Gary Kulesha

Gary Alan Kulesha CM (born 22 August 1954) is a Canadian composer, pianist, conductor, and educator. Since 1995, he has been Composer Advisor to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.[1] He has been Composer-in-Residence with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony (1988–1992) and the Canadian Opera Company (1993–1995). He was awarded the National Arts Centre Orchestra Composer Award in 2002.[2]

He currently teaches on the music faculty at the University of Toronto,[3] where his notable students have included Vincent Ho, Anna Höstman, Abigail Richardson-Schulte, Bekah Simms, and Andrew Staniland.

He was appointed as a Member of the Order of Canada in 2023.[4]

Education

Born in Toronto, Kulesha received his musical training at The Royal Conservatory of Music where he earned an associate diploma in piano (1973), a licentiate diploma in music theory (1976), and associate and fellowship diplomas in music composition in 1978. At the conservatory he was a pupil of William G. Andrews and Samuel Dolin. He also studied composition in England from 1978–1981 with John McCabe and in New York City in 1982 with John Corigliano.[5]

Selected works

Opera

  • Red Emma (1986–1995); libretto by Carol Bolt
  • The Last Duel (1999–2000); libretto by Michael Albano

Orchestra

  • Divertimento for String Orchestra (1975)
  • Concerto for Brass Quintet, Strings, and Piano, after Handel (1976)
  • Essay for Orchestra (1977)
  • Second Essay for Orchestra (1984)
  • Celebration Overture for Orchestra (1985)
  • Nocturne for Chamber Orchestra (1985)
  • Serenade for String Orchestra (1985)
  • Dreams for Orchestra (1988)
  • The Midnight Road (Third Essay for Orchestra) (1990)
  • The Gates of Time (1991)
  • Concertante Dances for Chamber Orchestra (1993)
  • Sinfonia for Brass Band, Piano, and Harp (1995)
  • Symphony (1997); with 2 conductors; premiered 1998
  • The True Colour of the Sky (1999)
  • Syllables of Unknown Meaning (2000)
  • The Rose (2002); companion piece to Syllables of Unknown Meaning

Band and wind ensemble

  • Stardrive (March in F) for Concert Band (1974)
  • Variations for Winds (1975)
  • Divertimento for Concert Band (1976)
  • Overture for Concert Band (1977, revised 1983)
  • Ensembles for Winds (1979)
  • March in B Flat for Concert Band (1979)
  • Two Pieces for Band (1983)

Concertante

  • Concerto for Tuba and Concert Band or Orchestra (1978–1981)
  • Concertino for Flute and Wind Ensemble (1979)
  • First Chamber Concerto for Wind Quintet, Brass Quintet and Percussion (1981)
  • Second Chamber Concerto for Solo Trumpet, Solo Piano and Wind Ensemble (1982)
  • Third Chamber Concerto for Bass Clarinet concertante, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons, and 2 Horns (1983)
  • Journey into Sunrise for Saxophone Quintet and Orchestra (1987)
  • Fourth Chamber Concerto for Brass and Percussion Concertante, Woodwinds, and Strings (1988–1989)
  • Concerto for Marimba, Bass Clarinet, and Small Orchestra (1989)
  • Fifth Chamber Concerto for Solo Oboe and Thirteen Players (1990–1991)
  • Concerto for Recorder and Small Orchestra (1991)
  • Concerto for Viola and Chamber Orchestra (1992)
  • Concerto for Accordion and Brass Band (1998)
  • Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (1998)
  • Partita for Piano and String Orchestra (1999)
  • Concerto for Strings, Harp, and Percussion (2001)
  • Sixth Chamber Concerto for Oboe, English Horn, Basson, Contrabassoon, 2 Violins, Viola, Cello, and Double Bass (2002)
  • Second Concerto for Violin and Chamber Orchestra (2002)
  • Cello Concerto (2005, written for Shauna Rolston)
  • Concerto for Trumpet, Horn and Trombone, with Brass Band (2007-8)
  • Concerto for Oboe and Orchestra (2020)

Electro-Acoustic

  • Angels for Marimba and Tape (1983)
  • Complex for Electric Bass and Tape (1986)
  • Demons for Tuba and Tape (1987–1988)
  • Ghosts for Bass Clarinet, Piano or Vibraphone, Tape, and Live Electronics (1988)
  • Toccata for Solo Percussion and Tape (1989)
  • Cages for Solo Percussion and Tape (2004)

