Role

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Composer  

Period

:

Contemporary

Genre

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Choral

 

Henry Mollicone is a renowned American composer of classical music, known for his operas, choral works, and orchestral compositions. Born on November 13, 1946, in Concord, New Hampshire, Mollicone grew up in a musical family. His father was a violinist, and his mother was a pianist. Mollicone started playing the piano at the age of five and began composing music when he was just eight years old. Mollicone's early musical education was at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, where he studied piano and composition. He later earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of New Hampshire and a Master of Music degree from the University of Southern California. Mollicone's career as a composer began in the 1970s when he started writing music for the theater. His first opera, "The Face on the Barroom Floor," premiered in 1978 and was an instant success. The opera, based on a poem by Hugh Antoine d'Arcy, tells the story of a painter who falls in love with a woman he sees in a barroom. The opera has since been performed over 500 times in the United States and Europe. In 1981, Mollicone composed "The Emperor Norton," an opera based on the life of Joshua Norton, a 19th-century San Francisco eccentric who declared himself the Emperor of the United States. The opera premiered at the San Francisco Opera Center and was later performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Mollicone's other operas include "Starbird," "Gabriel's Daughter," and "Hotel Eden." His choral works include "Beatitude Mass," "Magnificat," and "Songs of the Soul." Mollicone has also composed numerous orchestral works, including "Concerto for Violin and Orchestra," "Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra," and "Symphony No. 1." One of Mollicone's most famous works is "The Land of Smiles," a musical play based on the life of the American composer Jerome Kern. The play premiered in 1986 and has since been performed in theaters across the United States. Mollicone's music is known for its accessibility and emotional depth. His operas often deal with themes of love, loss, and redemption, and his choral works are often inspired by religious texts. Mollicone's music has been praised for its melodic beauty and its ability to connect with audiences on a deep emotional level. In addition to his work as a composer, Mollicone has also been a dedicated music educator. He has taught at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, the University of California, Santa Cruz, and the University of Southern California. Mollicone has also served as a composer-in-residence at numerous universities and music festivals. Mollicone has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to classical music. In 1993, he was awarded the American Academy of Arts and Letters' Academy Award in Music. He has also received the ASCAP Foundation's Victor Herbert Award, the National Opera Association's Chamber Opera Composition Award, and the San Francisco Opera Center's Dianne and Tad Taube Award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera. In conclusion, Henry Mollicone is a highly respected American composer of classical music. His operas, choral works, and orchestral compositions have been performed around the world and have earned him numerous awards and honors. Mollicone's music is known for its emotional depth and accessibility, and his contributions to classical music have made him a beloved figure in the world of music.

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