Wendy Mae Chambers facts for kids

Wendy Mae Chambers is an American composer born on January 24, 1953. She lives in Harvey Cedars, New Jersey. Wendy is known for creating very unique and large-scale music events. She also plays and writes music for the toy piano!

Early Life and Music Studies

Wendy studied music at Barnard College from 1971 to 1975. She earned her first degree there. Later, she continued her studies at Stony Brook University in New York. She got her master's degree in music composition between 1975 and 1977.

Creating Big Music Events

Wendy's ideas for huge music events came from artists like Christo and Andy Warhol. These artists created big, public art projects. Wendy wanted her music to reach more people, not just those who usually go to concerts. She knew the famous composer John Cage. Her piece 12 squared for twelve percussionists was even written to remember him. By putting her music in public places, she helped more people enjoy it.

The Toy Piano Queen

Wendy is also famous for her amazing skills with the toy piano. In 1994, The New York Times newspaper called her "possibly the world's foremost virtuoso on the toy piano." This means she might be the best toy piano player in the world!

Wendy's Musical Creations

Wendy Mae Chambers has written many different kinds of music. Some of her pieces are for huge groups of instruments in unusual places. Others are for smaller groups or even just one instrument.

Large-Scale Music Events

These are some of Wendy's biggest and most creative projects. She often used everyday objects or many instruments in surprising locations.

• REAL MUSIC – for 9 cars (1978)
• STREET MUSIC – for 30 musicians and a radio show (1978)
• THE KITCHEN – for 9 people playing pots and pans, and 3 people cooking (1978)
• MUSIC FOR CHOREOGRAPHED ROWBOATS – for 24 musicians in rowboats in Central Park, NYC (1979)
• BUSY BOX QUARTET – for 4 crib toys (1980)
• CLEAN SWEEP – for 9 vacuum cleaners (1980)
• PRIME TIME – for 9 televisions (1980)
• TEN GRAND – for 10 grand pianos at Lincoln Center Fountain Plaza, NYC (1983)
• THE GRAND HARP EVENT – PLUCK – for 30 harps at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine (1984)
• SOLAR DIPTYCH – for 30 trumpets (1985)
• MARIMBA – for 26 marimbas (1985)
• LIBERTY OVERTURE – performed in New York Harbor, NYC (1986)
• A MASS FOR TROMBONES – a special piece for 77 trombones at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, NYC (1993)
• TWELVE SQUARED – for 12 percussionists (1994)
• KUN – for 64 toy pianos at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, Miami, Florida (2009)

Smaller Music Pieces

Wendy also writes music for smaller groups of instruments or for solo players.

• POPCORN – for a group of four percussionists (1977)
• SUITE FOR TOY PIANO (1983)
• OCEANIC VARIATIONS – for solo piano (1992)
• ECLIPSE – for solo violin (1994)
• MANDALA – for toy piano (1997)
• ENDANGERED SPECIES SONG CYCLE – for a singer, harp, and percussion (1997)
• ANTARCTICA SUITE – for solo piano (1999)

Commissioned Works

Sometimes, an organization or group asks a composer to write a new piece of music. This is called a commission.

• MARIMBA! (for 26 marimbas) – commissioned by the Percussive Arts Society for the Kennedy Center, Washington DC (1986).
• SOLAR DIPTYCH (for 30 trumpets) – commissioned by the New Wilderness Foundation for Central Park, NYC (1985).