about her grandparents' experiences. They were immigrants in New York City during the time of big factories. Another piece, EWA7, was created while she was in factories in Germany.
Her work has been featured in major newspapers like The New York Times. She has also been on National Public Radio. Annie has received many awards and fellowships for her music. These include awards from the Foundation for Contemporary Arts and the McKnight Foundation.
Annie Gosfield's Music Albums
Annie Gosfield has released several albums. These albums feature her unique compositions.
- Burnt Ivory and Loose Wires (1998): This album has music for a piano that is purposely out of tune.
- Flying Sparks and Heavy Machinery (2001): This album includes two pieces inspired by her time in German factories.
- Lost Signals and Drifting Satellites (2004): This album features music for solo violin with satellite sounds.
- Almost Truths and Open Deceptions (2012): This album includes a piece for cello and a piece for piano with a broken shortwave radio. It also has music inspired by old records and baseball.
Awards and Special Roles
Annie Gosfield has received many important awards and honors. In 2021, she received a Music Award from the Academy of Arts and Letters. She also received a Guggenheim Fellowship in music composition in 2017.
As mentioned, she won the Berlin Prize in 2012. This made her a Fellow at the American Academy in Berlin. In 2015, she was the Paul Fromm Composer-in-Residence at the American Academy in Rome. She was also a Civitella Ranieri Fellow in 2008.
Annie has also taught music composition at several universities. She taught at Columbia University and Mills College. She also taught at Princeton University and University of Texas Austin.
