Role

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Composer

Period

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Contemporary

Genre

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Chamber

 

Robert Lindsey Nassif was an American composer of classical music, born on August 22, 1955, in San Francisco, California. He grew up in a musical family, with his father being a jazz pianist and his mother a singer. Nassif began playing the piano at the age of five and later learned to play the trumpet and French horn. Nassif attended the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where he studied composition with Elinor Armer and David Conte. He later earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of California, Berkeley, where he studied with Andrew Imbrie and Olly Wilson. Nassif also studied at the Aspen Music Festival and School, where he worked with composers such as George Crumb and Jacob Druckman. Nassif's early works were influenced by the avant-garde music of the 1960s and 1970s, but he later developed a more tonal and lyrical style. His compositions often incorporate elements of jazz and popular music, as well as influences from his Lebanese heritage. One of Nassif's most notable works is his Symphony No. 1, which was commissioned by the San Francisco Symphony and premiered in 1992. The symphony is in three movements and features a solo trumpet in the second movement. The work has been praised for its lush orchestration and emotional depth. Nassif also composed several works for chamber ensembles, including his String Quartet No. 1, which was premiered by the Kronos Quartet in 1986. The quartet is in four movements and features a wide range of textures and moods, from the frenetic energy of the first movement to the hauntingly beautiful third movement. In addition to his instrumental works, Nassif also composed several vocal works, including his song cycle "The Book of Nightmares," which sets poems by Galway Kinnell. The cycle was premiered by soprano Dawn Upshaw and pianist Gilbert Kalish in 1996 and has been praised for its haunting beauty and emotional intensity. Nassif was also a dedicated teacher and mentor to many young composers. He taught at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and the University of California, Berkeley, and was known for his supportive and nurturing approach to teaching. Tragically, Nassif's life was cut short when he died of cancer on December 4, 1996, at the age of 41. His legacy lives on through his music, which continues to be performed and admired by musicians and audiences around the world.

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