COMPOSER TINA DAVIDSON
WHAT’S NEW
WHAT’S NEW
Celestial Turnings Premiere
Celestial Turnings, Tina Davidson’s work for string orchestra was premiered by Orchestra 2001 at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia on January 27, 2003. The work was featured in a review by the Philadelphia Inquirer as 'Celestial Turnings' - new yet familiar – debuts. David Patrick Stearns, Inquirer Music Critic, enthusiastically wrote:
"Music sometimes arrives in your life with an air of inevitability. You know you're hearing something for the first time, but your brain seems to have been secretly waiting for it. The ultimate, paradoxical effect is that of a musical homecoming with a total stranger, which happened at the premiere of Tina Davidson's new string orchestra work, Celestial Turning, at Orchestra 2001's Monday concert at the Kimmel Center.
This composer works extensively in special-music programs for inner-city schools while fulfilling commissions for the likes of the National Symphony Orchestra. Her pieces often have ethereal titles and an underlying motion you'd characterize as restless, were it not so tension-free. Similarly, Celestial Turnings has a bedrock of quasi-minimalist cells of repeated melody and rhythm, over which terse gestures and graceful glissandos unfold. Pejorative words like facile and ingratiating come to mind, but here they're compliments, referring to the music's sharp-focused clarity of vision that gives it a sense of expressive imperative - the piece says this is the way it had to be.
Inquirer, January 29, 2003
VocalEssence Commission: Hymn of the Universe
VocalEssence has commissioned Tina Davidson to write a large new work for their 26 member Ensemble Singers under the direction of Philip Brunelle. The work, entitled Hymn of the Universe, is based on the writings of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, an ardent Christian, an internationally known scientist and prolific religious writer who died in the 1950s. Using texts from his hymn-like prayer, "The Mass of the World," and his riveting "Hymn to Matter," Davidson delves into the spirit of Chardin’s writing, revealing "the essence of things – a living heart beating with the fiery energy of love and compassion." Hymn of the Universe is scored for SATB chorus, English horn, string quartet and marimba, and will receive its premiered on March 13, 2004 in Minneapolis.
A New Work for Concertante
Tina Davidson has just been commissioned by the Concertante ensemble for a new work for string sextet. Concertante is comprised of outstandingly gifted young artists who have won major national and international music competitions. As solo performers they have graced the premiere stages of the world from New York's Carnegie Hall to London's Royal Festival Hall and as an ensemble Concertante is one of the more exciting groups performing today. Davidson’s new work will be written specifically for Concertante talents and will be premiered at Merkin Hall in New York City in 2004 with additional performances in Baltimore and Harrisburg, PA.
newEar Commission: \Cel"e*brate\
The newEar Contemporary Chamber Ensemble has commissioned Davidson to write a new work in celebration of their tenth anniversary. The work, \Cel"e*brate\ is scored for alto saxophone, bass clarinet, piano and percussion and was written specifically for the core ensemble. The work, highly rhythmic and energetic, is either a dance, or about to dance. \Cel"e*brate\ was premiered in Kansas City in May 10, 2003.
Residencies
Tina Davidson has just finished three-month residency at the Penn Wynne Elementary School in Philadelphia. Using her well known Young Composer program, Davidson taught a multi-session residency to 80 third graders who made their own instruments, wrote their own music, rehearsed and performed their works for the school and local community. She also taught instrument building to the remaining 375 students. The residency concluded with an evening performance of student works, and a display of their instruments.
New Releases
WHYY-TV released Tina Davidson’s Bodies in Motion for violin, cello, piano, marimba and soprano on CD and DVD formats as part of their documentary, "Thomas Eakins: Scenes from Modern Life" in June, 2002. The performance is by Yayoi Numazawa, Ohad Bar-David, Keiko Sato, Don Liuzzi and Holly Phares. Davidson’s Antiphon for the Virgin for a cappella chorus was released in the "Songs for Mary: Sharing and Caring Hands" by St Patrick Guild in October, 2002. The work was performed by the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers with Philip Brunelle conducting.
