Nancy Van de Vate facts for kids

Nancy Van de Vate (born December 30, 1930) is an American-born composer living in Austria.

Life and career

Van de Vate was born in Plainfield, New Jersey. She studied piano at Eastman School of Music and music theory at Wellesley College and completed graduate degrees in music composition at the University of Mississippi and Florida State University. She later pursued further studies in electronic music at Dartmouth College and the University of New Hampshire and is known worldwide for her music in the large forms. Her first professional performance (1958) was of the Adagio for orchestra. During the early part of her career she taught at various North American universities and worked as a violist and pianist.

She taught at Memphis State University (1964–66), the University of Tennessee (1967), Knoxville College (1968–69; 1971–72), Maryville College (1973–74), the University of Hawaii (1975-76), and Hawaii Loa College (1977–80).

In 1975, Van de Vate founded the League of Women Composers and served as chairperson until 1982. (later renamed the International League of Women Composers, now part of the International Alliance for Women in Music).

Van de Vate now lives permanently in Vienna, Austria and teaches composition at the Institute for European Studies in Vienna. In 2010 the IES named her Composer-in-Residence.

Selected works

Opera

• Hamlet 2009, Opera in five acts, after Shakespeare, recorded 2011, premiered by The University of Mississippi's Opera Theatre Group April 18, 2015
• Where the Cross is Made, 2003, Opera in three acts, Libretto based on the play by Eugene O'Neill, 60' VM

Premiere: 2005, Normal IL, US, Illinois State University Opera, Karyl K. Carlson; Cond. Rec. VMM 4006, 2006, Michelle Vought, sop, Christopher Hollingsworth, bar, Timothy Schmidt, bass, Clinton Desmond, ten. Soprano, tenor, baritone, bass, 1/1/1/1 – 1 - 2 perc, pn/cel-str.(3,3,2,2,2)

• Im Westen nichts Neues, 2002, Opera in three acts, libretto after the novel by Erich Maria Remarque, 95', VM.

Premiere: 2003, Osnabrück Opera, Germany, Hermann Bäumer, Cond. (see below)

• All Quiet on the Western Front, Opera in three acts, 1999, libretto after the novel by Erich Maria Remarque, 95', VM.

Prem. 2003, New York City Opera ("Showcasing American Composers"), George Manahan, Cond. Rec. VMM 4004 (2 CDs), 2002, Moravian Philharmonic and soloists from the Janáček Opera, Toshiyuki Shimada, Cond. 2 tenors, 2 baritones, bass, soprano, mezzo, orch: 2/2/2/2 - 2/2/2/0 - 3 perc - hp – str

• Nemo: Jenseits von Vulkania, Opera in four acts, libretto: Allen Cortes and Nancy Van de Vate, 1995, 150', VM.

Rec. VMM 4002 (2 CDs), 2001. Moravian Philharmonic and soloists from the Janáček Opera, Toshiyuki Shimada, Cond. 2 sopranos, alto, tenor, baritone, bass, SATB chorus - orch: 3/3/3/3 -4/4/3/1 - timp, 3 perc - hp, pf, cel – str

• Nemo: Beyond Vulkania. Opera in four acts in English, with medium orchestra

(see above)

Orchestral

• Suite for String Orchestra after Mechthild from Magdeburg, 2000, 8', Vienna Masterworks

Premiere: Oct. 3, 2000, Scarlatti di Napoli Orchester, Rome, Italy, Daniele Moles, Cond.

• Adagio and Rondo for Violin and String Orchestra, 1994, 9'42", VM

Premiere: July 25, 1994, Sala Balowa, Lancut, Poland, Joanna Kawalla, vn, Lancut Festival Orchestra, S. Kawalla; Cond. Rec. VMM CD 3025, 1994, Joanna Kawalla, Vn, Koszalin Philharmonic, Poland, S. Kawalla; Cond.

• Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, 1968, rev. 1994, 22' VM

Premiere: April 26, 1969, University of Alabama Symphony, Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Franklin Choset; Cond., Sallie Schoen, pf; Prem. (rev.) Nov.11,1993, Koszalin, Poland, Makiko Hirashima, pf, Koszalin Phil. Orch., Szymon Kawalla; Cond. Rec. VMM CD 3025, 1994, KSPO, Hirashima, Kawalla 3/2/2/2 - 4/2/3/1 - timp, 2 perc - str

• Four Somber Songs, 1992, Texts by Georg Trakl, Edgar Allan Poe, William Blake, Paul Verlaine, 13', VM

Rec. VMM CD 3013, 1992, Slovak Radio Orchestra, Szymon Kawalla; Cond., Sulie Girardi, mezzo 2/2/2/2 - 2/0/1/1 - 1 perc - hp - str

• Viola Concerto, 1990, 16', VM

Premiere: September 14, 1993, Kraków, Poland, Grigorij Zhislin, Viola, Polish Radio Orch. of Kraków, José Maria Florêncio Junior; Cond. Rec. VMM CD 3023, 1993, PRSO, Zhislin, Florêncio 3/3/3/3 - 4/3/3/1 – timp, 3 perc - hp, pf, cel - str

• Kraków Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra, 1988, 25', VM

Premiere: November 28, 1989, Kraków Percussion Ensemble, PRO, Szymon Kawalla; Cond. Rec. Conifer (London) CDCF 185 (1988–92); VMM CD 3015, 1992, PRO, Kawalla 3/2/2/2 - 4/3/3/1 – timp. 5 perc - hp, pf/cel - str

• Chernobyl, 1987, 13', VM

Premiere: May 18, 1995, Vienna, Austria, Niederösterreichisches Tonkünstlerorchester, Peter Keuschnig; Cond. Rec. Conifer CDCF 168 (1988–92), VMM CD 3010, 1992, PRO, Kawalla 3/3/3/3 - 4/3/3/1 - timp, 3 perc - cel, hp, pf - str (12/10/8/8/6)

• Suite für Chor aus "Nemo", 1997, Texts: Allen Cortes and Nancy Van de Vate, 24', Rec. VMM CD 3043, 1998, VMM 4001, 1999, Ars Brunensis Chorus, Moravian Philharmonic, Toshiyuki Shimada; Cond.

SATB, Boy soprano, 3/3/3/3 - 4/4/3/1 - 4 perc - hp – str

• Choral Suite from "Nemo" (English), as above
• An American Essay, 1994, Texts: Walt Whitman, 30', VM

Premiere: June 29, 1994, Koszalin, Poland, Chorus Soranus (Denmark), Christine Marstrand, soprano, Knud Vad, Choral Dir. Koszalin Philharmonic Orchestra. Kawalla, Cond. Rec. VMM CD 3025, 1994, KSO, Chorus Soranus, Marstrand, Kawalla SATB, soprano 2/2/2/2 - 2/0/1/0 - 2 perc - hp - str

• Voices of Women, 1993, Texts: James Joyce, Walt Whitman, Charles Baudelaire, anon. Provençal 12th Cent. 20', VM

Premiere 1993, Koszalin, Poland, Silesian University Choir, Sulie Girardi, Mezzo-soprano, Halina-Gorniewicz, Choral Director, Koszalin State Philharmonic Orchestra, Kawalla; Recording: VMM CD 3022, 1993, Silesian University Choir, Sulie Girardi, KSPO, Kawalla. SSA soprano, mezzo, picc/1/0/1/0 – 2 perc – hp, cel, str

• How Fares the Night? 1993, Text: anon. Chinese, 5th century BC, trans. Mimi Tsoi,

4'30",VM Premiere: 1993, Koszalin, Poland, Silesian University Choir, Joanna Kawalla, Vn, Halina Gorniewicz, Choral Director, Koszalin State Phil. Orch., Szymon Kawalla, Cond. Recording: 1993, Silesian University Choir, Joanna Kawalla, Vn, KSPO, Szymon Kawalla SSAA, solo violin, string orchestra

Theatre Music

• Venal Vera: Ode to a Gezira Lovely, 2000, 10' VM

Premiere: November 4, 2000, Toronto, Canada, Michelle Vought, soprano; Rec: VMM 4003, 2001, Michelle Vought, soprano soprano or mezzo, bass cl, and 1 perc; or voice with tape Premiere: April 22, 1988,ensemble belcanto, Bremen, Germany; Recordings: Koch Schwann/Aulos CD 3-1432-2,1994, ensemble belcanto, Dietburg Spohr; VMM 2026, 1998, Blair Resicka; VMM 2034, 2001, Michelle Vought mezzo or soprano, 4-8 jazz singers with small percussion.

