Role

:

Composer

Birth

:

1940

Period

:

Contemporary

Genre

:

Choral

 

 

Concerto

 

Richard Toensing was an American composer and musician who was born on October 31, 1940, in New York City. He grew up in a family of musicians, with his father being a composer and his mother a pianist. Toensing began his musical education at an early age, studying piano and composition with his parents. Toensing attended the Juilliard School of Music in New York City, where he studied composition with Vincent Persichetti and Roger Sessions. He also studied conducting with Jean Morel and choral conducting with Abraham Kaplan. After graduating from Juilliard, Toensing continued his studies at the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned a Ph.D. in music composition. Toensing's early compositions were influenced by the serialist techniques of his teachers at Juilliard. However, he soon began to incorporate elements of tonality and traditional forms into his music. His works often feature lush harmonies, intricate counterpoint, and a sense of lyricism. One of Toensing's most significant works is his Requiem, which he composed in 1984. The piece was commissioned by the Vermont Symphony Orchestra and premiered in 1985. The Requiem is a setting of the Latin Mass for the Dead, and it features a large chorus, soloists, and orchestra. The work is notable for its use of traditional tonality and its incorporation of folk melodies from the Appalachian region of the United States. Toensing's other choral works include his Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis, which he composed in 1976. The piece is a setting of the traditional texts from the Gospel of Luke, and it features a large chorus and organ. The work is notable for its use of complex harmonies and its incorporation of traditional hymn tunes. Toensing also composed several instrumental works, including his Sonata for Violin and Piano, which he composed in 1972. The piece is a three-movement work that features intricate counterpoint and a sense of lyricism. The Sonata has been performed by numerous violinists, including Eugene Drucker of the Emerson String Quartet. In addition to his work as a composer, Toensing was also a respected conductor and music educator. He served as the director of choral activities at the University of Vermont from 1971 to 2001, where he conducted the University Chorus and the Vermont Symphony Orchestra Chorus. He also served as the music director of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra from 1998 to 2000. Toensing was a prolific composer, and his works have been performed by numerous orchestras, choruses, and soloists throughout the United States and Europe. He received numerous awards and honors for his work, including a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1980 and the Vermont Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts in 1995. Richard Toensing passed away on May 30, 2014, at the age of 73. His legacy as a composer, conductor, and educator continues to inspire musicians and audiences around the world.

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