YALE STUDENT COMPOSER PROJECT OHVII 1
Christopher Cerrone
with Maura Valenti
Yale University – Center for Studies in Music Technology
April 13, 2010
TABLE OF CONTENTS
File 0385
Background: Italian-American family – growing up on Long Island – non-musical youth; early love of literature – being involved in the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) punk scene on Long Island – DIY culture in contemporary American music – respect for the “maverick” tradition – being in a small community (of contemporary American music) – socio-economic opportunities allow for his perspective – being part of the “establishment” – influence of Adorno on thought, but not music --
File 0387
Coming to classical music as an act of rebellion – playing bass in high school – wanting to be a writer – early compositions – arriving in New York for college – studying with Ruth Schonthal at New York University (2002-04) – transferring to Manhattan School of Music – importance of studying with Nils Vigeland – the composer’s “voice”; process of evolution – tonality and form in the 21st century – the career-oriented composer – making art vs. having a career – founding of the Red Light Ensemble (2005) – positive environment for new music at Manhattan School of Music – programming for Red Light concerts – changing role of the composer, especially in New York (composer/performer, composer/businessman) – ambivalence towards reviews and critics – critics as a part of the culture – orchestras resisting new music – ease of working with Red Light consistently for 5 years – lingua franca of contemporary music – specificity of scores – avoiding artificiality in music – composers “on the inside” – role of the composition teacher – paradigm of talent=imitation – finding a personal voice – not having a “good ear” – literary background leading to a more conceptual way of approaching music – discussion of early works – choosing text to set – setting Calvino in English translation – Invisible Cities – setting text to music – learning process while writing an opera – personal affinity for vocal writing – being a young opera composer – post-Romantic stratification between vocal and instrumental writing --
File 0389
Yale: environment, colleagues, faculty – getting the New York Youth Symphony commission – arrival at Yale – stylistic diversity of the class – Martin Bresnick – being critical – personal standards – Yale colleagues – awards – different cultures at different schools – teachers at Yale (Marshall, Laderman, Bresnick, Lang, Theofanidis) – inter-school collaboration at Yale – electronic music, working in Center for Studies in Music Technology – computer notation – The Composer in the Age of Computer Notation (MMA thesis) – use and influence of technology in composition and on career – use of Twitter – blogging composers – Walter Benjamin – future plans and goals.