David Carlson
Encyclopedia
Carlson studied theory and composition at the Los Angeles High School of the Arts and with Leonard Stein at the California Institute of the Arts
California Institute of the Arts
The California Institute of the Arts, commonly referred to as CalArts, is located in Valencia, in Los Angeles County, California. It was incorporated in 1961 as the first degree-granting institution of higher learning in the United States created specifically for students of both the visual and the...
. From 1988 to 1992 he was coordinator of the San Francisco Symphony's
San Francisco Symphony
The San Francisco Symphony is an orchestra based in San Francisco, California. Since 1980, the orchestra has performed at the Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall. The San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra and the San Francisco Symphony Chorus are part of the organization...
New and Unusual Music series.
David Carlson’s symphonic works have been performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra
Philadelphia Orchestra
The Philadelphia Orchestra is a symphony orchestra based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. One of the "Big Five" American orchestras, it was founded in 1900...
, the National Symphony Orchestra (United States), the San Francisco Symphony
San Francisco Symphony
The San Francisco Symphony is an orchestra based in San Francisco, California. Since 1980, the orchestra has performed at the Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall. The San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra and the San Francisco Symphony Chorus are part of the organization...
, the BBC Symphony, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Robert Spano has been its music director since 2001...
, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Tanglewood Festival, and others. He has composed several chamber pieces, including a Cello Sonata, a large work for cello and male chorus called Nocturno, and two cello concertos, as well as a large work for viola and piano True Divided Light, premiered in 2005. Carlson is the recipient of awards from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, Meet the Composer
Meet the Composer
Meet the Composer is an American organization founded in 1974 by the composer John Duffy as a project of the New York State Council on the Arts. It seeks to assist composers in making a living through writing music by sponsoring commissioning, residency, education, and audience interaction...
, Chamber Music America, and several other grants and fellowships. He has written four operas, three of which have received numerous performances. The Midnight Angel, to a libretto and original story by author Peter S. Beagle
Peter S. Beagle
Peter Soyer Beagle is an American fantasist and author of novels, nonfiction, and screenplays. His most notable works include the novels The Last Unicorn, A Fine and Private Place and Tamsin, and the award-winning story "Two Hearts".-Career:Beagle won early recognition from The Scholastic Art &...
, was commissioned by Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Glimmerglass Opera
Glimmerglass Opera
Glimmerglass Festival is an opera company which was founded in 1975 by Peter Macris and presents an annual season of operas at the Alice Busch Opera Theater on Otsego Lake eight miles north of Cooperstown, New York, United States.The summer-only season usually consists of four operas performed in...
, and Sacramento Opera; in 2007 it received a new production by Milwaukee’s Skylight Opera Theatre
Skylight opera theatre
The Skylight Opera Theatre is a professional light opera company located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded in 1959, Skylight performs in the 358-seat Cabot Theatre at the Broadway Theatre Center in Milwaukee...
. Dreamkeepers, with an original story and libretto by Aden Ross, was commissioned by the Utah Opera in celebration of the 1996 Utah Centennial and given a new production by the Tulsa Opera in 1998. Anna Karenina
Anna Karenina (Carlson)
Anna Karenina is an opera in two acts by American composer David Carlson, based on the novel Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, commissioned by Florida Grand Opera to celebrate the 2007 opening of the Ziff Ballet Opera House at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, co-commissioned by Opera...
, in collaboration with noted British librettist and director Colin Graham
Colin Graham
Colin Graham, OBE was a British-born stage director of opera, theater, and television.Graham was educated at Northaw School , Stowe School and RADA...
, was commissioned by Florida Grand Opera
Florida Grand Opera
Florida Grand Opera is an American opera company based in Miami, Florida. FGO was created in 1994 from the consolidation of two opera companies in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale region:...
in celebration of the 2007 opening of the Ziff Opera House in Miami, with a co-production by Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Opera Theatre of Saint Louis is a summer opera festival held in St. Louis, Missouri. Typically four operas, all sung in English, are presented each season, which runs from late May to late June. Performances are accompanied by the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, which is divided into two...
. Anna Karenina received a new production in September 2010 by Opera San Jose
Opera San Jose
Opera San José is the professional opera company in San Jose, California, United States, founded in 1984 by Irene Dalis. In 1988, it formed a resident company of principal artists, for which it has purchased fourteen apartment units to provide rent-free accommodation...
. A recent work, The Promise of Time, was written for American soprano Christine Brewer
Christine Brewer
Christine Brewer is an American soprano. She grew up in the Mississippi River town of Grand Tower, Illinois. She attended McKendree University in Lebanon, Illinois and concentrated on music education. She was a music teacher for several years before embarking on a professional music performing...
through the Bay Area’s Magnum Opus commissioning program (original texts by Susan Kinsolving
Susan Kinsolving
Susan Kinsolving is an American poet whose books include The White Eyelash, Dailies & Rushes and Among Flowers....
), with performances by the Marin Symphony Orchestra, Oakland East Bay Symphony
Oakland East Bay Symphony
The Oakland East Bay Symphony is a leading orchestra based in Oakland, California. The current music director and conductor is Michael Morgan, who has held the position since September 1990. The Paramount Theatre has been the home of the Symphony since the 1995. Bryan Nies has been Assistant...
, and Santa Rosa symphonies.
