Role

:

Composer  

Birth

:

June 8, 1947 in Philadelphia, PA

Genre

:

Avant-Garde

 

 

Chamber

 

 

Vocal

 

Joan La Barbara is a renowned American composer, performer, and sound artist who has made significant contributions to the field of contemporary classical music. Born on June 8, 1947, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, La Barbara grew up in a musical family and began her musical training at an early age. She studied piano, voice, and composition at the Philadelphia Conservatory of Music and later at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. La Barbara's interest in experimental music and avant-garde performance led her to move to New York City in the early 1970s, where she became involved in the downtown music scene. She quickly established herself as a leading figure in the world of contemporary classical music, collaborating with some of the most innovative composers and performers of the time. One of La Barbara's most significant contributions to the field of contemporary classical music is her pioneering work in extended vocal techniques. She has developed a unique vocal style that incorporates a wide range of sounds, including whispers, screams, and multiphonics, which she uses to create complex and expressive musical textures. Her vocal innovations have had a profound influence on the development of contemporary vocal music, and she is widely regarded as one of the most important vocalists of the 20th century. La Barbara's career has been marked by numerous highlights, including her performances with the Philip Glass Ensemble in the 1970s and her collaborations with composer Morton Feldman in the 1980s. She has also worked with a wide range of other composers, including John Cage, Steve Reich, and Robert Ashley, and has performed at major venues and festivals around the world. In addition to her work as a performer, La Barbara is also an accomplished composer and sound artist. She has created numerous works for voice, chamber ensemble, and electronic media, and her compositions have been performed by leading ensembles and orchestras around the world. Her work has been recognized with numerous awards and honors, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Residency, and a National Endowment for the Arts Composer's Grant. One of La Barbara's most significant works is her 1977 composition "Voice is the Original Instrument," which is widely regarded as a landmark in the development of extended vocal techniques. The piece features La Barbara's virtuosic vocal performance, which incorporates a wide range of sounds and techniques, including multiphonics, glissandi, and circular breathing. The work has been performed by La Barbara and other vocalists around the world and has had a profound influence on the development of contemporary vocal music. Another notable work by La Barbara is her 1982 composition "Rothko Chapel," which was commissioned by the Menil Collection in Houston, Texas, for the opening of the Rothko Chapel. The piece features La Barbara's vocal performance, along with a chamber ensemble, and is inspired by the paintings of Mark Rothko. The work has been performed at major venues and festivals around the world and has been recorded by numerous ensembles. La Barbara's contributions to the field of contemporary classical music have been recognized with numerous awards and honors. In 2008, she was awarded the American Music Center's Letter of Distinction, and in 2011, she was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

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