• A Night in the Royal Ontario Museum, 1983, Text: Margaret Atwood, 12', VM

Premiere: April 13, 1984, Marilyn DeReggi, Soprano, College Park, Maryland Rec. VMM 2028, 1998, Michelle Vought soprano and CD (Tape)

• Eine Nacht im Royal Ontario Museum, 1983, 12', VM

Rec. VMM 4001, 1999, Sulie Girardi (see above)

Music for strings

• String Quartet No. 2, 2005, 17', VM

Premiere: Nov. 25, 2005, Austrian Radio Concert Hall, Vienna, Austria, H. Groh, vn, G. Hinterndorfer, vn, D. Ivanova, va, R. Flieder, vc

• Divertimento for Harp and String Quintet, 1996, 18', VM

Rec. VMM 2034, 2001 Adriana Antalova, hp, Moravian PO String Quintet hp + vn (2), va, vc, db

• Seven Fantasy Pieces for Violin and Piano, 1989, 18', VM

Premiere: July 19, 1991,Paul Carlson, Vn, Nancy Van de Vate, Pf, Vienna, Austria Rec. VMM 2034, 2001, Michael Davis, vn, Nelson Harper, pf

• Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano, 1983, 13', VM

Premiere: March 24, 1984, Mexico City, Mexico, Nancy McAlhany, Vn, Maxine Neuman, Vc, Max Lifchitz, Pf. Recording: VMM CD 2001, 1990, Janusz Mirynski, Vn, Zdzislaw Lapinski, vc, Marek Mitelski, pf

• Letter to a Friend's Loneliness, 1976, Texts: John Unterecker,

10', VM Premiere: November 8, 1976, Johnson City, Tennessee, US, Recording: VMM CD 2006, 1992, Sulie Girardi, Mezzo, Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic String Quartet soprano and string quartet

• Concertpiece for Cello and Piano, 1976, VM
• Suite for Solo Violin, 1975, 8', Sisra Publications

Premiere: December 12, 1976, The New School, New York. Recording: VMM CD 2006, 1992, Michael Davis,

• Suite for Solo Viola, 1975, 8',VM

Prem. Nov. 2, 2006, Vienna, Austria, Jan Reznicek Rec. VMM CD 2034, 2001, Kate Hamilton

• Trio for Strings, 1974, 14',Arsis Press

Premiere: August 1975, Stowe, Vermont, Recordings: VMM CD 2006, 1992, Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic String Trio; VMM CD 2026, 1997, Veronika String Trio vn, va, vc

• Six Etudes for Solo Viola, 1969, 9', Arsis Press

Premiere: December 24, 1974, New York City, Jacob Glick, Recording: VMM CD 2003, 1992, Michael Davis

• Six Etudes for Solo Violin, 1969, 9',VM

Premiere: November 12, 1989, Paul Carlson, Pittsburg, Kansas Recordings: VMM 2028, 1998, Michael Davis

• Twelve Pieces for Piano on One to Twelve Notes, Vol. III, 2005, 16', VM

Premiere, Vienna, Austria, Ruth Spindler, pf.

• Balinese Diptych, 10', 2003, VM

Premiere: Sept. 9, 2003, Ananda Sukarlan, pf. Oslo, Norway. Rec. VMM 2043, 2007. A. Sukarlan.

• Prelude for Organ, 2002, 4', VM

Premiere: June 9, 2002: Brad Maguire, Wellesley Mass. Rec. VMM 2043, 2007, Carlyn Morenus

• Twelve Pieces for Piano on One to Twelve Notes, Vol. II, 2001, 19', VM

Premiere: August 15, 2001, Kathryn Rosenberg, Provincetown, Mass. Rec. VMM 2039, 2004 Thomas Hlawatsch

• Fantasy Pieces for Piano, 1995, 10', VM

Premiere: March 5, 1996, Utrecht, the Netherlands, Ananda Sukarlan; Recording: VMM 2026, 1997, Makiko Hirashima

• Night Journey, 1996, 8', VM

Premiere: April 19, 1997, Eisenstadt, Austria, Ruth Spindler. Rec. VMM 2028, 1998, Antoinette van Zabner

• Twelve Pieces for Piano on One to Twelve Notes, Vol I, 1986, 18', VM

Premiere: July 19, 1990, Vienna, Austria, Ruth Spindler. Recording: VMM CD 2003, 1992, Ruth Spindler

• Fantasy for Harpsichord, 1982, 4',VM

Premiere: May 6, 1983, Ann Arbor, Michigan, Michelle Edwards, Harpsichord; Recording: VMM 2028, 1998, Ewa Gabrys Sonata for Harpsichord, 1982, rev. 1996, 10', VM Premiere: November 12, 1983, Davis, California; Recording: VMM 2026, 1997, Ewa Gabrys MUSIC FOR WOODWINDS

• Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, 1970, 13', VM

Premiere: Sept. 2005, Vienna, Austria, Ruth Spindler, pf, Katrin Gstöckenbauer, cl.

• Woodwind Quartet, 1964, 8', Southem Music Co.

Premiere: Autumn 1964, Interlochen, MI, Interlochen Arts Woodwind Quartet fl, ob, cl, bn

Music for Brass

• Trio for Horn, Violin and Piano, 2006, 17', VM

Prem. March 8, 2007, Haydnsaal, Vienna, Austria, Ferenc Leitner, hn., Ute Lehmann, vn., Maki Saeki, pf

• Three Bagatelles for Four Trumpets 2006, 6' VM
• Three Bagatelles for Four Horns 2006, 6' VM

Prem. August 5, 2006, Potsdam (Germany) Horn Quartet

• Brass Quintet No. 2: Variations on "The Streets of Laredo", 2005, 17' VM

Prem. October 9, 2006 Oxford, Miss. (US), The Mississippi Brass; Rec. VMM 2043, 2005, The Mississippi Brass 2 tpt. hn. trb. tuba

• Diversion for Brass, 1964, 5', VM

Premiere: November 14, 1964, Atlanta, Georgia, Georgia State University Brass Quartet Rec. VMM 2043, 2007, The Niagara Brass 2 tp, hn, trb or euphonium Short Suite for Brass Quartet, 1960, 6',VM Premiere: November 9, 1963, Atlanta, Georgia, Georgia State University Brass Quartet Rec. VMM 2039, 2005, Niagara Brass 2 tp, trb, bass trb

Music for Percussion

• Suite for Marimba, 2000, 10', VM

Prem. April 5, 2005, University of Mississippi, Ricky Burkhead

• Teufelstanz, 1988, 14', VM

Premiere: February 24, 1989,"Musica Viva", Herculessaal, Münchner Residenz, Munich, Kraków Percussion Ensemble; Recordings: VMM CD 2015, 1995, UNI Percussion Ensemble and VMM CD 2039, 2005, same 6 percussion

Music for Mixed Ensemble

• Trio for Horn, Violin, and Piano, 2006, see under Music for Brass.

Trio for Clarinet, Bassoon and Piano, 2005, VM

• Divertimento for Harp and String Quintet, 1996, 18', VM

See under Music for Strings

• Music for MW2, 1985, 13', VM

Premiere: February 10, 1989, North South Consonance, New York City fl, vc, pf-4 Hands, l perc

• Trio for Bassoon, Percussion and Piano, 1980, 14', VM

Premiere: December 7, 1980, Honolulu, Hawaii, Paul Barrett, bn, William Wiley, perc, Nancy Van de Vate, pf

• Music for Viola, Percussion and Piano, 1976, 16', VM

Premiere: February 27, 1977, Honolulu, Hawaii, Maxine-Karen Johnson, va, William Wiley, perc, Stephen Salazar, pf. Recordings: VMM 2001, 1990, Maxine-Karen Johnson, va, William Wiley, perc, Evelyn Zuckerman, pf and VMM 2039, 2005, Arthur Klima, va, Andrew Pongracz, perc, Eric Zioleck, pf

