John Duffy Honored at 34th Annual Chamber Music America Conference

The 34th annual Chamber Music America Conference returns to New York City, January 12 through 15, as artists, presenters and all manner of professionals in the chamber music sphere converge in midtown Manhattan for three days of exhibitions, showcases, workshops, concerts and networking. We are particularly excited for this year’s gathering, as legendary American composer John Duffy is honored with the 2012 Richard J. Bogomolny National Service Award. The award is an opportunity to pay tribute to the composer’s lifelong contributions to American music through not only his own 300 plus works, but through his countless achievements as advocate for the development and promotion of new music that have increased opportunities for so many young composers.

As founder and president of Meet the Composer, Duffy initiated several landmark programs to advance American music and composers. The John Duffy Composers Institute, founded by the Virginia Arts Festival, is dedicated to the inspiration, creation, performance and recording of new music by living composers. Celebrating its 8th season in 2012, the Institute features Professional Master Composers and developing Composer Fellows collaborating through workshops, lecture demonstrations, concerts, recordings, and interactions with resident dance and theatre companies.

Music from John Duffy’s Emmy Award-winning score to the PBS documentary series Heritage and the Jews continues to see performances around the country in the Heritage Symphonic Dances, a collection of five spirited and evocative variations on the Heritage theme through distinct cultural stylistic sensibilities. We Want Mark Twain, the latest commercial recording of Duffy’s music, was released last winter on Albany Records and features the title work, performed by the Cassatt String Quartet, as well as Duffy’s Saxophone Concerto and Portraits for Orchestra. Order your copy at www.amazon.com.

John Duffy-Composer Profile.

Heritage Symphonic Dances (1985)
for orchestra
2(2.pic)2(2.ca)2.2-4231-timp.2perc-pno(cel)hp-str
ca. 16'
Movements:
I. David's Dance ca. 3'
II. The Rabbi's Dance ca. 2'
III. Renaissance Dance ca. 2'
IV. Spanish Dance ca. 2'
V. America ca. 4'
VI. Waltz ca. 4'

John Duffy
Concerto for Saxophone (2008)
for saxophone and string quintet
20’

Symphony No. I, Utah (1989)
for orchestra
2.2.2.2-4.2.3.1-timp.3perc-hp-str
25'

We Want Mark Twain (2005/2009)
for string quartet and narrator
22’