Role

:

Composer Conductor  

Birth

:

September 6, 1923 in Chicago, IL

Death

:

February 12, 2022 in Los Angeles, CA

Period

:

Contemporary

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Concerto

 

 

Orchestral

 

William Kraft is an American composer and percussionist who has made significant contributions to the world of classical music. Born on June 21, 1923, in Chicago, Illinois, Kraft grew up in a family of musicians. His father was a violinist, and his mother was a pianist. Kraft began playing the piano at a young age and later took up the drums and percussion instruments. Kraft's interest in music led him to study at the University of Illinois, where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree in 1944. He then went on to study at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City, where he earned a Master of Music degree in 1946. During his time in New York, Kraft studied with some of the most prominent composers of the time, including Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein, and Vincent Persichetti. After completing his studies, Kraft began his career as a percussionist, playing with various orchestras and ensembles. He played with the New York Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, among others. He also played with the NBC Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Arturo Toscanini. In addition to his work as a percussionist, Kraft began composing music in the 1950s. His early works were influenced by the serialism and atonality of the time, but he later developed his own unique style that incorporated elements of jazz and world music. One of Kraft's most significant works is his Concerto for Four Percussion Soloists and Orchestra, which he composed in 1964. The piece is a tour de force for percussion, featuring four soloists playing a wide variety of instruments, including marimbas, vibraphones, and drums. The concerto has become a staple of the percussion repertoire and has been performed by orchestras around the world. Another notable work by Kraft is his Timpani Concerto No. 1, which he composed in 1981. The piece is a virtuosic showcase for the timpani, featuring complex rhythms and intricate melodic lines. The concerto has been performed by some of the world's leading timpanists, including Evelyn Glennie and Jonathan Haas. Kraft's music is known for its rhythmic complexity and its use of unconventional instruments. He has written works for instruments such as the waterphone, a percussion instrument that creates eerie, otherworldly sounds, and the lion's roar, a percussion instrument that mimics the sound of a lion's roar. In addition to his work as a composer and percussionist, Kraft has also been an influential teacher. He taught at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) for over 30 years, where he mentored a generation of young composers and percussionists. His students include some of the most prominent composers and performers of today, including John Adams, Michael Daugherty, and Steven Schick. Kraft has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to music. He was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1966 and was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1992. In 2016, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Percussive Arts Society, recognizing his contributions to the world of percussion. In conclusion, William Kraft is a composer and percussionist who has made significant contributions to the world of classical music. His music is known for its rhythmic complexity and its use of unconventional instruments, and his works have been performed by orchestras and ensembles around the world.

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