Children’s Opera, Summer of the Swans: In Development
American International Artists is delighted to announce that composer Tina Davidson, poet Eva Davidson and adapter/director Ben Levit will collaborate to create a new opera for family audiences based on Betsy Byers Newbery Award winning novel, Summer of the Swans. At the heart of the story is the gaining of understanding and compassion for those who are different. Themes of love, family, forgiveness, and most importantly, diversity weave their way throughout the story. Sara, just fourteen, is grappling with the difficulties of being an adolescent, the loss of her mother and the absence of her father. Charlie, her younger brother, has cognitive disabilities and lives in his own silent world. When Charlie runs away and gets lost, Sara goes out to search for him. She finds not only him, but also a deepening of love and understanding for her brother.
Along with composer Tina Davidson, is poet Eva Davidson who has an MFA from Warren Wilson Program for Writers, and won the American Academy of Poets Prize. Ben Levit’s talent as a director and dramaturge is widely known. His work has garnered Joseph Jefferson and Obie Awards and his world premiere production of The Hidden Sky was awarded the 2000 Barrymore Award for 'Outstanding Direction of a Musical.' This artistic team worked on Tina Davidson’s highly acclaimed opera, Billy and Zelda, produced by OperaDelaware.
Summer of the Swans will be scored for five voices (soprano, mezzo-soprano, alto, tenor and boy soprano), children’s chorus, clarinet, bassoon, string quartet and percussion and will be approximately one hour in length. Current members of the commissioning consortium include Opera Columbus (OH) and The Carlsen Center (Overland Park, KS). Members of the production consortium include Opera Columbus and Lyric Opera of Kansas City.
If you are interested in joining either the commissioning consortium and/or the production consortium please contact Cynthia Herbst at (518) 686 0972 or e-mail her at [EMAIL PROTECTED] .
Selected Performances
o River of Love, River of Light, Voces Novae et Antique, February 28, March 2, 2003
o Celestial Turnings for string orchestra; Orchestra 2001 Kimmel Center, Philadelphia, January 25, 27, 2003
o I Hear the Mermaids Singing; Brooklyn Museum, New York City, December 8, 2002
o Paper, String, Glass & Wood for triple string quartet; Peabody School of Music, November 24, 2002
o Listening to the Earth for children’s chorus & SATB, Atkinson Memorial Park, NJ, June 9, 2002
o Come Walk in the Light for SATB, Singing City Chorus, Philadelphia, PA February 23, 2002
o It is My Heart Singing for string quartet and piano, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie, February 10, 2002
o Beyond the Blue Horizon for full orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, three performances at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Jan. 25-27, 2002
Biography
TINA DAVIDSON is an independent composer who devotes full time to her work since 1989. She was composer-in-residence at Fleisher Art Memorial (1998-2001) and ran the city-wide Young Composers program. She was composer-in-residence with Opera Delaware, Newark Symphony Orchestra and the YWCA, as part of Meet The Composer innovative "New Residencies" program. The residency, which ran for three years, was one of four awarded nation-wide in 1994.
Davidson has been awarded many commissions, state and national fellowships, including the prestigious Pew Fellowship, the largest such grant in the country for which an artist can apply. She has been commissioned and performed by groups such as National Symphony Orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra, American Composers Orchestra, Opera Delaware, Kronos Quartet, WHYY-TV, Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, Greater Twin Cities Youth Orchestra, Orchestra Society of Philadelphia, Cassatt Quartet and Mendelssohn String Quartet.
For more information, please contact:
o Cynthia B. Herbst, Director o
American International Artists,
356 Pine Valley Road, Hoosick Falls, NY 12090
Tel: (518) 686 0972
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
o Tina Davidson o
216 East Market Street, Marietta, PA 17547
Tel: (717) 426-1309, Fax: (717) 426 2488
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Please note Tina Davidson's New Address and E-mail!
