Teaching through Composition: The Choral Music of alcides lanza

Authors

  • Nicholle Andrews University of Redlands

Abstract

This presentation will demonstrate how lanza1 teaches his students though composition. Information gathered from lanza’s former students, will show how his compositions taught and inspired them. By teaching his students to be individual, independent, artistic, creative, and playful he inspired many generation of Canadian composers. Through a detailed study of lanza’s un mundo imaginario, this presentation will illustrate the challenges faced when preparing a graphic score, working with computer generated sounds, and most importantly telling a meaningful story to the listener. Argentinean-born, Canadian composer, alcides lanza, began studying music theory, counterpoint, and piano at the age of nine. Upon finishing high school, he began studying architecture at the University of Rosario, but he cut his studies short to become a musician. lanza then moved to Buenos Aires where he studied composition and became intrigued with electro acoustic music. In 1964, the Institute di Tella in Buenos Aires opened an electro acoustic music studio, but lanza was looking for more. He moved to New York in 1965 to study at the Columbia Princeton Electronic Music Centre. In 1970, lanza became director of the electro acoustic studies of McGill University. Since moving to Montreal, lanza has become known as a talented teacher and composer. His works with Group of the Electronic Music Studio (GEMS) at McGill University and his personal attention to each of his composition students, and the student body at large, demonstrate his dedication to the guiding of young musicians and composers.

Author Biography

Nicholle Andrews, University of Redlands

NICHOLLE MARTIN ANDREWS, originally from Newfoundland and Labrador, is founder and conductor emeritus of the professional chamber choir La Ceilagh. Formed in 2003, this 24-voice chamber choir was created with a mission to perform contemporary Canadian choral music. Nicholle has worked with composers Imant Raminsh, R. Murray Schafer, alcides lanza and Krystoph Penderecki, and eminent conductors Bramwell Tovey, Sir David Willcocks, Bobby McFerrin, Tõnu Kaljuste, Georg Titner, Lydia Adams and Jon Washburn. She was technical director of the celebrated international non-competitive festival of choral music, Festival 500 Sharing the Voices from 1999-2006. This heralded choral festival and academic symposium bring together singers, conductors and scholars from cultures worldwide. She served as special programs coordinator at the Banff Center for Fine Arts Music and Sound department in 1999 and 2002. At the University of Redlands, Nicholle's areas of specialization include choral conducting (University Chorus, Madrigal Singers), early music history, choral education methods, ear training and musicianship. She also conducts a graduate seminar on performance anxiety. Nicholle completed her doctorate and master's degrees in choral conducting at McGill University where she studied with Iwan Edwards, John Baboukis, and Julian Wachner. While at McGill University, Nicholle taught musicianship, instrumental conducting and choral conducting. She completed her Bachelors of Music in oboe performance and music education at Memorial University of Newfoundland where she studied conducting with Douglas Dunsmore. She has also taught music (kindergarten to grade 12) in several public schools throughout Canada and England.

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Published

2013-10-25

Issue

Vol. 6 (2007): The Phenomenon of Singing International Symposium VI

Section

Articles