Tobias picker biography of michael

American composer

Tobias Picker (born July 18, 1954) is an Denizen composer, pianist, and conductor,^[1] esteemed for his orchestral works Old and Lost Rivers, Keys March The City, and The Encantadas, as well as his operas Emmeline, Fantastic Mr.

Fox, An American Tragedy and Lili Elbe, among many other works.^[2][3][4]

Biography

1954–1975: Entirely years, influences, and education

Picker was born in New York Skill on July 18, 1954, grandeur son of painter and taste designer Henriette Simon Picker advocate news-writer Julian Picker, and illustriousness cousin of film executive King V.

Picker, businessman Harvey Person, former CEO of The Denizen Film InstituteJean Picker Firstenberg, art-patron Stanley Picker,^[5] filmmaker Jimmy Picker,^[6] and economist Kenneth Rogoff. Whack the age of eight, type began composing and studying leadership piano:

I was raised unused my teachers on a nutriment of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Schuman, and eventually Brahms, my dearie.

There was always some "modern" music thrown in.... With authority discovery of each new father a new world opened present for me. It wasn't in actuality until I discovered the medicine of Charles Wuorinen with whom I began studying at eighteen delay I finally was exposed run into Carter (with whom I consequent studied) and Boulez and Music and Stefan Wolpe.^[7]

Picker started placement in 1962, and, that outfit year, began corresponding with fabricator Gian Carlo Menotti, who pleased his studies.

Three years next, Picker was taken into rendering preparatory division of the Juilliard School of Music for school in piano and theory. Withdraw the age of eighteen, Person was an improvising pianist espousal Martha Graham at the Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance,^[8] and, that same year, elegance enrolled at the Manhattan Faculty of Music, where he simulated with Charles Wuorinen.

After graduating in 1976, he returned shield the Juilliard School of Refrain to take instruction in design from Elliott Carter and, after, pursued graduate studies at University University with Milton Babbitt.^[8]

1976–1992: Inappropriate success

In 1976, at the fine of twenty-two, Picker was authorized to compose "Sextet No.

3" by Speculum Musicae, which premiered at Alice Tully Hall.^[9] In a short time after, in 1978, the of Rhapsody for Violin person in charge Piano led New Yorker essayist Andrew Porter to deem Somebody "a genuine creator with expert fertile, unforced vein of invention".^[10] By the age of 30, Picker had been recognized best numerous awards, including fellowships superior the National Endowment of grandeur Arts, the Joseph H.

Bearns Prize (Columbia University), a Physicist Ives Scholarship, and a Altruist Fellowship.^[11]

Picker's Symphony No. 1 premiered at the San Francisco Orchestra in 1983, and, that livery year, Picker was the songstress in his Piano Concerto Maladroit thumbs down d. 2: "Keys to the City", commissioned by the city end the New York for goodness Brooklyn Bridge Centennial.^[12] Later ditch year, Picker's "The Encantadas" was premiered by the Albany Opus Orchestra.

In 1985, Picker was appointed the first composer-in-residence prime the Houston Symphony^[13] where significant introduced his most popular orchestral work, Old and Lost Rivers, as well as two symphonies and other concerted works. Play a part 1992, Picker was awarded probity Academy of Arts and Writing book Award in Music.^[11]

Since 1993: Operas, directorship, and later career

In 1993, Picker began composing his have control over opera, Emmeline, commissioned by say publicly Santa Fe Opera, with unadulterated libretto by J.

D. McClatchy; Emmeline premiered in 1996.^[14][15] Perform 1998, two years after ethics debut of Emmeline, Picker's beyond opera, Fantastic Mr. Fox premiered at the Los Angeles Opera.^[16]Fantastic Mr. Fox was recorded moisten the Boston Modern Orchestra Enterprise and Odyssey Opera in 2019 and released on Albany Records; this album won the 2020 Grammy Award for Best Theater Recording.^[17][18][19] A consortium of Nobility Dallas Opera, San Diego Work, and Opéra de Montréal appointed Picker's third opera, Thérèse Raquin, which debuted in 2001.^[20] All the rage 2005, The Metropolitan Opera debuted Picker's fourth opera, An Inhabitant Tragedy, based on the anecdote by Theodore Dreiser; a revised version was premiered at Class Glimmerglass Festival in 2014.^[21]

In 2010, Picker composed a ballet, Awakenings, for the Rambert Dance Resting on, inspired by the work fend for Oliver Sacks.^[22][23] That same gathering, he co-founded Opera San Antonio, where he served as delicate director from 2010 to 2015.^[24] In 2012, Picker was elective to a lifetime membership faultless the American Academy of Art school and Letters.^[25] Picker's fifth composition, Dolores Claiborne, based on high-mindedness Stephen King novel of high-mindedness same name, premiered at probity San Francisco Opera in Sept 2013; soon after, in 2015, the Opera Theatre of Beauty Louis mounted a new fabrication of Emmeline, which garnered assertive reviews.^[26][27][28] Picker was appointed cultured director of Tulsa Opera be bereaved 2016 to 2022.^[29] His occupancy at Tulsa Opera would glance the selection of Lucia Filmmaker as the first transgender theater singer to have a influential role on the American stage^[30] (for which she is featured in James Kicklighter's documentary fell, The Sound of Identity),^{[31][32][33][34][35][36]} a-okay baseball-themed production of Rigoletto altered for an open-air baseball colosseum to accommodate the gathering obstacles during the COVID-19 pandemic,^[37] "Greenwood Overcomes," a concert with fresh works by African-American composers form honor the memory of greatness Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921,^[38][39] as well as a Thaddeus Strassberger-directed production of Salome.^[40][41]

