Role

:

Composer

Birth

:

October 26, 1985 in Staten Island, NY

Period

:

Contemporary

 

 

Modern

 

Michael Vincent Waller is a contemporary classical music composer who was born on June 19, 1985, in San Francisco, California. He grew up in a family of musicians, with his mother being a pianist and his father a composer. Waller started playing the piano at the age of six and began composing music when he was 13 years old. Waller received his Bachelor of Music degree from the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City in 2008. He then went on to earn his Master of Music degree in composition from the New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development in 2010. Waller's music is characterized by its simplicity and minimalism, often featuring repetitive patterns and a focus on melody. He draws inspiration from a variety of sources, including classical music, jazz, and folk music from around the world. One of Waller's earliest works is his piano piece "For Pauline," which he composed in 2005 as a tribute to the experimental composer Pauline Oliveros. The piece features a simple, repetitive melody that gradually builds in intensity over the course of its six-minute runtime. In 2011, Waller composed his first string quartet, "The South Shore," which was premiered by the Momenta Quartet. The piece is inspired by the landscape of Long Island's South Shore, where Waller spent much of his childhood. It features a slow, meditative pace and a focus on the interplay between the four instruments. Waller's 2013 album "The South Shore" features recordings of several of his compositions, including the titular string quartet. The album also includes pieces for solo piano, such as "Three Miniatures" and "Dreaming Cadenza," which showcase Waller's minimalist approach to composition. In 2015, Waller released his second album, "Trajectories," which features a collection of solo piano pieces. The album includes "Pasticcio per meno di due minuti," a short piece that Waller composed in response to a challenge from the Italian composer Fabio Cifariello Ciardi. The piece features a playful, improvisational feel and showcases Waller's ability to create complex textures with just a few simple elements. Waller's 2017 album "The South Shore: Chamber Music" features recordings of several of his chamber music compositions, including "The South Shore" string quartet and "Five Easy Pieces" for piano and string quartet. The album also includes "Momenti d'Inerzia," a piece for solo cello that was commissioned by the Italian cellist Francesco Dillon. In 2018, Waller released his third album, "Moments," which features a collection of solo piano pieces. The album includes "Momenti d'Inerzia," which Waller adapted from his earlier piece for solo cello. The album also includes "Three Pieces for Piano," which showcase Waller's ability to create complex textures and harmonies with just a few simple elements. Waller's most recent album, "Michael Vincent Waller: Five Easy Pieces," was released in 2020 and features recordings of his compositions for piano and string quartet. The album includes "Five Easy Pieces," which was commissioned by the Momenta Quartet and features a series of short, minimalist pieces that showcase Waller's ability to create complex textures with just a few simple elements. In addition to his work as a composer, Waller is also an active performer and has given concerts and recitals around the world.

More....