Role

:

Composer  

Country

:

United States of America

Birth

:

June 16, 1931 in Detroit, MI

Death

:

April 11, 2000 in New York City, NY

Period

:

Contemporary

Genre

:

Avant-Garde

 

 

Chamber

 

Lucia Dlugoszewski was a renowned American composer, performer, and educator who made significant contributions to the world of contemporary classical music. Born on February 16, 1931, in Brooklyn, New York, Dlugoszewski grew up in a family of musicians. Her father, a Polish immigrant, was a violinist, and her mother was a pianist. Dlugoszewski began playing the piano at a young age and later learned to play the violin and viola. Dlugoszewski attended the High School of Music and Art in New York City, where she studied composition with Vittorio Giannini. She went on to study at the Juilliard School of Music, where she earned a Bachelor of Music degree in composition in 1953. While at Juilliard, Dlugoszewski studied with Vincent Persichetti, a prominent American composer and educator. After completing her studies at Juilliard, Dlugoszewski moved to Paris, where she studied with Nadia Boulanger, a renowned composition teacher who had taught many of the leading composers of the 20th century. Dlugoszewski also studied with Olivier Messiaen, a French composer known for his innovative use of rhythm and harmony. Dlugoszewski returned to the United States in the late 1950s and settled in New York City. She became involved in the city's vibrant avant-garde music scene, which was centered around the Judson Dance Theater. Dlugoszewski began composing music for dance performances, collaborating with choreographers such as Anna Sokolow and Alwin Nikolais. In the 1960s, Dlugoszewski began to develop her own unique style of composition, which combined elements of serialism, minimalism, and improvisation. Her music was characterized by its use of unconventional instruments, such as the electric violin and the waterphone, and its exploration of non-traditional forms and structures. One of Dlugoszewski's most significant works is her String Quartet No. 2, which was composed in 1963. The piece is notable for its use of extended techniques, such as playing behind the bridge and using the bow to create percussive effects. The quartet was premiered by the Juilliard String Quartet and was later performed by many other ensembles, including the Kronos Quartet. Dlugoszewski also composed music for orchestra, including her Concerto for Orchestra, which was premiered by the New York Philharmonic in 1967. The piece features a solo violin part that is played on an electric violin, and it incorporates elements of jazz and rock music. In addition to her work as a composer, Dlugoszewski was also an accomplished performer. She played the viola and the electric violin and often performed her own compositions. She was a member of the New York Philharmonic and the American Symphony Orchestra and performed with many other ensembles throughout her career. Dlugoszewski was also a dedicated educator and taught at several universities throughout her career. She was a professor of music at the State University of New York at Stony Brook from 1972 to 1996 and also taught at the University of California, San Diego, and the University of California, Santa Cruz. Throughout her career, Dlugoszewski received numerous awards and honors for her contributions to contemporary classical music. She was a recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship, the National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship, and the American Academy of Arts and Letters Award in Music. Lucia Dlugoszewski passed away on July 11, 2000, at the age of 69.

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