Michael Carnes
Encyclopedia
Michael Page Carnes is an American composer of contemporary classical music.
. The son of a piano teacher, he received his first formal musical training on trumpet in the public schools. He formed and played in several rock bands beginning in the late 1960s. While originally a performer of popular music and jazz, Carnes became interested in classical music and resumed his education.
He studied composition under John Bavicchi at Berklee College of Music
where he received his BA in 1977, John Thow
and Theodore Antoniou
at Boston University where he received his Masters in Music in 1980 and later with Rudi Martinus van Dijk
and Gunther Schuller
. His early works were largely tonal and reflective of jazz. These include a number of guitar etudes. In the years that followed, his music became more strongly chromatic, without an obvious tonal center. Principal works from this period include Fantasy Music 1 (for flute and taped electronic sounds), Fantasy Music 2 (for harpsichord and taped electronic sounds), and Marimba Concerto.
An intermediate period included Brass Quintet #2, War Songs (for voice and taped electronic sounds), and Variations (computer). More recently, his style has moved into a more flexible variant of the 12-tone technique. Recent works include Brass Quintet #3, Symphony: Challenger and Proper Motion (trio for flute, clarinet, piano) which had its world premiere at the Park City and Salt Lake City International Music Festival in 2005.
During his years in Boston, Carnes was a member of the "Composers in Red Sneakers" collective. In 1985, the group inaugurated the 8th season of contemporary music at New York's Symphony Space
. Amongst the pieces on the program were two songs for mezzo-soprano and marimba
by Carnes set to texts by e.e. cummings with Nancy Zeltsman
on the marimba.
Life and career
Carnes was born in North CarolinaNorth Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. The son of a piano teacher, he received his first formal musical training on trumpet in the public schools. He formed and played in several rock bands beginning in the late 1960s. While originally a performer of popular music and jazz, Carnes became interested in classical music and resumed his education.
He studied composition under John Bavicchi at Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
where he received his BA in 1977, John Thow
John Thow
John Holland Thow was an American music composer. Thow produced an extensive and diverse body of work comprising solo, chamber, vocal, choral, operatic and orchestral repertoire....
and Theodore Antoniou
Theodore Antoniou
Theodore Antoniou , is a Greek composer and conductor. His works vary from operas and choral works to chamber music, from film and theatre music to solo instrumental works. In addition to his career as composer and conductor, he also holds the position of professor of composition at Boston University...
at Boston University where he received his Masters in Music in 1980 and later with Rudi Martinus van Dijk
Rudi Martinus van Dijk
Rudi Martinus van Dijk was a Dutch composer of classical orchestral, chamber and vocal music, often featuring violin or piano....
and Gunther Schuller
Gunther Schuller
Gunther Schuller is an American composer, conductor, horn player, author, historian, and jazz musician.- Biography and works :...
. His early works were largely tonal and reflective of jazz. These include a number of guitar etudes. In the years that followed, his music became more strongly chromatic, without an obvious tonal center. Principal works from this period include Fantasy Music 1 (for flute and taped electronic sounds), Fantasy Music 2 (for harpsichord and taped electronic sounds), and Marimba Concerto.
An intermediate period included Brass Quintet #2, War Songs (for voice and taped electronic sounds), and Variations (computer). More recently, his style has moved into a more flexible variant of the 12-tone technique. Recent works include Brass Quintet #3, Symphony: Challenger and Proper Motion (trio for flute, clarinet, piano) which had its world premiere at the Park City and Salt Lake City International Music Festival in 2005.
During his years in Boston, Carnes was a member of the "Composers in Red Sneakers" collective. In 1985, the group inaugurated the 8th season of contemporary music at New York's Symphony Space
Symphony Space
Symphony Space is a multi-disciplinary performing arts organization at 2537 Broadway on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Performances take place in the 760-seat Peter Jay Sharp Theatre or the 160-seat Leonard Nimoy Thalia theater. Programs include music, dance, theater, film, and literary readings...
. Amongst the pieces on the program were two songs for mezzo-soprano and marimba
Marimba
The marimba is a musical instrument in the percussion family. It consists of a set of wooden keys or bars with resonators. The bars are struck with mallets to produce musical tones. The keys are arranged as those of a piano, with the accidentals raised vertically and overlapping the natural keys ...
by Carnes set to texts by e.e. cummings with Nancy Zeltsman
Nancy Zeltsman
International Marimba Soloist, Nancy Zeltsman has taught at the Boston Conservatory and Berklee College of Music since 1993.-Biography:Zeltsman was born in 1958 in Morristown, New Jersey...
on the marimba.
Recordings
Fantasy Music 1 is included on the 1984 Northeastern Records LP, Composers in Red Sneakers.Sources
- Blotner, Linda Solow, "Michael Page Carnes", The Boston composers project: a bibliography of contemporary music, MIT Press, 1983. ISBN 0262021986
- Cleary, David, "The Boston New-Music Scene: Present and Recent Past, with Special Emphasis on Composers in Red Sneakers", 21st Century Music, June 2000, Volume 7, Number 6
- Holland, Bernard, "Review: Composers in Red Sneakers", New York Times, 13 October 1985
- Page, Tim, "Numic Notes; Moderns in Red Sneakers", New York Times, 6 October 1985.
- Reichel, Edward, "Music Fest Features Trio's Premiere", Deseret News, 21 August 2005 (subscription access)
- Philadelphia Inquirer, "Bostonians Make Their Own Album", 23 June 1985, (subscription access)
External links
- Official website
- Composers in Red Sneakers Archives
- Fantasy Music 1 played on Music from New England, New Sounds, WYNCWYNCWYNC is a radio station broadcasting a Gospel music format. Licensed to Yanceyville, North Carolina, USA. The station is currently owned by Semora Broadcasting, Inc....
, 1 June 1987