Selected compositions
- Carlson's works are published by Carl Fischer MusicCarl Fischer MusicCarl Fischer Music is a major publisher of sheet music based in New York City that has been in business since 1872. As one of the few remaining family-owned music publishers, it supplies educational materials to professional and beginning musicians of all ages, as well as new music works.Notable...
, Inc., New York.
Orchestra
- "Toccata Robotica" for orchestra (2010)
- Serenade for chamber orchestra (based on a piano work by J.C. Bach) (2006)
- Episodes from the opera Anna Karenina (2006)
- Bear Dance on Ute Indian Rhythms (2001)
- Quantumsymphony (2001)
- Symphonic Sequences from the opera Dreamkeepers (1996)
- Twilight Night (1989)
- Lilacs [Epitaph] (1991)
- Rhapsodies (1986)
- Quixotic Variations (1978)
Concertante
- Cello Concerto No. 1 (1979)
- Violin Concerto (1988)
- Cello Concerto No. 2 for solo cello and string orchestra or 15 solo strings (1997)
Chamber music
- Woodwind Quartet (Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon) (2010)
- String Quartet No. 2 (2008)
- True Divided Light for viola and piano (2005) (also version for Violin and Piano)
- Absolute Music for saxophone quartet (2001)
- Glimmerglass Fanfare for brass quintet (2000)
- Quantum Quartet for clarinet, viola, cello and piano (1998)
- Resurrection for organ (1989)
- Sonata for cello and piano (1992)
- String Quartet No. 1 (1982)
- Hymnal Variations for piano 4 hands (1968)
Opera
- Anna KareninaAnna Karenina (Carlson)Anna Karenina is an opera in two acts by American composer David Carlson, based on the novel Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, commissioned by Florida Grand Opera to celebrate the 2007 opening of the Ziff Ballet Opera House at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, co-commissioned by Opera...
(2007); libretto by Colin GrahamColin GrahamColin Graham, OBE was a British-born stage director of opera, theater, and television.Graham was educated at Northaw School , Stowe School and RADA... - Dreamkeepers (1996); libretto by Aden Ross
- The Midnight Angel (1993); libretto by Peter S. BeaglePeter S. BeaglePeter Soyer Beagle is an American fantasist and author of novels, nonfiction, and screenplays. His most notable works include the novels The Last Unicorn, A Fine and Private Place and Tamsin, and the award-winning story "Two Hearts".-Career:Beagle won early recognition from The Scholastic Art &...
Chorus and orchestra
- Constellations for chorus SATB, string orchestra, and harp (2000); text by Susan KinsolvingSusan KinsolvingSusan Kinsolving is an American poet whose books include The White Eyelash, Dailies & Rushes and Among Flowers....
(also version for SATB chorus and orchestra) - Nocturno (1991); Latin text from Psalms 113, 90, and 148
- Missa Lyrica (1969); Latin text
Vocal music
- Dona Nobis Pacem, for chorus SATB, organ, and off-stage celesta (2010), Latin text from Psalm 133
- The Promise of Time, 3 Songs for soprano and large orchestra (2010); texts by Susan KinsolvingSusan KinsolvingSusan Kinsolving is an American poet whose books include The White Eyelash, Dailies & Rushes and Among Flowers....
- Vocalise for soprano and piano (2005)
- Constellations, Cantata for chamber chorus (2000); text by Susan KinsolvingSusan KinsolvingSusan Kinsolving is an American poet whose books include The White Eyelash, Dailies & Rushes and Among Flowers....
- Nocturno for solo cello and 8 male voices (1990); Latin text from Psalms 113 and 90
- The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian, (1985) Concert Scene for tenor and orchestra
Grants and awards
- First Prize, Omaha Symphony New Music Competition (for Quixotic Variations) 1978
- California State Fellowship 1985
- First Prize, Santa Fe Symphony New Music Competition (for Cello Concerto No. 1) 1989
- Chamber Music America commission grant (for Cello Sonata) 1991
- American Academy of Arts and Letters, Academy Award in Music 1995
- Meet the Composer commission grant (for Quantum Quartet) 1997
- Boston Chamber Ensemble New Music Competition (for Cello Concerto No. 2) 1998
- Meet the Composer commission grant (for Absolute Music) 1999
- Bogliasco Fellowship, Bogliasco, Italy. (2001)
- Connecticut State Fellowship (2009)
Recordings
- New World Records CD: Symphonic Sequences from Dreamkeepers/Rhapsodies/Twilight Night/Cello Concerto No. 1; Stewart RobertsonStewart RobertsonStewart Robertson is a Scottish conductor. He attended the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and Bristol University...
, conductor; Emil Miland, cello; The Utah Symphony. - Signum Records CD (London): Anna Karenina, Opera in Two Acts, Opera Theatre of Saint LouisOpera Theatre of Saint LouisOpera Theatre of Saint Louis is a summer opera festival held in St. Louis, Missouri. Typically four operas, all sung in English, are presented each season, which runs from late May to late June. Performances are accompanied by the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, which is divided into two...
, Stewart Robertson, conductor; The Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra - MSR Classics CD (U.S.): "True Divided Light" for Viola and Piano/Sonata for Cello and Piano, Geraldine Walther, viola; Emil Miland, cello; David Korevaar, piano. MS1283