Role

:

Composer Conductor  

Country

:

United States of America

Birth

:

January 8, 1951 in Los Angeles, CA

Genre

:

Avant-Garde

 

 

Chamber

 

 

Opera

 

Paul Dresher is a contemporary classical music composer who was born on July 7, 1951, in Los Angeles, California. He grew up in a family of musicians, with his father being a jazz pianist and his mother a singer. Dresher started playing the guitar at the age of 12 and later learned to play the bass and drums. He attended the University of California, Berkeley, where he studied composition with Andrew Imbrie and John Thow. Dresher's early works were influenced by minimalism and experimental music. In 1976, he founded the Paul Dresher Ensemble, a group of musicians who performed his compositions. The ensemble's first performance was at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and they went on to perform at various venues across the United States and Europe. One of Dresher's early works was "Channels Passing," a piece for electric guitar and tape that he composed in 1978. The piece features a series of loops and layers of sound that create a hypnotic and meditative atmosphere. Another notable work from this period is "Liquid and Stellar Music," a piece for percussion and electronics that was commissioned by the Kronos Quartet. In the 1980s, Dresher began to incorporate more traditional instruments into his compositions, such as the piano and string quartet. He also started to explore more complex rhythmic structures and harmonies. One of his most famous works from this period is "Slow Fire," a piece for string quartet and percussion that was commissioned by the Kronos Quartet in 1985. The piece features intricate rhythms and harmonies that create a sense of tension and release. Dresher's music continued to evolve in the 1990s, with a focus on multimedia and interdisciplinary collaborations. He worked with choreographers, visual artists, and filmmakers to create works that combined music with other art forms. One of his most famous works from this period is "Cage Machine," a multimedia opera that was inspired by the life and work of composer John Cage. The piece features a combination of live and recorded music, video projections, and spoken text. In the 2000s, Dresher continued to explore new forms and techniques in his compositions. He created works for large ensembles, such as "Glimpsed from Afar," a piece for orchestra and electronics that was commissioned by the San Francisco Symphony. He also continued to collaborate with other artists, such as the choreographer Margaret Jenkins, with whom he created the dance piece "The Gates." Dresher's music is known for its innovative use of technology and its incorporation of diverse musical styles and influences. He has been recognized with numerous awards and honors, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Rockefeller Foundation Fellowship, and a Fulbright Fellowship. His music has been performed by some of the world's leading ensembles, including the Kronos Quartet, the San Francisco Symphony, and the Bang on a Can All-Stars. In addition to his work as a composer, Dresher is also a teacher and mentor. He has taught at various universities and conservatories, including the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and the University of California, Berkeley. He has also mentored numerous young composers through his work with organizations such as the American Composers Forum and the MacDowell Colony. Overall, Paul Dresher is a pioneering composer who has pushed the boundaries of contemporary classical music.

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