Composers
Alvin Singleton
1940 -About
Alvin Singleton (b. 1940), born in Brooklyn, New York, emerged in the 1970’s as one of America’s most significant and versatile composers. Educated at New York University and Yale in composition, he studied as a Fulbright Scholar with Goffredo Petrassi at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecili in Rome. After living and working in Europe for fourteen years, Singleton returned to the United States to become Composer-in-Residence with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (1985-88). He subsequently served as Resident Composer at Spelman College in Atlanta (1988-91), as UNISYS Composer-in-Residence with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (1996-97), and was the 2002–03 Composer-in-Residence with the Ritz Chamber Players of Jacksonville, Florida. In addition, he has served as Visiting Professor of Composition at the Yale University School of Music. Singleton has composed music for theatre, orchestra, solo instruments, and a variety of chamber ensembles. His most popular works are his symphonic works A Yellow Rose Petal, Shadow, and Cara mia Gwen. His compositions have been performed by the symphony orchestras of Boston, Pittsburgh, Houston, Cincinnati, Atlanta, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Detroit, Oregon, Baltimore, Syracuse, Louisville, and Florida, the American Composers Orchestra, the Rotterdam Philharmonic, l’Orchestre de Paris, das Guerzenich-Orchester Koelner Philharmoniker and also the Kronos Quartet, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the Nash Ensemble of London, the Asko Ensemble of Amsterdam, Ensemble des 20. Jahrhunderts of Vienna, the London Sinfonietta, Trio Basso of Cologne and the Bremer Tanztheater.
Related Information
Biographies of black composers and songwriters, international dictionary of Black composer, http://www.alvinsingleton.com/bio.php
Works by Alvin Singleton
| Title | Collection | Voice Type | Range | Poet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Between Sisters | Soprano | A3 - A5 | Rita Dover | |
| Brown Gone | Voice | Bb3 - B5 | composers |
| Title | Published | Size | Solo with Ensemble | Duration Range | Level | Orchestration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 56 Blows | Yes | Full Orchestra | 10-20 | Professional | 2.2.2.2-4.2.2.btbn.1-3perc(s.d, field drum, timb, 3 tom-t)-hp-str | |
| A Yellow Rose Petal | Yes | Full Orchestra | 10-20 | Professional | 2(2pic).2(2.ca).2(2.bcl).2(2.cbsn)-2.2.1.0-2perc(glsp, vib, mar, xyl)-cel-str | |
| Across Differences | Yes | Full Orchestra | 10-20 | Professional | 2.2.2.2-4.2.2.1-timp.6perc(2bng, s.d, vib, sus cym, 2 cowbells, 3tom-t)-hp.pno-str | |
| After Choice | Yes | String Orchestra | 10-20 | Professional | str | |
| After Fallen Crumbs | Yes | Full Orchestra | 5-10 | Professional | 3.2.ca.3.2.cbsn-4.3.3.1-timp-str | |
| Again | Yes | Chamber Orchestra | 5-10 | Professional | : 1(pic).1.1(bcl).1-1.1.1.0-perc(mar, 4bng, 2tom-t)-pno-str(1.1.1.1.1) | |
| BluesKonzert | Yes | Full Orchestra | Piano | 10-20 | Professional | Piano solo; 2222 2220 str |
| Brooklyn Bones | Yes | Full Orchestra + SATB Chorus | Tenor | 10-20 | Professional | SATB - 1.1.1.bcl.1-1.1.1.0-hp-str |
| Cara mia Gwen | Yes | Full Orchestra | 10-20 | Professional | 2.2.2(2.Ebcl).2-4.2.2.0-str | |
| Different River | Yes | Full Orchestra | 20+ | Professional | pic.2.2.ca.Ebcl.2.2.cbsn-4.3.3.1-timp.3perc(xyl, vib, mar, cowbell, bng, s.d, tom-t, timb)-hp-str | |
| Durch Alles | Yes | Full Orchestra | 10-20 | Professional | 3(2.,3.pic).3.3(2.Ebcl).3(3.cbsn)-4.3.3.1-timp.4perc(vib, xyl, 5r.toms, mar, crot, bng, glsp, 4cow bell, timb, tub bells, 2brake d, b.d)-hp.pno(cel)-str | |
| Eine Idee ist ein Stueck Stoff | Yes | String Orchestra | 10-20 | Professional | str | |
| Even Tomorrow | Yes | Full Orchestra | 10-20 | Professional | 3(2.,3.pic).3.3(2.Ebcl).3(3.cbsn)-4.3.3.1-timp.4perc(vib, xyl, 5r.toms, mar, crot, bng, glsp, 4cow bell, timb, tub bells, 2brake d, b.d)-hp.pno(cel)-str | |
| Kwitana | Yes | Chamber Orchestra | Piano, Contrabass, Percussion | 20+ | Professional | pno, cb, perc soli 1011 0220 str(10110) |
| Miaka Kumi | Yes | Full Orchestra | Under 5 | Professional | 2.2.2.2-2.2.0.0-str | |
| PraiseMaker | Yes | Full Orchestra + SATB Chorus | 20+ | Professional | SATB-2.2.ca.2.bcl.2.cbsn-4.2.3.1-2perc(crot, tub bells, vib)-hp-str | |
| Say You Have This Ball Of Meaning | Yes | Full Orchestra | Baritone | 10-20 | Professional | 2perc(mar, chimes, sus cym, tri, gong, tom-t, vib, med sus cym, bell plate, s.d, b.d)-hp.acc-str |
| Shadows | Yes | Full Orchestra | 20+ | Professional | pic(afl).2.3(3.ca).3(2.Ebcl, 3.bcl).3(3.cbsn)-4.3.3.1-2timp.2perc(mar, xyl)-hp-str | |
| Sinfonia Diaspora | Yes | Full Orchestra | 10-20 | Professional | pic.2.2.ca.2.bcl.3(3.cbsn)-4.3.3.1-hp-str | |
| Time Past, Time Future | Yes | String Orchestra + Piano | Piano | 10-20 | Professional | Strings |
| Umoja - Each One Of Us Counts | Yes | Full Orchestra | Narrator | 10-20 | Professional | 3(2.afl, 3.pic).3(ca).3(3.bcl).3(3.cbsn)-4.3.3.1-timp.3perc(2sus cym, brake d, s.d, ten d, timb, h.h, tam-t, tri, vib, mar)-hp-str |
| When Given A Choice | Yes | Full Orchestra | 10-20 | Professional | pic.2.2.ca.3(2.Ebcl, 3.bcl).2-4.3.3.1-timp.perc(mar, xyl, vib)-str |