John Adams
b. 1947
Snapshot
John Adams has harnessed the rhythmic energy of Minimalism to the harmonies and orchestral colours of late-Romanticism * Brought contemporary history to the opera house with his post-modern music-theatre works Nixon in China (1987), The Death of Klinghoffer (1991), and Doctor Atomic (2005) * Has addressed urgent social issues with passion and empathy, both in his operas and in such works as I Was Looking at the Ceiling and then I Saw the Sky, El Dorado and The Wound-Dresser * His works are much favoured by choreographers, with multiple ballet versions of Fearful Symmetries * Winner of the 1995 Grawemeyer Award for Violin Concerto * Series of recordings on the Nonesuch label * A recent survey shows him to be the most frequently performed living American composer of orchestral music.
Works by John Adams include:
Short Ride in a Fast Machine (1986) for orchestra
Violin Concerto (1993)
El Niño (1999-2000) for soprano, mezzo-soprano, baritone, three counter-tenors, chorus, optional childrens' chorus and orchestra.
City Noir (2009) for orchestra
John Adams is represented as a conductor in North America by Ed Yim of IMG Artists and in Europe by Jane Brown of Harrison Parrott
Also visit the John Adams website at www.earbox.com
Looking ahead:
The English National Opera presents the London premiere of The Death of Klinghoffer in February 2012 with director Tom Morris.
The San Francisco Symphony will perform the world premiere of Absolute Jest in March 2012 as part of its 100th anniversary season. The work will also be performed at New York's Carnegie Hall later that month.
The English National Opera presents the London premiere of The Death of Klinghoffer in February 2012 with director Tom Morris.
The San Francisco Symphony will perform the world premiere of Absolute Jest in March 2012 as part of its 100th anniversary season. The work will also be performed at New York's Carnegie Hall later that month.
"Whenever serious art loses track of its roots in the vernacular, then it begins to atrophy." — John Adams
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