Brian Head (composer)
Encyclopedia
Brian Head is an American composer
, guitarist
, and music theory and composition professor
.
He performs frequently as a soloist
and collaboratively with numerous groups, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic
, the Los Angeles Opera
, inauthentica, Jacaranda and Xtet. His compositions have been widely performed throughout the U.S. and abroad.
Brian Head holds an unusual dual appointment at the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California
, where he is a member of both the Classical Guitar and the Composition faculties, positions he has held since 2001. He maintains an active guitar studio there, lectures on a wide range of subjects, and directs the music theory program. As of 2010, he is the acting chair of the Classical Guitar department and Assistant Dean for curriculum.
From 2004-2010, Head led the Guitar Foundation of America
as its president. He now serves as the Artistic Director.
, Brian Head is the son of the noted trumpeter Emerson Head and his first wife Linda Head, a piano teacher and professional accompanist. He received undergraduate degrees from the University of Maryland
in both Music and Mathematics, and a masters degree from the University of Southern California
in guitar performance.
Notable guitar teachers include Anthony Norris, William Kanengiser
, and James Smith.
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, guitarist
Classical guitar
The classical guitar is a 6-stringed plucked string instrument from the family of instruments called chordophones...
, and music theory and composition professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
.
He performs frequently as a soloist
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
and collaboratively with numerous groups, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic
Los Angeles Philharmonic
The Los Angeles Philharmonic is an American orchestra based in Los Angeles, California, United States. It has a regular season of concerts from October through June at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and a summer season at the Hollywood Bowl from July through September...
, the Los Angeles Opera
Los Angeles Opera
The Los Angeles Opera is an opera company in Los Angeles, California. It is the fourth largest opera company in the United States. The company's home base is the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, part of the Los Angeles Music Center.-Current leadership:...
, inauthentica, Jacaranda and Xtet. His compositions have been widely performed throughout the U.S. and abroad.
Brian Head holds an unusual dual appointment at the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, where he is a member of both the Classical Guitar and the Composition faculties, positions he has held since 2001. He maintains an active guitar studio there, lectures on a wide range of subjects, and directs the music theory program. As of 2010, he is the acting chair of the Classical Guitar department and Assistant Dean for curriculum.
From 2004-2010, Head led the Guitar Foundation of America
Guitar Foundation of America
Guitar Foundation of America is the leading guitar organization founded in the year 1973. The company offer various services ranging from Guitar Lessons, to a Guitar Shop, Competitions and Events. The company is non profit and relies on advertisers on the website and events and donations...
as its president. He now serves as the Artistic Director.
Training
Raised in Adelphi, MarylandAdelphi, Maryland
Adelphi is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 14,998 at the 2000 census...
, Brian Head is the son of the noted trumpeter Emerson Head and his first wife Linda Head, a piano teacher and professional accompanist. He received undergraduate degrees from the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
in both Music and Mathematics, and a masters degree from the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
in guitar performance.
Notable guitar teachers include Anthony Norris, William Kanengiser
William Kanengiser
William Kanengiser is a Grammy Award-winning classical guitarist. He is one of the founding members of the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet .Kanengiser holds a Bachelor of Music and Master of Music from the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California, where he also serves as a...
, and James Smith.
Notable Compositions
- Sketches for Friends (1994)
- John McLaughlin: We Know You Know: Reverie for Mahavishnu (2005)