Role

:

Composer  

Birth

:

1947

 

Laurie Altman is a renowned American composer and pianist, known for his contributions to contemporary classical music. Born on August 6, 1949, in Brooklyn, New York, Altman grew up in a family of musicians. His father was a jazz pianist, and his mother was a singer. Altman started playing the piano at a young age and showed a natural talent for music. Altman attended the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied composition with Ludmila Ulehla and piano with Constance Keene. He later earned a Master of Music degree from the Juilliard School, where he studied with Vincent Persichetti and Roger Sessions. Altman also studied at the Tanglewood Music Center, where he worked with Gunther Schuller and Leonard Bernstein. Altman's early compositions were influenced by the avant-garde music of the 1960s and 1970s. He experimented with serialism, aleatoric techniques, and electronic music. However, he soon developed his own style, which combined elements of classical, jazz, and popular music. Altman's breakthrough came in 1976 when he won the prestigious Rome Prize, which allowed him to spend two years in Rome studying and composing. During this time, he wrote several important works, including his first opera, "The Hotel Casablanca," which premiered in Rome in 1978. Altman's music is characterized by its lyricism, rhythmic vitality, and harmonic complexity. He often uses unconventional instrumental combinations, such as saxophone and harp or trumpet and marimba. His works range from solo piano pieces to large-scale orchestral works and operas. One of Altman's most famous works is his "Concerto for Saxophone and Orchestra," which was commissioned by the New York Philharmonic and premiered in 1986. The piece showcases Altman's ability to blend classical and jazz elements, with the saxophone soloist improvising over a lush orchestral backdrop. Altman has also written several operas, including "The Hotel Casablanca," "The Plumber's Gift," and "The Perfect Fool." His operas often deal with social and political issues, such as the exploitation of workers and the dangers of nuclear power. In addition to his work as a composer, Altman is also an accomplished pianist. He has performed his own works and those of other composers in concerts around the world. He has also recorded several albums, including "Piano Music of Laurie Altman" and "The Plumber's Gift." Altman has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to music. In addition to the Rome Prize, he has been awarded grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Guggenheim Foundation. He has also been a fellow at the MacDowell Colony and the Yaddo artist colony. Altman continues to compose and perform music today. His works have been performed by orchestras and ensembles around the world, and he is considered one of the leading composers of his generation.

More....