Chamber music

  • Trio for Violin, Viola and Cello (1971)
  • Sonatina for Tuba and Piano (1972)
  • A Study in Time for Tuba and Piano (1972)
  • The Green Apple Two-Step for Tuba and Piano (1973)
  • Divertimento for Brass Quintet (1973)
  • Variations on a Theme by Paganini for Trumpet and Piano (1974, rev. 1982)
  • Humoreske for Tuba and Piano (1974)
  • Burlesque for Tuba and Piano
  • Sonata for Horn, Tuba and Piano (1975)
  • Visions for Tuba and Piano (1975)
  • Three Lyric Pieces for Recorder (or Flute) and Piano (or Organ)
  • Prelude and Fugue for Trumpet and Piano (1976)
  • Bohemian Dance for Tuba and Piano (1976)
  • Sonata for Tuba and Organ (1976)
  • Three Complacencies for Bass Clarinet and Tuba (1976)
  • Duo for Bass Clarinet and Piano (1977)
  • Divertimento for Brass Quartet (or Quintet) (1977)
  • Sonata for Trumpet, Tuba, and Piano (1978)
  • 3 Caprices for Solo Violin (1977–1978)
  • Trio for Flute, Cello, and Piano (1979)
  • Concertante Music for Soprano Saxophone and Woodwind Quintet (1979)
  • Suite "The Grand Canyon" for Two Trumpets (1979)
  • Attitudes for Clarinet and Piano (1980)
  • Mysterium Coniunctionis for Clarinet, Bass Clarinet and Piano (1980)
  • Divertimento for Brass Trio (1980)
  • Two Pieces for Brass Quintet (1980)
  • Secrets for Flute and Piano (1980)
  • Song and Dance for Violin and Piano (1980)
  • Invocation and Ceremony for Solo Saxophone (1981)
  • Nocturne and Toccata for Piano and Percussion (1981)
  • Passacaglia Cadenzas and Finale for Trumpet, Tuba and Piano (1981)
  • Suite for Percussion Quartet (1981)
  • Encore and Reggae for Marimba and Tuba (1981)
  • Second Suite "Pike's Peak" for Two Trumpets (1981)
  • Capriccio for String Quartet (1982)
  • Festival Dances for Accordion, Viola, Cello, Double Bass and Percussion (1982)
  • Pentagram for 5 Trumpets (1982)
  • Canticles for Brass Quintet and Organ (1982)
  • 6 Bagatelles "from The Devil's Dictionary" for Woodwind Quintet (1971–1993)
  • Piece for Tuba and Piano (1983)
  • Fanfare for Queen Elizabeth for 10 Trumpets (1984)
  • Jazz Music for Brass Quintet, Piano and Marimba (1984)
  • The Emperor of Ice Cream for Clarinet Quartet (revised 1985)
  • Soundings for Brass (1985)
  • Sonata for Cello and Piano (1986–1987)
  • Political Implications for Clarinet Quartet (1987)
  • "I saw how strangely the planets gathered..." for Flute/Alto Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Bassoon and 2 Horns (1989)
  • Fantasia Quasi Una Sonata for Violin and Piano (1991)
  • Trio for Violin, Cello, and Piano (1991)
  • A Book of Mirrors for Two Pianos and Percussion (1992)
  • "...and dark time flowed by her like a river..." for Violin or Viola or Cello and Piano (1993)
  • Masks for Recorder and Guitar (1994)
  • Pro et Contra for Violin and Cello (1995)
  • Conceits for Solo Recorder (1995)
  • Quintet-Sonata for Marimba and String Quartet (1996)
  • Sextet for Flute, Oboe, Vibraphone, Piano, Violin and Cello (1998)
  • Trio No.2 for Violin, Piano and Cello (2000–01)
  • Variations on a Theme by Benjamin Britten (2003)
  • Trio for Horn, Violin and Piano (2004)
  • Sonata for Trombone and Piano (2013)
  • Sonata for Oboe and Piano (2016)

Piano

  • Sonata (1970)
  • 3 Sonatinas (1969–1971)
  • Sonata for Two Pianos (1970–1972)
  • Monument for Piano 4 hands (1978)
  • Aphorisms (1978)
  • Second Sonata (1980)
  • Third Sonata (1986)
  • Mythologies for Two Pianos (1987)
  • Two Pieces for Piano (1994)
  • Four Fantastic Landscapes (1996)

Choral

  • 2 Songs for Mixed Chorus on Texts by Emily Dickinson
  1. Within my garden rides a bird (1973, revised 1979)
  2. Most she touched me by her muteness (1979)
  • The Drift of Stars for Orchestra and Children's Choir (1988); text by the composer
  • Shaman Songs for Mixed Chorus, Clarinet, and String Quartet (1990); text by the composer
  • Wild Swans for Mixed Chorus, Harp, Piano, Marimba and Cello (1991); text by W.B. Yeats
  • Give Us Peace for Mixed Chorus (2002); text by the composer
  • Night Watch for Mixed Chorus and Clarinet (2003); text by Sir Charles G. D. Roberts

Vocal

  • Love Songs for Voice and Piano (1980); text by the composer
  • Lifesongs for Alto and String Orchestra (1985); text by the composer
  • Night Music for Voice and Piano (1987); texts by Shakespeare, Shelley, and Byron
  • Snake for Bass-Baritone and Chamber Ensemble (1988); text by D. H. Lawrence
  • 4 Canadian Folk Songs for Voice and Saxophone Quintet (1989)
  • Blue Heron on Old Mill Bridge for Soprano and Piano (2000); text by Raymond Souster

Notes

  1. ^ "Toronto Symphony Orchestra Press Release". Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 12 March 2009.
  2. ^ "Gary Kulesha | Biographies". nac-cna.ca. Retrieved 28 March 2026.
  3. ^ Bio of Gary Kulesha at the University of Toronto website Archived 8 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "Order of Canada appointees – December 2023". Governor General of Canada. 22 December 2023. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  5. ^ F. Tim Knight. "Gary Kulesha". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 10 March 2005.

Further reading

  • Steenhuisen, Paul. "Interview with Gary Kulesha". In Steenhuisen, Paul (2009). Sonic mosaics: conversations with composers (1st ed.). Edmonton: University of Alberta Press. ISBN 978-0-88864-474-9.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.