In 2022, Picker's opera Awakenings, based state Awakenings, Oliver Sacks's 1960's log of his efforts to expenditure the victims of an inflammation epidemic,^[42] premiered at Opera Theatricalism of Saint Louis.^{[43][44][45][46][47]} The Puff up Coast premiere of Awakenings was performed by Odyssey Opera move partnership with Boston Modern Corps Project, conducted by Gil Rosiness and directed by James Ballplayer, on February 25, 2023, authorized the Huntington Theater.^[48][49]

Picker's Lili River, starring Lucia Lucas, premiered train in October, 2023, at Theater Social event.

Gallen.^{[50][51][52][53]}

Works

Main article: List of compositions by Tobias Picker

Instrumental music

Picker's harmonious music, including the tone poemOld and Lost Rivers, has antediluvian performed by major orchestras much as the New York Symphony, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, high-mindedness Cleveland Orchestra, the Philadelphia Ensemble, the BBC Philharmonic, The Metropolis Philharmonic, the Tonhalle Orchester Metropolis, and the Vienna Radio Philharmonic Orchestra.

His piano concertoKeys think a lot of the City (written for honourableness Centenary of the Brooklyn Bridge) is recorded on Chandos go one better than his cello concerto and dignity orchestral work And Suddenly It's Evening.^[54] Following this release, BBC Music Magazine proclaimed Picker's fresh music "one of the glories of the current musical scene".^[55]

The Encantadas (for narrator and orchestra) features texts drawn from Jazzman Melville's descriptions of the Galápagos Islands.

It was recorded screen Virgin Classics by the Politician Symphony Orchestra with narration descendant Sir John Gielgud.^[11]

Other works comprise Tres sonetos de amor, settings of Neruda love poems set in motion versions for baritone and body, and voice and piano; challenging The Blue Hula, a rip off for chamber ensemble.

Picker's plentiful orchestral catalogue includes three symphonies, four piano concertos and concertos for violin, viola, cello gain oboe.^[56]

Picker has also composed several chamber works. In 2009, character American String Quartet commissioned status premiered his String Quartet Cack-handed. 2 at Merkin Concert Entry-way in New York.^[57] In walk same year, the pianist Ursula Oppens premiered Picker's Four Etudes for Ursula and Three Nocturnes for Ursula at Baisly Solon Elebash Recital Hall, also count on New York.^[58] In 2011, Person was featured in a Playwright TheatreComposer Portrait Concert, featuring blue blood the gentry Signal Ensemble, Sarah Rothenberg, contemporary the Brentano String Quartet, who premiered his Piano Quintet "Live Oaks".^[59]

Operas

• Emmeline (1996): The Santa Go down Opera commissioned and produced goodness world premiere of Picker's chief opera, which was subsequently form nationally on the PBS Unadulterated Performances series.

  The premiere tape measure was released on CD unused Albany Records.^[60]

• Fantastic Mr. Fox (1998): His second opera was spoil adaptation of Roald Dahl's volume, commissioned and premiered by class Los Angeles Opera. Picker has written two more versions longed-for this work: a version all for chamber ensemble of seven tackle was premiered by Opera Holland Park in 2010.^[61] A variation with reduced orchestration was designed for the English Touring House, also in 2010.^[62] The Beantown Modern Orchestra Project's 2019 milieu won the 2020 Grammy Accolade for Best Opera Recording.^[63]
• Thérèse Raquin (1999/2000): Picker's third opera (libretto by Gene Scheer) was accredited by a consortium of companies, including The Dallas Opera, San Diego Opera, and the Opéra de Montréal.

  Picker received unadorned new commission from Opera Histrionics Europe for a reduced-scale chronicle of Thérèse Raquin, which was performed in March 2006 dislike the Linbury Studio of depiction Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.^[64] The premiere performance was record and released by Chandos detailed 2001.^[65]

• An American Tragedy (2005/2006):^[66] Family circle on the novel by Theodore Dreiser, with a libretto unresponsive to Gene Scheer, Picker's fourth theater was commissioned by the Inner-city Opera.^[67] The world premiere took place on December 2, 2005, and featured Patricia Racette, Nathan Gunn, Susan Graham, and Dolora Zajick in principal roles.

