Joan Tower

Born: September 6, 1938. New Rochelle, New York
Died:

American composer, pianist, and conductor. Her music, which is exclusively instrumental, often makes overt reference to earlier composers.

Every composer finds inspiration in a different place, and each composer chooses how much of that source to reveal to the listener. For Joan Tower, the inspiration for a composition is often very personal. It might be an aspect of her life, such as her upbringing in South America, that provides the impetus for a work, or it might be the impact of an individual, such as her father, on her life. On the other hand, the inspiration might come from works or composers that have influenced her development. In all cases, these elements of inspiration become an integral part of her works. And while her titles may reveal a source of inspiration, they do not suggest any extra-musical program.

Tower "grew up dancing" as a child in South America—an experience that she says has made rhythm an important part of all her works. She returned to the United States to study music, first at Bennington College and then at Columbia, where she earned her doctorate in composition. In 1969 she helped form the Da Capo Chamber Players, a group with which she performed for fifteen years. In 1972 she joined the faculty of Bard College, where she still teaches. Over the course of her career she has earned many honors, including a Guggenheim Fellowship (1976), the Alfred I. DuPont Award for Distinguished American Composers (1998), and the Grawemeyer Award (1990). She has been commissioned to write works for leading orchestras, ensembles, and soloists the world over and from 1985 to 1988 was composer-in-residence with the St. Louis Symphony.

Tower's early music reflected the serialism of her teachers at Columbia, and the spare texture of that style went well with her strong interest in chamber music. As her style developed, she became more interested in the works of composers such as Olivier Messiaen and George Crumb and began to move away from the strict serialist model. Her works became more colorful and were often described as impressionistic. She often writes with specific ensembles or soloists in mind, and her works exploit the special qualities of those performers. Her pieces often have evocative titles that have great meaning for her. For example, she has a series of "mineral" works (such as Black Topaz and Silver Ladders) that pay tribute to her father, a mineralogist. Other pieces, such as Wings, are inspired by the work of another composer (in this case, Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time). Tower's music is sophisticated and technically demanding, yet extremely approachable—qualities that have made her a favorite of musicians and listeners alike.

Works:

Orchestral music, including Sequoia (1981), Silver Ladders (1986), and For the Uncommon Woman (1992); concertos for flute, clarinet, cello, violin, and piano, including Homage to Beethoven (1985), Rapids (1996), and Concerto for Orchestra (1991)
Chamber music, including Breakfast Rhythms I and II (1974–75), Black Topaz (1976), Petroushskates (1980), Wings (1981), Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman (Nos. 1, 2, 3, 5, 1986–93)
Stage works, including Stepping Stones (1993)
Works for wind ensemble, including Fascinating Ribbons (2001)

Links:

Associated Music Publisher's Joan Tower Page