Frederic Hand
Encyclopedia
Frederic Hand is a guitarist and composer who lives in the New York City
area.
His versatile performances range from early music
to jazz
to his own compositions, and he has been a guest artist at the Mostly Mozart Festival, the Marlboro Music Festival, with the New York Philharmonic
, the Waverly Consort, and the Orchestra of St. Luke's, among others.
As a composer, his scores have been featured in films such as This Boy's Life
, Kramer vs Kramer (in which he also appears as a street musician) and The Next Man
, as well as television programs Sesame Street
, As the World Turns
, and The Guiding Light, for which he won an Emmy award in 1996. He has also been nominated for a Grammy award for his composition Prayer.
For 20 years, Hand has been the official guitarist for the Metropolitan Opera
in New York City.
Frederic Hand is a graduate of the Mannes College of Music
and studied in England
with Julian Bream
on a Fulbright scholarship. Hand is currently chairman of the Classical Guitar
department at the State University of New York at Purchase
, and he also serves on the faculties of the Mannes College of Music and Bennington College
.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
area.
His versatile performances range from early music
Early music
Early music is generally understood as comprising all music from the earliest times up to the Renaissance. However, today this term has come to include "any music for which a historically appropriate style of performance must be reconstructed on the basis of surviving scores, treatises,...
to jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
to his own compositions, and he has been a guest artist at the Mostly Mozart Festival, the Marlboro Music Festival, with the New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
, the Waverly Consort, and the Orchestra of St. Luke's, among others.
As a composer, his scores have been featured in films such as This Boy's Life
This Boy's Life (film)
This Boy's Life is a 1993 film adaptation of the memoir of the same name by Tobias Wolff. It is directed by Michael Caton-Jones and stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Tobias Wolff, Robert De Niro as stepfather Dwight Hansen, and Ellen Barkin as Toby's mother, Caroline...
, Kramer vs Kramer (in which he also appears as a street musician) and The Next Man
The Next Man
The Next Man is a 1976 American political action thriller film starring Sean Connery, Adolfo Celi, Cornelia Sharpe and Charles Cioffi. Critical reaction at its opening was not positive. Music for the film features New York guitarist Frederic Hand.-Plot:The film is set during the Arab oil embargo...
, as well as television programs Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
, As the World Turns
As the World Turns
As the World Turns is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS from April 2, 1956 to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created As the World Turns as a sister show to her other soap opera Guiding Light...
, and The Guiding Light, for which he won an Emmy award in 1996. He has also been nominated for a Grammy award for his composition Prayer.
For 20 years, Hand has been the official guitarist for the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
in New York City.
Frederic Hand is a graduate of the Mannes College of Music
Mannes College of Music
Mannes College The New School for Music is The New School university's music conservatory. While the university's main campus is located in Greenwich Village, New York City, Mannes maintains its main academic building on the Upper West Side of Manhattan....
and studied in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
with Julian Bream
Julian Bream
Julian Bream, CBE is an English classical guitarist and lutenist and is one of the most distinguished classical guitarists of the 20th century. He has also been successful in renewing popular interest in the Renaissance lute....
on a Fulbright scholarship. Hand is currently chairman of the Classical Guitar
Classical guitar
The classical guitar is a 6-stringed plucked string instrument from the family of instruments called chordophones...
department at the State University of New York at Purchase
State University of New York at Purchase
Purchase College, State University of New York, is a public four-year college located in Purchase, New York, United States. It is one of 13 comprehensive colleges in the State University of New York system...
, and he also serves on the faculties of the Mannes College of Music and Bennington College
Bennington College
Bennington College is a liberal arts college located in Bennington, Vermont, USA. The college was founded in 1932 as a women's college and became co-educational in 1969.-History:-Early years:...
.