Role

:

Composer

Period

:

Contemporary

Genre

:

Avant-Garde

 

 

Chamber

 

 

Keyboard

 

Howard Sandroff was an American composer and musician who was born on August 11, 1950, in Chicago, Illinois. He grew up in a family of musicians, with his father being a jazz pianist and his mother a classical pianist. Sandroff began playing the piano at a young age and showed a natural talent for music. Sandroff attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he studied composition with Salvatore Martirano and Ben Johnston. He received his Bachelor of Music degree in 1972 and went on to earn his Master of Music degree in 1974. During his time at the University of Illinois, Sandroff became interested in electronic music and began experimenting with synthesizers and other electronic instruments. He co-founded the New Music Ensemble at the university, which focused on performing contemporary classical music, including electronic music. After completing his studies, Sandroff moved to New York City, where he worked as a freelance composer and musician. He collaborated with a number of artists and ensembles, including the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the Kronos Quartet. Sandroff's compositions were known for their use of electronic instruments and their incorporation of elements from a variety of musical genres, including jazz, rock, and world music. He was particularly interested in exploring the possibilities of computer-generated music and was one of the pioneers of computer music in the United States. One of Sandroff's most notable works is his composition "The Face of the Deep," which was commissioned by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 1986. The piece is a multimedia work that combines live performance with computer-generated music and video projections. It was performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Sir Georg Solti and received critical acclaim. Sandroff also composed a number of works for the Kronos Quartet, including "The Gates of Paradise," which was inspired by the artwork of Jacob Lawrence. The piece was premiered by the Kronos Quartet in 1996 and has since been performed by ensembles around the world. In addition to his work as a composer, Sandroff was also a respected educator. He taught at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the University of Chicago, and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He was known for his innovative teaching methods and his ability to inspire his students to explore new musical ideas. Sandroff continued to compose and perform music throughout his career, despite suffering from a rare neurological disorder that affected his ability to play the piano. He passed away on November 21, 2016, at the age of 66. Howard Sandroff was a pioneering composer and musician who pushed the boundaries of contemporary classical music. His innovative use of electronic instruments and his exploration of computer-generated music have had a lasting impact on the field of music. His compositions continue to be performed and studied by musicians and scholars around the world.

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