Fox, Frederick (Alfred)

Fox, Frederick (Alfred), American composer and teacher; b. Detroit, Jan. 17, 1931. He received training in saxophone from Laurence Teal and in theory and arranging from Ray McConnell. He then pursued studies in composition with Ruth Shaw Wylie at Wayne State Univ. in Detroit (B.M., 1953), Ross Lee Finney at the Univ. of Mich, in Ann Arbor (1953–54), and Bernhard Heiden at Ind. Univ. in Bloomington (M.M., 1957; D.M.A., 1959). After teaching at Franklin (Ind.) Coll. (1959–61) and Sam Houston State Univ. in Huntsville, Tex. (1961–62), he was composer-in-residence of the Minneapolis Public Schools (1962–63). In 1964 he joined the faculty of Calif. State Univ. at Hayward, where he was chairman of the music dept. (1970–72) and prof. of composition (1972–74). In 1974–75 he was a visiting prof. of composition at Ind. Univ, and in 1975 became prof. of composition there. He also was founder-director of its New Music Ensemble and from 1981 to 1994 was chairman of its composition dept. Fox’s music reflects his interest in jazz, improvisation, and serialism.

Works

ORCH Violin Concerto (1971); Ternion for Oboe and Orch. (1972); Variables 5 (1974); Beyond Winterlock (1977); Night Ceremonies (1979); Tracings (1981); Januaries (1984); Fanfare for Wind and Percussion Orch. (1984); Now and Then for Chamber Orch. (1985); In the Elsewhere (1986); Polarities for Symphonic Band (1987); Mystic Dances for Chamber Orch. (1990); Dark Moons/Bright Shadows (1991); Echo Blues (1992); 3 Epigrams for Concert Band (1993); Concerto for Symphonic Band (1994). CHAMBER: Quantic for Woodwind Quintet (1969); Variations for Violin, Cello, and Piano (1970); Ad Rem for Guitar (1970); Matrix for Cello, Strings, and Percussion (1972); Variables 1 for Violin and Piano (1972), 2 for Flute (1973), 3 for Flute, Clarinet, Horn, Violin, Cello, and Piano (1973), 4 for Clarinet (1973), and 6 for Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello, and Percussion (1975); Quartet for Violin, Piano, and Percussion (1974); Connex for Brass Ensemble (1974); Tria for Flute, Piano, and Percussion (1975); Ambient Shadows for 8 Instrumentalists (1978); S.A.X. for Alto Saxophone and Saxophone Quartet (1979); Annexus for Alto Saxophone and Piano (1980); Sonaspheres 1 for 10 Instrumentalists (1980), 2: Nexus for Flute, Viola, Cello, and Piano (1983), 3: Ensphere for 6 Instrumentalists (1983), 4: Tromper for Trumpet, Trombone, and Percussion (1983), and 5 for 10 Instrumentalists (1983); Bren for Brass Ensemble (1982); Gaber! for 6 Percussionists (1982); Visitations for 2 Saxophones (1982); Dawnen Grey for String Quartet (1984); Fanfare ’84 for 5 Trumpets, 4 Horns, 4 Trombones, and Tuba (1984); Vis-a-vis for Horn and String Quartet (1985); Shaking the Pumpkin for Saxophone, Piano, and 2 Percussionists (1986); 3 Diversions for Saxophone Quartet (1987); Silver Skeins for 9 Flutes (1987); Upon the Reedy Stream for Oboe and String Quartet (1987); Nightscenes for Strings, Harp, Piano or Celesta, and 5 Percussionists (1988); Time Messages for Brass Quintet (1988); Flight of Fantasy for Cello and Piano (1988); Auras for Flute, Clarinet, Cello, Piano, and Percussion (1988); The Avenging Spirit for Saxophone Quartet (1989); Fantasy for Woodwind Quintet and Piano (1989); Devil’s Tramping Ground for 7 Instrumentalists (1991); Hear Again in Memory for Saxophone (1991); Sing Down the Moon for Clarinet and Piano (1992); Echoes and Shadows for Violin and Piano (1993); Fantasy for Viola and Piano (1993); Time Weaving for Clarinet Trio (1993); Kokopelli for Flute and Piano (1994); Dreamcatcher for 13 Instrumentalists for the 175th anniversary of the founding of Ind. Univ. (1994). VOCAL: A Stone, a Leaf, and Unfound Door for Soprano, Chorus, Clarinet, and Percussion (1966–68); The Descent for Chorus, Piano, and 2 Percussionists (1969); Time Excursions for Soprano, Speaker, and 7 Instrumentalists (1976); Nilrem’s Odyssey for Baritone/Speaker and Chorus (1980); A Threat for Soprano and Viola (1981).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire