Role

:

Composer

Birth

:

1977 in Hayward, CA

Period

:

Contemporary

Genre

:

Keyboard

 

Jeff Myers is a contemporary classical music composer who has gained recognition for his innovative and eclectic compositions. Born in 1977 in New York City, Myers grew up in a family of musicians and was exposed to classical music from a young age. His father was a jazz pianist and his mother was a classical pianist, and they both encouraged Myers to pursue music as a career. Myers began his formal music education at the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied composition with Richard Danielpour and David Del Tredici. He later earned a Master of Music degree from the Yale School of Music, where he studied with Martin Bresnick and Aaron Jay Kernis. Throughout his career, Myers has been influenced by a wide range of musical styles and genres, including jazz, rock, and world music. He has also drawn inspiration from literature, visual art, and film, and his compositions often reflect these diverse influences. One of Myers' early works, "The Angry Birds of Kauai," was inspired by the endangered Hawaiian bird species of the same name. The piece features a combination of traditional Hawaiian instruments and Western classical instruments, and incorporates elements of Hawaiian folk music and dance. Another notable work by Myers is "The Burden of Dreams," a multimedia piece that combines live music with video projections and spoken word. The piece was inspired by the documentary film "Burden of Dreams," which chronicles the making of Werner Herzog's film "Fitzcarraldo." Myers' composition explores themes of ambition, obsession, and the human desire to conquer nature. Myers has also composed several works for orchestra, including "Radical Rhapsody," which was commissioned by the New York Youth Symphony. The piece features a combination of classical and jazz elements, and was inspired by the music of Duke Ellington and George Gershwin. In addition to his work as a composer, Myers is also an active performer and educator. He has taught composition at the Yale School of Music and the University of Texas at Austin, and has performed as a guitarist with various ensembles. Myers' compositions have been performed by a wide range of ensembles and musicians, including the New York Philharmonic, the American Composers Orchestra, and the Kronos Quartet. He has received numerous awards and honors for his work, including the Charles Ives Fellowship from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Award. Overall, Jeff Myers is a versatile and innovative composer who has made significant contributions to the world of contemporary classical music. His eclectic style and diverse influences have helped to expand the boundaries of the genre, and his works continue to inspire and captivate audiences around the world.

More....