Sonorities - Harry Partch and Student Composers at Illinois

Harry Partch and Student Composers at Illinois

03/22/21 • 15 min

Harry Partch (1901-1974) enjoyed an extended residency at the University of Illinois from 1956-1962, where he continued his work to invent new instruments and compose new music for them. His work has inspired student composers at Illinois for generations.
In this episode Kerrith Livengood introduces three student compositions written for one of Partch's best known inventions, the adapted viola.
Selections heard in this podcast:
When This Fire Dies, Our Shadows Roam for adapted guitar and adapted viola, by Stephen Caldwell
Piece for adapted viola by Joshua Iyer
"Gabriel Thomas" from Night Partches for adapted viola and intoned voice by Ralph Lewis. Performed by Luke Fitzpatrick.
Harry Partch Estate Archives, 1918-1991 Finding Aid at the Sousa Archives and Center for American Music.

Previous Episode

Introducing Encore at Illinois, with Beth Peterson

Elizabeth Peterson is the associate Director of Bands where she directs the Illinois Wind Orchestra and is the student teaching coordinator for the School of Music. In this episode we are introduced to Encore at Illinois, a series of webinars on current topics in music and music education that will be of interest to musicians and music educators of all ages.

Next Episode

Illinois Alumnus Daniel Teadt

We profile Illinois Alum and singer Daniel Teadt. Daniel earned both his bachelor and masters degrees at Illinois where he was a student of Ronald Hedlund and John Wustman. Today he is a professor of voice at Carnegie Mellon University.
"Two Butterflies" is used by kind permission of the copyright holder, Burning Sled Music.
Music by Daron Hagen on the poem "Two Butterflies went out at Noon" by Emily Dickinson, and taken from the song set for voice and piano Songs of Experience.