Joan Tower
with Frances Harmeyer
New York, N.Y.
Jan. 9, 1976
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Tape a:
Bennington College‑‑first compositions‑‑New York, teaching and performing--Da Capo Chamber Players‑‑percussion pieces‑‑method of composition‑-inspiration‑-McDowell colony‑‑International Women's Year‑‑women composers‑-activities as organizer.
Tape b:
Women in positions of power‑‑passivity of women composers.
Joan Tower
with Jan Fournier
New York, New York
July 28, 1983
Tape c:
Significance of award from American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters‑-growing up in South America‑‑musical training‑‑composing class at Bennington‑-family reaction to career in music‑‑role as composer, teacher, performer‑‑interaction between composing and performing‑‑composing techniques‑‑drawings‑‑titling a piece‑‑the "New Romanticism"‑‑3 versions of "Amazon"‑‑performance of "Sequoia" by New York Philharmonic, American Composers Orchestra‑‑categorizations‑‑dance criticism vs. music criticism‑‑reaction to criticism‑‑fostering new music‑-accessibility of composer to audience‑‑Da Capo symposium‑‑ghettoization of new music‑‑enshrining of Beethoven‑‑pairing of new/old composers on program.
Tape d:
"Performers' world"‑‑management's role in promoting new music‑‑contemporary composers played by New Haven Symphony‑‑problem of woman composer‑‑Aaron Copland‑‑accomplishments of last five years.
AMERICAN MUSIC SERIES 55 e,f
Joan Tower with
Julie Niemeyer
Red Hook, NY
April 30, 1993
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Side e pp. 1-16
interest in writing for the clarinet--special qualities of the clarinet--Wings--the composer’s “intuitive” writing for instruments she doesn’t play--Breakfast Rhythms I and II and the process of its creation--circular breathing andWings Laura Flax--imagery in Wings--ballet piece written--Fantasy and Harbor Lights--the piano cadenzas--the clarinet cadenza--circular breathing in the Fantasy--the Clarinet Concerto--Charlie Neidich--the virtuosity of the Clarinet Concerto--concertos written for other instruments--special qualities of the Clarinet Concerto--possible recording of the Clarinet Concerto--Clarinet Quintet premiere for Lincoln Center--childhood in South America--South American influences on her music--interest in percussion and dance--the rhythmic element in her music--harmony and pitch systems in her music--jazz influence.
Side f pp. 16-20
plans for her music in the future--the woodwind quintet--Island Prelude--Norfolk and the two-week composition program--the importance of composers and performers working together.
Joan Tower
w/Jenny Raymond
at Joan Tower’s home
in Red Hook, New York
January 4, 1998
TABLE OF CONTENTS
DAT 1
Side g pp. 1-23
Premiere of Rainwaves--writing Sequoia for the American Composers’ Orchestra in 1979--Leonard Slatkin’s excitement over the piece and subsequent composer-in-residence invitation--positive experience as composer-in-residence--writing Island Prelude for Peter Bowman--writing Silver Ladders (1986) and winning the Grawemeyer Award--effect of awards on career--Composing method--composing on commission--composing pace--inspiration for titles--titling Wings for Laura Flax--Composer as choreographer--Writing for different instruments--Fascination with rhythm, influence of South American upbringing--the role of percussion and rhythm--use of one-movement work--Stepping Stones and creating a ballet--stylistic differences between male and female composers--changing status of women composers--stylistic versus gender differences--promotion of women composers--importance of women’s music festivals--organizing “Nine Hundred Years of Women in Music” and “Ladyfingers” festivals--influence of Nancy Reich--importance of women’s network as professional support structure--composer’s responsibility to make work accessible to performers and audience--performers’ relationship to a piece of music.
Side h pp. 23-39
Public resistance to contemporary music--rise, fall, and impact of Meet the Composer project--resistance to contemporary music--audience evaluation of, prejudice toward, reaction to contemporary music--teaching composition and performance of contemporary music at Bard--why write music?--first conducting experience at the du Maurier Festival, subsequent conducting experiences--women conductors--new challenges for composers at the end of the twentieth century--the definition of American music--support structures for women composers--series of concerts planned to celebrate sixtieth birthday.