• Quintet 1975, 1975, 13', VM

Premiere: 12.01.1976, Honolulu, Hawaii fl, vn, cl, vc, pf

Choral Music

• Cantata for Women's Voices, 1979, Texts: James Joyce, Walt Whitman, Charles Baudelaire, anon. Provençal 12th century BC, 19', VM

Premiere: April 1, 1982, Los Angeles, California, Veil of Isis, Joan Gallegos, Cond. SSAA, picc, fl, cl, hp, cel, 2 perc

• An American Essay, 1972, Texts: Walt Whitman, 30', VM

Premiere: May 16, 1972, Knoxville Choral Society, Knoxville, Tennessee, J. B. Lyle, Cond. Janice Clarke, Soprano SATB, pf, l perc

• The Pond, 1970, Text: Annette von Droste-Hülsoff, trans. Herman Salinger, 4'30", VM

Premiere: 1970, Orlando, Florida. Recording: VMM 3025, 1994, Chorus Soranus, Knud Vad, Cond. and VMM 2039, 2005, Chorus Ars Brunensis, Roman Valek, Cond. SATB a cappella

• How Fares the Night? 1959, 4',VM

Premiere: May 29, 1977, Honolulu, Hawaii, Text: anon. 5th century BC, trans. Mimi Tsoi SSA, pf

• Make A Joyful Noise, 1972, 4' (William Huntley, Pseudonym), Text: Psalm 98:4-6, 4', Montgomery Music Inc.

SATB, pf or organ

• Psalm 121, 1958, 4', VM

Premiere: June 30, 1974, St. John's Episcopal Choir, Knoxville, Tennessee SATB a cappella

Vocal Music

• Listening to the Night, 2001, Text: John Unterecker, VM

Prem. March 18, 2003, Michelle Vought, Normal IL (US) Soprano and seven instruments (fl., vib., 2 vn, va., vc, db)

• To the East and to the West, 1972, Text: Walt Whitman, 3',VM

Premiere: May 16, 1972, Bettie Mason, soprano, Nancy Van de Vate, piano, Knoxville TN

• Four Somber Songs, 1970, Texts: Georg Trakl, Edgar Allan Poe, William Blake, Paul

Verlaine, 11',VM Premiere: October 21, 1973, Bettie Mason, sop, Nancy Van de Vate, pf, Oak Ridge, TN

• The Earth is So Lovely, 1962, Text: Heinrich Heine, trans. Kate Flores, 3', VM

Premiere: Autumn 1962, Juanita Kirkpatrick, mezzo, Nancy Van de Vate, pf, Oxford, Miss. Rec. VMM 2028, 2005, Evelyn Petros, sop., N. Van de Vate, pf

• Loneliness, 1960, Text: Rainer Maria Rilke, 2', VM

Premiere: 1960, Oxford, Miss, J. Kirkpatrick, mezzo, N. Van de Vate, pf.. Rec. VMM 2028, 2005, Evelyn Petros, sop, N. Van de Vate, pf

Electronic Music

• Invention No. l (Tape), 1972, 2', VM

Premiere: May 20, 1973, Knoxville, Tennessee

• Wind Chimes (Tape), 1972, 3', VM

Premiere: May 20, 1973, Knoxville, Tennessee

• Satellite Music (Tape), 1972, 6', VM

Premiere: May 20, 1973, Knoxville, Tennessee

Music for Piano Instruction

• Twilight, 1963, Summy Birchard
• Topsy Turvy, 1964, (Helen Huntley, Pseudonym), Montgomery Music Co.
• Syncopated Soldier, 1964, (Helen Huntley, Pseudonym), Montgomery Music Co.
• Mississippi Twilight, 1969, (Helen Huntley, Pseudonym), Montgomery Music Co.
• Bicycle Ride, 1969, (Helen Huntley, Pseudonym), Montgomery Music Co.
• Hoe-Down, 1970, (Helen Huntley, Pseudonym), Willis Music Co.