Chester Biscardi
Chester Biscardi (b. Kenosha, Wisconsin, October 19, 1948; nicknamed Chet) is an Italian American composer and educator.
He received a B.A. degree in English literature from the University of Wisconsin–Madison (1970); he studied during 1969–1970 at the University of Bologna and the Conservatorio di Musica "G. B. Martini"; he received an M.A. in Italian literature from the University of Wisconsin–Madison (1972); he received an M.M. in composition from the University of Wisconsin–Madison (1974); he received a M.M.A. in composition from Yale University (1976); and he received a D.M.A. in composition from Yale University (1980).
His composition instructors have included Les Thimmig, Mario Davidovsky, Robert Morris, Yehudi Wyner, Krzysztof Penderecki and Tōru Takemitsu.
He has been a member of the faculty of Sarah Lawrence College since 1977. He is openly gay.[1]
Biscardi's music has been released on the Albany, American Modern Recordings, Bridge, CRI (New World Records), Furious Artisans, Intim Musik (Sweden), Naxos, New Albion, New Ariel, North/South Recordings, Perfect Enemy Records, and Sept Jardins (Canada) labels.
Selected works
[edit]- Works by Biscardi are published by Merion Music, C.F. Peters and Biscardi Music Press.
- Stage
- Tight-Rope, Chamber Opera in 9 uninterrupted scenes (1985); libretto by Henry Butler
- The Duchess of Malfi, Music for the play by John Webster for 9 instrumentalists and voices (1976)
- Orchestral
- At the Still Point (1977)
- Concertante
- Chartres for solo piano and chamber ensemble (1973)
- Piano Concerto for piano and orchestra (1983)
- Recognition for piano and violin with string orchestra (2004, 2007)
- Chamber music
- Tartini for violin and piano (1972)
- orpha for string quartet, marimba and vibraphone (1974)
- Tenzone for 2 flutes and piano (1975)
- they had ceased to talk for violin, viola, horn and piano (1975)
- Trio for violin, cello and piano (1976)
- Trasumanar for 12 percussionists and piano (1980)
- Di Vivere for clarinet and piano (1981), or for clarinet and piano, with flute, violin and cello (1981)
- Music for Witch Dance for 2 percussionists (1983)
- Incitation to Desire (Tango) for clarinet, horn, violin, cello, percussion and piano (1984, 1993); original for piano solo
- Incitation to Desire (Tango) for marimba solo (1984, 2006); original for piano solo
- Traverso for flute and piano (1987)
- No Feeling Is the Same As Before for soprano saxophone solo (1988)
- Companion Piece (for Morton Feldman) for double bass and piano (1989)
- Netori (音取り) for violin, oboe, horn; horn, clarinet, cello; and piano (1990)
- Music for an Occasion for 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, piano and percussion (1992; revised 2003)
- Resisting Stillness for 2 guitars (1996)
- Chamber Fanfare for flute, violin, cello, percussion and piano (1999)
- Music for NASDAQ MarketSiteTV for flute, horn, violin, cello, percussion and piano (1999)
- Piano Quintet' for piano and violin, with violin, viola and cello (2004)
- The Viola Had Suddenly Become a Voice for viola and piano (2005)
- Footfalls (after Beckett) for flute, oboe, two guitars, tingsha, violin and violoncello (2012)
- Footfalls (after Beckett) for flute, oboe, piano, violin and violoncello (2012); original for flute, oboe, two guitars, tingsha, violin and violoncello
- Photo | Pier | Moonlight for violin duo (2015; rev. 2016)
- Suddenly Cello for violoncello and piano (2005/2020)
- Piano
- Nel giardinetto della villa for piano 4 hands (1994)
- Companion Piece (for Morton Feldman) (1989, 1991)
- Incitation to Desire (Tango) (1984)
- In Time's Unfolding (2000)
- Piano Sonata (1986; revised 1987)
- Mestiere (1979)
- Vocal
- Turning for violin, soprano, and string trio (1973)
- Trusting Lightness for soprano and piano (1975)
- Chez Vous for voice and piano (1983; revised 2007)
- "Poet's Aria" from Tight-Rope for baritone (or tenor) and piano (1985)
- The Gift of Life for soprano and piano (1990–1993)
- Baby Song of the Four Winds for mezzo-soprano (or soprano) and piano (1994)
- Guru for voice (or voices) and piano (1995)
- Prayers of Steel for baritone and piano (1998)
- The Child Comes Every Winter for voice and piano (1999)
- Recovering for voice and piano (2000)
- Modern Love Songs for voice and piano (1997–2002)
- What a Coincidence
- I Wouldn't Know about That
- Someone New
- Now You See It, Now You Don't
- At Any Given Moment
- Sailors & Dreamers for voice and chamber ensemble / voice and piano (2007-2010)
- You've Been on My Mind
- Play Me a Song
- Seven O'clock at the Cedar (Ode to Kline/de Kooning)
- Do You Remember?
- I Dance the Tango
- Falling Fast
- It's Time to Feel Alright Now
- Broken Stars That Go Dark for voice and piano (2016)
- Choral
- Heabakes: Five Sapphic Lyrics for mixed chorus, 2 solo sopranos, solo alto, and percussion (1974)
- Indovinello for 12 voices (1974)
- Eurydice for women's chorus and 17 instruments (1978)
- Good-Bye, My Fancy! for mixed chorus a cappella and narrator (1982)
- Mama Never Forgets Her Birds from The Gift of Life for mixed chorus and piano (1997)
- The Child Comes Every Winter for mixed chorus and piano (1999)
References
[edit]- ^ Who Are You? Dialogue, Sarah Lawrence College magazine, Spring 2003, archived from the original on 2007-11-14, retrieved 2007-11-03
External links
[edit]- Chester Biscardi official site
- Chester Biscardi page
- Chester Biscardi page
- Chester Biscardi Papers, 1985-1987 Music Division, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
- Chester Biscardi's page at Theodore Presser Company
- 1948 births
- 20th-century classical composers
- American people of Italian descent
- Living people
- American gay musicians
- American LGBTQ composers
- Musicians from Kenosha, Wisconsin
- Sarah Lawrence College faculty
- University of Wisconsin–Madison College of Letters and Science alumni
- Yale School of Music alumni
- Gay composers
- LGBTQ classical composers
- LGBTQ classical musicians
- LGBTQ people from Wisconsin
- American male classical composers
- American classical composers
- Pupils of Mario Davidovsky
- 20th-century American composers
- Classical musicians from Wisconsin
- 20th-century American male musicians
- 20th-century American LGBTQ people
- 21st-century American LGBTQ people