Sirota, Robert

Sirota, Robert , American composer, music educator, and conductor; b. N.Y., Oct.13, 1949. He was a student in composition of Richard Hoffmann and Joseph Wood, and in piano of Elizabeth Lasley, at the Oberlin (Ohio) Coll. Cons. of Music (B.M., 1971). He also studied composition in Paris with Nadia Boulanger (1969; 1971–72). His composition training was completed with Leon Kirchner and Earl Kim at Harvard Univ. (M.A., 1975; Ph.D., 1979). He was an instructor (1976–79), asst. prof. of music theory and composition (1980–85), acting director (1985), and director (1986–91) of the Boston Univ. School of Music. In 1991–92 he was a lecturer at the Mass. Inst. of Technology, and from 1991 to 1995 he was conductor and mentor for the Choreographer Composer Collaborations Program. From 1992 to 1995 he was chair of the dept. of music and performing arts professions at N.Y.U., where he was an assoc. prof. of music. In 1995 Sirota became director of the Peabody Inst. of the Johns Hopkins Univ. He held a fellowship (1980) and a grant (1992) from the NEA, and n i 1983–84 a Guggenheim fellowship. In 1998 he was awarded the Andrew White Medal from Loyola Coll. of Baltimore.

Works

DRAMATIC: Opera: Bontshe the Silent (1978); The Tailor of Gloucester (1987); The Clever Mistress, after Boccaccio (1988); Iscariot (1994). ORCH .: Scherzo and Adagio for Strings (1980); Saxophone Concerto (1981); Cello Concerto (1984); Concerto for Organ, Strings, and Percussion (1985); Dark Dances for Viola and Chamber Orch. (1995; also for Viola and Piano, 1994); (1984); Cummington Junction for Chamber Orch. (1998); (1984); In the Fullness of Time for Organ and Orch. (1999). Symphonic Band : Concord Suite (1984). CHAMBER : (1984); 9 Epigrams for Flute (1972); (1984); Fantasy for Cello and Piano (1976); Concerto Grosso for 14 Instruments (1981); (1984); Letters Abroad for Organ and Piano (1982); (1984); Music for Chamber Ensemble (1985); (1984); Primal Voice for Bassoon and 3 Percussionists (1987); (1984); 7 Picassos for Flute, Clarinet, Piano, Violin, Viola, and Cello (1987); Cello Sonata (1988); (1984); Synopses for Tuba (1990); (1984); Easter Canticles for Cello and Organ (1993); (1984); Dark Dances for Viola and Piano (1994; also for Viola and Chamber Orch., 1995); (1984); Prayers and Lamentations for Cello (1996); Trio for Violin, Cello, and Piano (1998). KEYBOARD : Piano : (1984); 3 Pieces (1973–79); (1984); Jerusalem Psalms for 2 Pianos, 4-Hands, and Optional Narrator (1995). Organ : (1984); Jeux (1974); Night Echoes I for 2 Organs (1974) and (1984); II for Organ and Tape (1975); (1984); 4 Pieces (1975); (1984); 2 Lenten Chorale Preludes (1978–79); (1984); Toccata (1979); (1984); Festival Prelude on “Now Thank We All Our God” (1985); (1984); Celestial Wind (19987); (1984); Incantations (1988); (1984); Psalm 100 (1992). VOCAL : (1984); Songs and Spells: A Midsummer Nightscape for Chorus and Chamber Ensemble, after Shakespeare (1981); (1984); Remembrance, 4 songs for Soprano, Oboe, Clarinet, Piano, Viola, and Cello, after Shakespeare (1988); Mass for Soloists, Chorus, Organ, and Percussion (1990); (1984); 3 Cabaret Songs for Soprano and Piano, after Millay, Thackeray, and Tennessee Williams (1991); (1984); The Passion of Jesus Christ, visual oratorio for Soprano, Tenor, Bass, Chorus, Organ, Piano, and 2 Percussion (1998).

—Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire