Levi, Paul Alan
Levi, Paul Alan
Levi, Paul Alan, American composer, teacher, and pianist; b. N.Y., June 30, 1941. After training at Oberlin (Ohio) Coll. (B.A. in music, 1963), he was a composition student of Overton and Persichetti at the Juilliard School in N.Y. (M.M., 1972; D.M.A., 1978). He also attended the Munich Hochschule für Musik (1973–74), held a Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst study grant in Germany (1973–74), and took summer courses in new music in Darmstadt (1974). From 1963 he was active as a piano accompanist. He taught at Baruch (1972–73), Queens (1979), and Lehman (1981–82) colleges of the City Univ. of N.Y. In 1979 he joined the faculty of N.Y.U.; also taught at the Manhattan School of Music (from 1992). In 1976 he served as composer-in-residence at the Wolf Trap Farm Park in Vienna, Va. From 1979 to 1982 he was president of the League of Composers. In 1983-84 he held a Guggenheim fellowship. In 1985 he became a founding partner of Mountain Laurel Music, a production company. In his varied output, Levi has revealed an imaginative handling of instrumentation and setting of vocal texts.
Works
dramatic:Thanksgiving, serio-comic opera (N.Y, Nov. 2, 1977); In the Beginning…, opera parable (1987–95); incidental music to plays; television and film music. o r c h.:Symphonic Movement (1972; N.Y, Jan. 30, 1975); Stringolevio for Strings and Percussion (1973); Allegrenino for Symphonic Band (1973); Transformations of the Heart (N.Y, March 7, 1987). chamber: String Quartet (1969; Norfolk, Va., Feb. 27, 1971); 5 Progressions for 3 Instruments for Flute, Clarinet, and Viola(N.Y, Dec. 7, 1971); Billet Doux/BUUger Duo for Violin and Viola (Portland, Ore., June 29, 1980); Elegy and Recreations for Oboe, Clarinet, Horn, Violin, Viola, Cello, and Piano (N.Y, Nov. 9, 1980); Bow Jest for Cello (1983). piano:Summer Elegy (1982; N.Y, April 24, 1987); Touchings (1990; N.Y, May 31, 1992); Suite for the Best of Times (1991). vocal:Jabberwocky for Voice and Piano (N.Y, April 17, 1968); The Truth for Soprano, Cello, Flute, Clarinet, Bassoon, Piano, Harpsichord, and String Quartet (1975; Portland, Ore., July 31, 1985); Spring Sestina for Soprano and 10 Instruments (N.Y, Jan. 13, 1982); This Much I Know for Soprano and Piano (N.Y, April 13, 1983); Mark Twain Suite for Tenor, Chorus, and Orch. (N.Y, April 30, 1983); Black Wings for Soprano and Piano (Columbia, S.C, Oct. 3, 1986); Songs for the Synagogue for Cantor, Adult and Children’s Choruses, and Quintet or Chamber Orch. (Norwalk, Conn., May 5, 1989; in collaboration with Mark Lipson); Bow Down Thine Ear, O Lord for 8 Voices or Double Chorus (N.Y, Dec. 8, 1991); Holy Willie’s Prayer for Chorus and Chamber Orch. (N.Y, Jan. 27, 1992); Journeys & Secrets for Chorus and Chamber Orch. (N.Y, May 25, 1994).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire