Role

:

Composer  

Country

:

United States of America

Birth

:

July 14, 1952 in Chicago, IL

 

George Lewis was an American composer, trombonist, and educator who was born on July 14, 1952, in Chicago, Illinois. He grew up in a musical family, with his father being a jazz guitarist and his mother a classical pianist. Lewis began playing the trombone at the age of 11 and was soon performing in local jazz bands. Lewis attended Yale University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy in 1974. While at Yale, he studied composition with Martin Bresnick and trombone with John Swallow. He then went on to earn a Master of Fine Arts degree in Composition from the California Institute of the Arts in 1976, where he studied with Mel Powell and Morton Subotnick. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Lewis was a member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM), a Chicago-based collective of musicians who were dedicated to exploring new forms of improvisation and composition. During this time, Lewis began to develop his own unique style of composition, which blended elements of jazz, classical music, and experimental music. One of Lewis's most significant works from this period is his 1979 composition "Homage to Charles Parker," which was commissioned by the AACM. The piece is a tribute to the legendary jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker and features a large ensemble of musicians performing a complex and intricate score that incorporates elements of bebop, free jazz, and classical music. In the 1980s, Lewis began to gain recognition as a composer and performer, and his works were performed by a variety of ensembles, including the Kronos Quartet, the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players, and the Ensemble Modern. He also began to collaborate with other musicians and artists, including the choreographer Bill T. Jones and the visual artist Kara Walker. One of Lewis's most notable works from this period is his 1984 composition "Shadowgraph," which was commissioned by the Kronos Quartet. The piece is a complex and multi-layered work that incorporates elements of jazz, classical music, and African American spirituals. It features a variety of extended techniques, including glissandi, harmonics, and multiphonics, and is considered to be one of Lewis's most innovative and influential works. In the 1990s, Lewis continued to explore new forms of composition and performance, and his works began to incorporate elements of computer technology and interactive electronics. He also began to focus more on his work as an educator, teaching at a variety of institutions, including Mills College, the University of California, San Diego, and Columbia University. One of Lewis's most significant works from this period is his 1994 composition "Les Exercices Spirituels," which was commissioned by the Ensemble Modern. The piece is a large-scale work for ensemble and computer-generated sounds and is based on the spiritual exercises of the Jesuit priest Ignatius of Loyola. The work is a complex and multi-layered exploration of spirituality, sound, and technology and is considered to be one of Lewis's most ambitious and innovative works. In the 2000s and 2010s, Lewis continued to be an active composer, performer, and educator, and his works were performed by a variety of ensembles and orchestras around the world. He also continued to collaborate with other artists and musicians, including the visual artist Glenn Ligon and the composer and pianist Vijay Iyer.

More....