Laura Kaminsky facts for kids

Laura Kaminsky, born on September 28, 1956, is an American composer, a person who creates music. She also produces many musical and artistic events. Besides her creative work, she is an educator, teaching others about music.

Kaminsky was born in New York City. She went to the High School of Music and Art. Later, she studied music at Oberlin College and City College. She earned her Master of Arts degree in composition from City College in 1980.

A Career in Music

Laura Kaminsky has a very active career creating music. Her compositions have been performed all over the world. She has received many important awards and special grants for her work. Her music has also been recorded a lot, so many people can listen to it.

Leading Artistic Programs

Kaminsky is known for creating exciting and new cultural programs. She has worked at several important places in New York City. These include the 92nd Street Y, Town Hall, and Symphony Space. She is currently the artistic director at Symphony Space.

In 1984, she helped start a music group called Musicians Accord. She is still its artistic director. This group works at City College of New York. They help graduate students who are learning to compose music.

International Experiences

From 1992 to 1993, Kaminsky lived and worked in Ghana. There, she taught at the National Academy of Music. She also organized concerts and a conference about African music. This conference focused on how African music uses both old traditions and new ideas.

Later, from 1996 to 1997, she was the director of the European Mozart Academy. This was a special music program in Poland. It brought together talented young musicians from different parts of Europe. They studied and performed concerts across Eastern Europe. This happened after the Soviet Union had broken apart.

Teaching and Leadership Roles

From 1999 to 2004, Kaminsky was the head of the music department at the Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle. Then, from 2004 to 2008, she was the dean of the Conservatory of Music at Purchase College State University of New York.

After that, she became the artistic director of Symphony Space in New York City. She took over from its first director, Isaiah Sheffer. She also continues to teach composition and arts management at Purchase College.

Laura Kaminsky's Family Life

Laura Kaminsky's father, Dr. Leonard Kaminsky, was a dentist. Her mother, Eva D. Kaminsky, helped manage her husband's dental office. Her mother is from London, and her father was from The Bronx. In 2011, Laura Kaminsky married Rebecca Allan, who is a painter.

Musical Compositions

Laura Kaminsky has written a large number of musical pieces. She mostly composes chamber music and vocal music. Chamber music is written for a small group of instruments. Vocal music includes singing.

Operas by Kaminsky

• Some Light Emerges
• As One
• Hometown to the World
• Today It Rains
• The Post Office

Orchestral Works

• Terra Terribilis: Concerto for Three Percussionists and Orchestra
• Piano Concerto

String Quartets

• Transformations
• Transformations II: Music for a Changing World
• Monotypes
• American Nocturne
• Cadmium Yellow

Chamber Music Pieces

• Vukovar Trio
• Duo for Flute and Piano
• Duo for Cello and Piano
• Wave Hill for Violin and Piano
• And Trouble Came: An African Diary
• Twilight Settings
• Proverbs of ...
• Whence it Comes
• Interpolations on Utopia Parkway
• Piano Quintet

Solo Piano Music

• Fantasy
• Music for Artur
• Calendar Music
• Triftmusik
• Danza Piccola

Piano Four-hands Music

• "Reckoning" (5 Miniatures for America)

Other Solo Works

• The Great Unconformity (for cello)
• Isole (for cello)
• Until a Name (for flute)

Songs

• Rise, My Love
• Whitman Songs