Role

:

Composer

Birth

:

1966 in Indiana

 

Keith Fitch is a contemporary classical music composer who was born in 1966 in Cleveland, Ohio. He grew up in a musical family, with his father being a jazz pianist and his mother a classical pianist. Fitch began playing the piano at a young age and later learned to play the trumpet and guitar. He attended the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he studied composition with Donald Erb and piano with Elizabeth Pastor. Fitch went on to earn his Master of Music degree from the University of Michigan, where he studied with William Bolcom and Leslie Bassett. Fitch's early works were heavily influenced by jazz and rock music, but he later turned to more traditional classical forms. His compositions often feature complex rhythms and harmonies, as well as a wide range of instrumental colors. Fitch has been commissioned by numerous ensembles and organizations, including the Cleveland Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and the American Composers Orchestra. One of Fitch's most notable works is his Symphony No. 1, which was commissioned by the Cleveland Orchestra and premiered in 2004. The symphony is in four movements and features a large orchestra, including a large percussion section and a prominent role for the piano. The work is characterized by its driving rhythms and intricate harmonies, as well as its use of extended techniques such as glissandi and multiphonics. Another significant work by Fitch is his Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra, which was commissioned by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and premiered in 2010. The concerto is in three movements and features a virtuosic solo saxophone part. The work is notable for its use of jazz and rock influences, as well as its incorporation of electronic sounds. Fitch has also written a number of chamber works, including his String Quartet No. 2, which was commissioned by the Cleveland Quartet and premiered in 1998. The quartet is in four movements and features a wide range of textures and moods, from the lyrical and introspective to the energetic and rhythmic. In addition to his work as a composer, Fitch is also a professor of composition at the Cleveland Institute of Music. He has been recognized with numerous awards and honors, including the Cleveland Arts Prize and the Goddard Lieberson Fellowship from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Overall, Keith Fitch is a highly regarded contemporary classical music composer whose works are characterized by their complex rhythms and harmonies, as well as their incorporation of jazz and rock influences. His compositions have been performed by some of the world's leading orchestras and ensembles, and he continues to be an important figure in the world of contemporary classical music.

More....