Richard Danielpour

with Jenny Raymond

New York, N.Y.

October 9, 1998; February 15, 1999; February 22, 1999; March 22, 2000

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Side a:                                                                                                            pp. 1-11

Conductors and contemporary music--Gerard Schwarz--being composer-in-residence with the Seattle Symphony--earliest memories of music--family background--Persian Heritage--Cello Concerto--meaning of the name Danielpour--family journey to settle in the U.S.--returning to Iran for 10 months--hearing about the assassination of John Kennedy.

Side b:                                                                                                           pp. 11-21

Kennedy assassination continued--listening to classical music from his mother’s collection--influence of Beatles, pop music--studying the piano--beginning to compose--Beethoven--studying composition with Paul Csonka--practicing the piano--studying at Oberlin.

Side c:                                                                                                                        pp. 21-30

Studying the Tempest sonata of Beethoven--studying with Persichetti--study at Oberlin--studying composition with John Heiss at NEC--studying conducting with Benjamin Zander--coming to New York to study with Persichetti at Juilliard--meeting Babbitt, Carter, Sessions, Diamond.

Side d:                                                                                                           pp. 30-44

Superstar performers, new music, old music--decision to become a composer--hand injury--Piano Concerto--appreciation for Schoenberg--Mozart--importance for Danielpour of the human voice--connection with Caracas Philharmonic--influence on him of Persichetti--William Schuman--First Light--String Quartet--Piano Sonata--Second Symphony--taking the score of the Piano Concerto to Gerard Schwarz.

Side e:                                                                                                            pp. 44-56

C.F. Peters taking on some of his compositions--First Light--signing with G. Schirmer--teaching piano--holding off on an academic job--interviewing for NEC--colleagues and friends: Stephen Albert, John Corigliano, Chris Rouse, Ned Rorem, Aaron Kernis--teaching in the fall of 1993--meeting luminaries at Verdi Requiem concert--teaching at Manhattan School--distinguishing gifted students.

Side f:                                                                                                                        pp. 56-67

Students--teaching at Curtis--Ned Rorem--Contemporary Ensemble of Manhattan--Bernstein--First Light--Michael Torke--American quality in music--Stravinsky--Bernstein--Second Symphony--Michael Barrett.

Side g:                                                                                                            pp. 67-85

Elegies--Puccini--Third Symphony: “Journey Without Distance,” with text: A Course in Miracles--Awakened Heart (Symphonic Triptych)--Meredith Monk--Chogyam Trungpa--Piano Quintet--Enchanted Garden--Second String Quartet--influence of rock music--repetition as design--Second Symphony--Toward the Splendid City--influence of the Beatles--text for Sonnets--Deborah Fernandez--Sonnets--Cello Concerto--Yaddo--idea of surrender.

Side h:                                                                                                           pp. 85-103

Metamorphosis--Second Piano Concerto--idea of concerto--Anima Mundi--Concerto for Orchestra--Celestial Light--Elegies--his opera--Urban Dances--Canticle of Peace--Concerto for Orchestra--Zoroastrian Riddles--collaborating with Toni Morrison on a song cycle--Margaret--Jessye Norman--Spirits in the Well--Elegies text--Celestial Night--Urban Dances--Voices of Remembrance--style of his music--new cello concerto for Yo-Yo Ma--proposed opera for the Detroit opera.