Role

:

Composer Conductor  

Country

:

United States of America

Birth

:

March 1, 1951 in Cleveland, OH

Genre

:

Chamber

 

Elliott Sharp is a contemporary classical music composer, multi-instrumentalist, and producer. He was born on March 1, 1951, in Cleveland, Ohio, and grew up in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. Sharp's parents were both musicians, and he began playing the piano at the age of six. He later learned to play the clarinet, guitar, and saxophone. Sharp attended Cornell University, where he studied anthropology and music. He also studied composition with Benjamin Boretz and Robert Palmer. After graduating in 1973, Sharp moved to New York City, where he began performing and composing music. In the early 1980s, Sharp formed the band Carbon with guitarist Ned Rothenberg. The band's music combined elements of rock, jazz, and classical music. Carbon released several albums and toured extensively throughout the United States and Europe. Sharp has also composed music for dance, theater, and film. He has collaborated with choreographers such as Merce Cunningham and Trisha Brown, and his music has been featured in films such as "The Sixth Sense" and "Dead Man Walking." Sharp's compositions often incorporate elements of improvisation and experimentation. He has been influenced by a wide range of musical styles, including jazz, rock, and classical music. His music is known for its complex rhythms, intricate harmonies, and unconventional instrumentation. Some of Sharp's most notable works include "Tessalation Row," a piece for string quartet and electronics; "SyndaKit," a composition for a large ensemble of musicians and electronic instruments; and "Octal: Book One," a collection of pieces for solo guitar and electronics. Sharp has received numerous awards and honors for his work, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, and a fellowship from the New York Foundation for the Arts. He has also been a resident artist at several prestigious institutions, including the Rockefeller Foundation's Bellagio Center and the MacDowell Colony. In addition to his work as a composer, Sharp is also an accomplished performer. He has recorded over 80 albums as a solo artist and with various ensembles. He has performed throughout the world, including at major festivals such as the Montreux Jazz Festival and the Berlin Jazz Festival. Sharp continues to be an active composer and performer. He currently teaches at the Brooklyn College Conservatory of Music and the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. His music continues to push the boundaries of contemporary classical music and inspire new generations of musicians and composers.

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