BOLCONM, William  (1938-    )

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DEALERS                        

Bolconm, William (Elden), American pianist and composer; b.

Seattle, May 26,1938. He studied at the Univ. of Washington in Seattle with John Verrall (BA., 1958); took a course in composition with Darius Milhaud at Mills College in Oakland, Calif. (M.A., 1961); attended classes in advanced composition with Leland Smith at Stanford Univ. (D.M.A., 1964); also studied at the Paris Cons. (2nd prize in composition, 1965). He received Guggenheim fellowships in 1964—65 and 1968—69. He taught at the Univ. of Washington in Seattle (1965—66), Queens College of the City Univ. of N.Y. (1966—68), and the N.Y. Univ. School of the Arts (1969—70). He joined the faculty of the school of music at the Univ. of Michigan in 1973; was made a full prof. in 1983. He was composer-in-residence of the Detroit Sym. Orch. (from 1987). In 1988 he won the Pulitzer Prize in Music for his 12 New Etudes for Piano. After absorbing a variety of techniques sine ira et studio, he began to experiment widely arid wildly in serial thematics, musical collage, sophisticated intentional plagiarism, and microtonal electronics. He was also active as a pianist, recording and giving recitals of ragtime piano; with his wife, the singer Joan Morris, he gave concerts of popular American songs from olden times. He publ., with Robert Kimbass, abookon the black American songwriting and musical comedy team of Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake, Reminiscing with Sissle and Blake (N.Y., 1973); also ed. the collected essays of George Rochberg, under the title The Aesthetics of Survival: A Composer’s View of 20th Century Music (Ann Arbor, Mich., 1984).

Works: STAGE: Dynamite To’nite, an actors’ opera (N.Y., Actors’ Studio, Dec. 21, 1963); Greatshot, an actors’ opera (1969); Theatre of the Absurd for Actor and Chamber Group (1970); The Beggar’s Opera, an adaptation of John Gay’s work, for Actors and Chamber Orch. (1978). 0RcH.: Sym. (1957); Concertante for Violin, Flute, Oboe, and Orch. (1961); sym., Oracles (1964); Concerto-Serenade for Violin and String Orch. (1964); Commedia for “Almost” 18th-century Orch. (1971); Summer Divertimento for Chamber Orch. (1973~l; Piano Concerto (1976); Humoresk for Organ and Orch. (1979); Symphony for Chamber Orchestra (1979); Ragoinania for Orch. (1982); Concerto for Violin and Orch. (1983); Fantasia concertante for Viola, Cello, and Orch. (1985); Seattle Slew, dance suite (1985-86); Sym. No. 4 (1986; St. Louis, March 13, 1987); Spring Concertino for Oboe and Chamber Orch. (1986-87). CHAMBER: 9 string quartets (1950—72); Ddcalage for Cello and Piano (1961); Octet for Flute, Clarinet, Bassoon, Violin, Viola, Cello, Contrabass, and Piano (1962); several works, each entitled Session, for various instrumental ensembles and mandatory drum play (1965, 1966, 1967); Dream Music No. 2 for Harpsichord and Percussion (1966); Duets for Quintet of Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello, and Piano (1971); Whisper Moon for Alto Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello, and Piano (1971); Duo Fantasy for Violin and Piano (1973); Piano Quartet (1976); Afternoon, rag suite for Clarinet, Violin, and Piano (1979); Brass Quintet (1980); Aubade for Oboe and Piano (1982); Capriccio for Cello and Piano (1985); 5 Fold 5 for Woodwind Quintet and Piano (1987); many works for keyboard, including Frescoes for 2 Pianists, each doubling on a Harmonium and Harpsichord (Toronto, July 21, 1971); 3 Gospel Preludes for Organ (3 books; 1979—81); 12 New Etudes for Piano (1977—86); also songs, including Songs of Innocence and of Experience, after Blake (1956-81; also for Soloists, Chorus, and Orch., 1982).