Role

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Composer

Genre

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Chamber

 

 

Keyboard

 

 

Orchestral

 

Jeffrey Brooks is a contemporary classical music composer who was born in 1956 in New York City. He grew up in a family of musicians, with his father being a jazz pianist and his mother a classical pianist. Brooks began playing the piano at a young age and later learned to play the guitar and saxophone. Brooks attended the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied composition with John Corigliano and David Del Tredici. He later earned a Master of Music degree from Yale University, where he studied with Jacob Druckman and Martin Bresnick. Brooks' early works were heavily influenced by minimalism, a style of music characterized by repetitive patterns and simple harmonies. His first major work, "Nightmare Box," was written in 1981 and premiered at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. The piece features a driving rhythm and repetitive patterns that build in intensity over time. In the 1990s, Brooks began to incorporate electronic elements into his compositions. His piece "After the Treewatcher" (1993) features a live performer playing along with a pre-recorded tape of electronic sounds. The piece was commissioned by the Kronos Quartet and has been performed around the world. Brooks' music often explores themes of memory, identity, and the passage of time. His piece "The Passion" (2000) is a meditation on the life and death of Jesus Christ, featuring a choir and orchestra. The piece was commissioned by the American Composers Orchestra and has been performed by numerous ensembles. In recent years, Brooks has continued to experiment with electronic music and has collaborated with a number of musicians and artists. His piece "The Only Tune" (2015) features a live performer playing along with a pre-recorded tape of electronic sounds and video projections. The piece was commissioned by the Bang on a Can All-Stars and has been performed at festivals around the world. Brooks' music has been praised for its emotional depth and innovative use of technology. He has received numerous awards and commissions, including grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York State Council on the Arts. His music has been performed by some of the world's leading ensembles, including the New York Philharmonic, the London Sinfonietta, and the San Francisco Symphony. In addition to his work as a composer, Brooks is also a professor of music at the Princeton University. He has taught at a number of other institutions, including the Yale School of Music and the Manhattan School of Music. Overall, Jeffrey Brooks is a highly respected composer who has made significant contributions to the world of contemporary classical music. His innovative use of technology and exploration of themes such as memory and identity have earned him a place among the most important composers of his generation.

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