Tina Davidson facts for kids

Tina Davidson (born on December 30, 1952) is an American composer. This means she writes music.

Early Life and Education

Tina Davidson was born in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1952. She grew up in Oneonta, New York, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

She went to Bennington College and graduated in 1976. There, she earned a degree in piano and composition. She learned from famous teachers like Henry Brant, Louis Calabro, Vivian Fine, and Lionel Nowak.

Tina Davidson helped start the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Composers Forum. She was its director from 1999 to 2001. She also led the New Music Alliance, a group that organized music festivals. She even put together a festival called "New Music Across America." This event took place in 18 cities across the U.S., Canada, and Europe. In 1992, she wrote an important article about women in music for Ms. Magazine.

Today, she lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Musical Career and Achievements

For over 40 years, Tina Davidson has been a very busy composer. Many famous groups have asked her to write music for them. These include the National Symphony Orchestra and the Kronos Quartet. Her music has been played by groups like The Philadelphia Orchestra.

In 2011, the famous violinist Hilary Hahn asked Tina Davidson to write a piece. Hilary Hahn recorded this music, and the album won a GRAMMY Award in 2015!

Critics have praised Tina Davidson's music. They say she has a "vivid ear for harmony and colors." Her works are described as having "transfigured beauty." People also say her music has "structure, mood, novelty and harmonic sophistication." It is both "intellectually rigorous and deeply moving."

Composer-in-Residence Programs

Tina Davidson has spent a lot of time working as a "composer-in-residence." This means she works closely with a group or organization for a period.

From 1998 to 2001, she was the composer-in-residence at the Fleisher Art Memorial. During this time, she created the Young Composers program. This program taught children in the city how to write music. They learned by building instruments, improvising, and using graphic notation.

She was also a composer-in-residence with OperaDelaware and the YWCA in Delaware from 1994 to 1997. Here, she wrote an opera called Billy and Zelda. She also created programs for homeless women and elementary school students.

Awards and Recognition

Tina Davidson has received many important awards and grants. She was the first classical composer to get a $50,000 Pew Fellowship. This is one of the largest grants an artist can receive in the country.

She has also won four Artist's Fellowships from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. Her work, Transparent Victims, was chosen by American Public Radio. It was featured at the International Rostrum of Composers in Paris.

Recorded Music

You can find Tina Davidson's music on several recording labels. These include Albany Records and Innova.

Her first solo album was called "I Hear the Mermaids Singing." Her second solo album, "It is My Heart Singing," came out in 2006. It features three pieces for string quartet.

In 2002, her piano trio, Bodies in Motion, was released on CD and DVD. This was part of a documentary about the artist Thomas Eakins. Her work, Antiphon for the Virgin, was also released on CD in 2002.

Discography

• Tina Davidson: I Hear the Mermaids Singing
• Tina Davidson: It Is My Heart Singing