Charles Wuorinen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charles Wuorinen
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Charles Wuorinen in the 1990s
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| Born |
Charles Peter Wuorinen
June 9, 1938 New York City, U.S.
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| Died | March 11, 2020 (aged 81) New York City, U.S.
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| Education | Columbia University (BA, MA) |
| Alma mater | Trinity School |
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Works
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List of compositions |
| Awards | Pulitzer Prize |
Charles Peter Wuorinen (pronounced WOR-ih-nen; June 9, 1938 – March 11, 2020) was an American composer. He created many pieces of contemporary classical music while living in New York City. Wuorinen was also a talented pianist and conductor.
He wrote over 270 musical works. These included music for orchestras, chamber music (music for small groups of instruments), and operas. One of his famous operas was Brokeback Mountain. His electronic piece, Time's Encomium, won the Pulitzer Prize. Wuorinen also taught music at several schools, like Columbia University.
Contents
Charles Wuorinen's Life and Music
Early Life and Education
Charles Wuorinen was born in New York City. His father, John H. Wuorinen, was a history professor at Columbia University. His mother, Alfhild Kalijarvi, had a master's degree in biology.
Charles was a very bright student. He graduated at the top of his class from Trinity School (New York City) in 1956. Later, he studied music at Columbia University, earning both his bachelor's and master's degrees there.
How Did Wuorinen Start Composing?
Wuorinen started composing music when he was just 5 years old. He began piano lessons at age 6. By the time he was 16, he won the New York Philharmonic's Young Composers' Award. His choral work, O Filii et Filiae, was performed in New York City in 1954.
He was active in school music groups. He sang and played piano in church choirs. He also helped prepare for the world premiere of an opera by Carlos Chávez at Columbia University. Wuorinen won several awards for his early compositions.
Forming The Group for Contemporary Music
In 1962, Wuorinen and fellow composer Harvey Sollberger started The Group for Contemporary Music. This group helped improve the performance of new music in New York. They played works by important composers like Milton Babbitt and Elliott Carter. Many of Wuorinen's own pieces were first performed by this group.
What Was Time's Encomium?
One of Wuorinen's most important works from the 1960s was Time's Encomium. This was his only piece made purely with electronic sounds. He created it using a special synthesizer at the Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center. For this work, Wuorinen received the 1970 Pulitzer Prize for Music. He was only 32 years old at the time.
Teaching and Later Works
Wuorinen taught at the Manhattan School of Music from 1971 to 1979. During this time, he wrote many chamber works, including his first two string quartets. He also composed orchestral pieces like the Second Piano Concerto. In 1976, he finished his Percussion Symphony, a large work for 24 players.
In the late 1970s, Wuorinen became interested in the work of mathematician Benoit Mandelbrot. He explored how mathematical ideas could influence music. This led to works like Bamboula Squared.
The 1980s saw him create large works for chorus and orchestra based on the Bible, such as The Celestial Sphere and Genesis. He also wrote his Third Piano Concerto for pianist Garrick Ohlsson. Wuorinen was a composer-in-residence with the San Francisco Symphony from 1984 to 1989.
Music for Dance
Wuorinen also worked with the New York City Ballet. He created several pieces specifically for dance performances. These included Five (Concerto for Amplified Cello and Orchestra) and works inspired by Dante's La Divina Commedia. He also arranged music by other composers for ballet. In 1985, Wuorinen received a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship, a special award for talented individuals.
21st Century Compositions
In the 2000s, conductor James Levine became a big supporter of Wuorinen's music. Levine commissioned Wuorinen's Fourth Piano Concerto and other orchestral works. Pianist Peter Serkin also commissioned several concertos from Wuorinen.
In 2004, the New York City Opera premiered his opera Haroun and the Sea of Stories. This opera was based on a novel by Salman Rushdie. Between 2008 and 2012, Wuorinen composed the opera Brokeback Mountain, based on a short story. It premiered in Madrid in 2014.
Wuorinen's Musical Style
Wuorinen wrote over 270 pieces of music. He was known for using the twelve-tone technique, a way of composing music where all 12 notes of the musical scale are used equally. He was influenced by composers like Arnold Schoenberg and Milton Babbitt.
His music is often very complex. It requires performers to be extremely skilled. It can feature wide jumps between notes, sudden changes in loudness, and very fast playing. Wuorinen also used ideas from fractals and the mathematical theories of Benoit Mandelbrot in his music.
Writings and Teaching
Wuorinen wrote a book called Simple Composition. He also gave lectures at many universities in the United States and other countries. He taught at schools like Columbia, Princeton, and Yale Universities, and the Manhattan School of Music.
Influence on Other Musicians
Charles Wuorinen's music and ideas influenced many other composers. For example, composer Robert Black said Wuorinen greatly affected his style. Jazz trumpeter Dave Douglas found Wuorinen's book Simple Composition very helpful. He said it led to a new way of composing for his own music groups.
In 2019, a special publication called Charles Wuorinen: A Celebration at 80 was released. It included articles and music written by his friends and colleagues. There was also an 80th birthday celebration at the Eastman School of Music with concerts and discussions about his work.
Performing and Conducting
Wuorinen was not just a composer; he was also an active performer. He played piano and conducted his own works, as well as music by other 20th-century composers. He conducted major orchestras like the Cleveland Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic.
In 1962, he co-founded The Group for Contemporary Music. This group was important for performing new chamber music. It helped train a new generation of musicians and inspired other similar groups in the United States.
Personal Life
Charles Wuorinen lived in New York City and in New Jersey. He was married to Howard Stokar, who was also his manager.
Wuorinen passed away on March 11, 2020, at the age of 81. His death was due to injuries from a fall he had several months earlier. A memorial service was held for him in May 2020.
Discography
Many of Charles Wuorinen's musical works have been recorded. You can find a full list of his recorded music in the Charles Wuorinen discography.
Notable Students
Wuorinen taught many students who went on to become successful musicians and composers. Some of his notable students include Arthur Russell, Michael Daugherty, Aaron Jay Kernis, and Tobias Picker.
Images for kids
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Charles Wuorinen in the 1990s