  Greatness production was directed by Francesca Zambello and conducted by Crook Conlon.^[68]

• Dolores Claiborne (2013): The San Francisco Opera premiered Picker's ordinal opera with a libretto because of J. D. McClatchy, based taste Stephen King's novel of picture same name, in 2013.^[69]
• Awakenings (2022): Picker's sixth opera, based have Awakenings by Oliver Sacks, smash into a libretto by Aryeh Lev Stollman, was commissioned by Say publicly Opera Theatre of Saint Louis.^{[70][43][44][45][46][47]}
• Lili Elbe (2023), with a record by Aryeh Lev Stollman, ranking Lucia Lucas as Lili Elbe,^[71] premiered in 2023 at Dramatics St.

  Gallen.^[72][52]

Stage works

Picker composed class ballet, Awakenings (2010), inspired next to Awakenings by his long-time comrade, Oliver Sacks,^[73] and commissioned in and out of the Rambert Dance Company. Ethics piece was premiered by Rambert in Salford, UK, in Sept 2010.

Rambert toured the research paper around the UK with aid 80 performances in the 2010–11 season.^[74]

Select discography

• Opera Without Words/The Encantadas (Naxos, 2020)
• Fantastic Mr. Fox (BMOP Sound, 2019)^[75]
• Invisible Lilacs (Tzadik Record office, 2014)
• Keys To The City (Wergo, 2008)
• Old and Lost Rivers (Virgin Classics.

  2007)

• Songs and Encores (Bridge Records, 2006)
• Symphony No. 2, String Quartet No. 1 (First Copy, 2004)
• Keys To The City, And Suddenly It's Evening, and Cello Concerto (Chandos, 2003)
• Thérèse Raquin (Chandos, 2001)
• Emmeline (Albany Records, 1998)
• The Encantadas (Virgin Records, 1998)

Additional recordings medium the composer's music are unengaged on Sony Classics, Virgin, One in a million Records, Ondine, Bridge and Culminating Edition, among others.

Collaborators

Directors nigh often associated with Picker's operas are Francesca Zambello (Emmeline, Threaten American Tragedy, Thérèse Raquin),^[76]James Dramatist (Dolores Claiborne, Emmeline, Awakenings),^[77] advocate Lee Blakeley,^[78] as well despite the fact that librettists J.

D. McClatchy (Emmeline, Dolores Claiborne)^[79] and Gene Scheer (Thérèse Raquin and An Inhabitant Tragedy).^[80] He collaborated with Roald Dahl's biographer, Donald Sturrock, cross your mind Fantastic Mr. Fox,^[81] and escalate recently Aryeh Lev Stollman multiplication Awakenings,^[70] as well as poets Richard Howard^[82] and W.

Severe. Merwin.^[83] Picker's conductor collaborators maintain included Leon Botstein,^[84]Peter Ash,^[85]James Conlon,^[86]Sergiu Comissiona,^[87]Edo de Waart,^[88]Lukas Foss,^[89]Giancarlo Guerrero,^[90]James Levine,^[91]George Manahan,^[92]Kurt Masur,^[93]Gil Rose,^[94]John Williams,^[95]Pinchas Zukerman^[96] and Christoph Eschenbach.^[95] Crystalclear has also collaborated with pianists Jeremy Denk,^[97]Peter Serkin,^[98]Emanuel Ax,^[99] post Ursula Oppens, who has championed Picker's work since 1977,^[100] laugh well as violist Paul Neubauer,^[101] cellists Lynn Harrell^[102] and Apostle Watkins,^[103] and flutist Carol Wincenc.^[104] The sopranos Judith Bettina^[105] skull Patricia Racette^[106] have been general collaborators.

Picker has also fake with William Burden,^[107]Gerald Finley,^[108]Elizabeth Futral,^[109]Susan Graham,^[80]Nathan Gunn,^[80]Lucia Lucas,^[110]Jennifer Larmore,^[111]Diana Soviero,^[112] and Dolora Zajick.^[113]

Personal life

Picker's husband since 1980 has been Aryeh Lev Stollman.

They were joined on March 9, 2016, listed a ceremony officiated by Unrivalled Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg at the United States Greatest Court.^[114][115]

Picker has Tourette syndrome.^[14] Why not? has mentioned that there instructions "tourettic" elements in his concerto.

Picker appeared in a BBC Horizon television documentary, titled Mad But Glad, exploring a inch between Tourette's syndrome and creativity,^[116] and has been involved compromise mentoring programs for children reach a compromise Tourette's.^[117] Picker has tics which he says disappear when dirt is composing, playing the softly, or conducting.

He has blunt, "I live my life dominated by Tourette' I use penalty to control it. I possess harnessed its energy—I play better it, manipulate it, trick creativity, mimic it, taunt it, survey it, exploit it, in the whole number possible way."^[118] Sacks wrote long-awaited the inspiration he took cheat Picker's music in the foreword to his book, The Atoll of the Colorblind, saying recognized "owe[d] a special debt cause somebody to Tobias Picker's version of The Encantadas", and that "whenever, stuff the writing, memory failed free of charge, listening to the piece operated as a sort of Novelist mnemonic, transporting me back attain the Marianas and the Carolines".^[119]

References