Veronika Krausas
Encyclopedia
Veronika Judita Krausas is a Canadian
composer who lives and works in the United States
.
but grew up in Canada after the age of four. Her diplomas in music education and performance were completed at the Royal Conservatory of Music
in Toronto
. She also completed a Bachelor of Commerce (marketing) degree at the University of Calgary
(1985), a Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Toronto
(1991), a Masters degree at McGill University
in Montreal
(1995), and a doctorate from the University of Southern California
in Los Angeles
(2001), where she received the outstanding DMA in Composition award. In 2004 she won the Theodore Front Prize for her Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, one of the "Search for New Music awards" presented by The International Alliance for Women in Music (IAWM).
She is currently an Assistant Professor of Composition at the University of Southern California at the Thornton School of Music
. She is also the Assistant Director of Undergraduate music theory at USC, on the advisory board of Jacaranda Music, an associate director of The Industry, a pre-concert lecturer at the Los Angeles Philharmonic
orchestra, and an artist with Catalysis Projects.
, the United States
, Australia
, Germany
(at the Darmstadt New Music Festival), Romania
, and the Netherlands
. Through her production company, Vera Ikon Productions, she has produced and composed music for yearly shows since her arrival in Los Angeles.
Her electronic work Waterland (with video by Quintan Ana Wikswo) received its European premiere in Lyon
, France in October 2010. A commission for the 25th Anniversary of the San Francisco Choral Artists and the Alexander String Quartet, using text by the poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti
, was premiered in May 2011 in San Francisco.
Orchestral
Instrumental chamber music
Vocal chamber music
Piano
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
composer who lives and works in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Biography
She was born in Sydney, AustraliaSydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
but grew up in Canada after the age of four. Her diplomas in music education and performance were completed at the Royal Conservatory of Music
Royal Conservatory of Music
The Royal Conservatory of Music is a music school and performance venue in Toronto, Canada. Other uses of the term include:*The Madrid Royal Conservatory, Spain*The Royal Academy of Music, London, United Kingdom...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. She also completed a Bachelor of Commerce (marketing) degree at the University of Calgary
University of Calgary
The University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
(1985), a Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
(1991), a Masters degree at McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
(1995), and a doctorate 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 Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
(2001), where she received the outstanding DMA in Composition award. In 2004 she won the Theodore Front Prize for her Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, one of the "Search for New Music awards" presented by The International Alliance for Women in Music (IAWM).
She is currently an Assistant Professor of Composition at the University of Southern California at the Thornton School of Music
USC Thornton School of Music
The University of Southern California Thornton School of Music, founded in 1884 and dedicated in 1999, is one of the premier music schools in the United States...
. She is also the Assistant Director of Undergraduate music theory at USC, on the advisory board of Jacaranda Music, an associate director of The Industry, a pre-concert lecturer at 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...
orchestra, and an artist with Catalysis Projects.
Music
Veronika’s works have been performed in CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
(at the Darmstadt New Music Festival), Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, and the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. Through her production company, Vera Ikon Productions, she has produced and composed music for yearly shows since her arrival in Los Angeles.
Her electronic work Waterland (with video by Quintan Ana Wikswo) received its European premiere in Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, France in October 2010. A commission for the 25th Anniversary of the San Francisco Choral Artists and the Alexander String Quartet, using text by the poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti
Lawrence Ferlinghetti
Lawrence Ferlinghetti is an American poet, painter, liberal activist, and the co-founder of City Lights Booksellers & Publishers...
, was premiered in May 2011 in San Francisco.
Works
Opera- the mortal thoughts of lady macbeth (2001) for soprano, 2 mezzos, alto, 9 instruments, 22:00
Orchestral
- les reflets du chapeau claque de la lune ... (the glints of the moon's opera hat ...) (1996), full orchestra: 2(+picc)/2 (+EH)/2 (+bass)/2 (+contra); 4/3/2 (+bass)/1; timp; 3 perc; hrp; pno; strings, 9:42
Instrumental chamber music
- analemma (2006) for 11 musicians (flute, oboe, clarinet, trumpet, percussion, harp, piano, 2 violins, viola, cello), 14:00
- stone (1991) for solo double bass and narrator, 8:43
- us.we.are (2005) for solo cello, 7:00
- Inside the Stone for viola solo (1997)
- 5 intermezzi for 2 guitars (2003/4), 12:34
- cloisonne (2005) for solo double bass and film, 6:42
- il sole e l'altre stelle (2006) for string quartet, 6:30
Vocal chamber music
- midaregami (tangled hair) (2007) for string quartet and mezzo-soprano (premiere by the Penderecki String Quartet March 10, 2007, Toronto), 19:00
- Shade (2002, text by Molly Bendall, for soprano, recorder, clarinet, percussion and vocal tape, 12:00
- From Easter (2000), text by Andre Alexis (premiere September 2000 in Montreal & New Brunswick), soprano, horn, bass, percussion, 15:00
Piano
- Player Piano Project (February 12, 2008)
Writings
- in + on (2006), photography book of graffiti and writings found in and on the streets of 20 cities around the world
- errata: a curious collection of corrections (2005), with Renee Reynolds
Grants and Commissions
- Motion EnsembleMotion EnsembleMotion Ensemble is a musical group formed in New Brunswick. They play contemporary classical music and experimental music. Motion Ensemble Inc. is a non-profit organization in the province of New Brunswick founded in 1998....
http://www.motionensemble.com/ - The Canada Council
- A Millennium Commissioning Grant
- Two Interdisciplinary Arts Initiative grants in Los Angeles
Recordings
- Mnemosyne (2002) solo and chamber works, the Motion Ensemble
- The Music of Veronika Krausas (2002) compilation of orchestral, chamber and solo works
- FOOD: New Music for Guitar Duo (2005)
Music and DVD publications
- The Bestiary/Le Bestaire (a collection of children’s piano pieces), Frederick Harris Music Publishers
- Catastrophe Apostrophe: A Trio of Curio Films by Quintan Ana Wikswo with the Music of Veronika Krausas (2010). DVD Published by Catalysis Projects.
External links
- http://www.veronikakrausas.com/ official web site for Veronika Krausas
- http://www.usc.edu/schools/music/private/faculty/krausas.php USC faculty profile
- http://www.musiccentre.ca/apps/index.cfm?fuseaction=composer.FA_dsp_biography&authpeopleid=13740&by=K her biography on the Canadian Music Centre web site