Sollberger, Harvey (Dene)

Sollberger, Harvey (Dene), American flutist, conductor, teacher, and composer; b. Cedar Rapids, Iowa, May 11, 1938. He studied composition with Philip Bezanson and Eldon Obrecht at the Univ. of Iowa (B.A., 1960) and also received instruction in flute from Betty Bang Mather; completed his training in composition with Beeson and Luening at Columbia Univ. (M.A., 1964); held 2 Guggenheim fellowships (1969, 1973). With Charles Wuorinen, he founded the Group for Contemporary Music in N.Y. in 1962; appeared regularly with it as a flutist and conductor; also toured as a flutist and conductor in the U.S. and Europe. He served on the faculties of Columbia Univ. (1965–83), the Manhattan School of Music (1971–83), the Philadelphia Coll. of the Performing Arts (1980–82), and the Ind. Univ. School of Music (1983–92), where he also directed its new-music ensemble. In 1992 he became a prof. of music at the Univ. of Calif. at San Diego. From 1998 he was music director of the La Jolla Sym. Orch. His music reveals an imaginatively applied serial method.

Works

Grand Quartet for Flutes (1962); 2 Oboes Troping (1963); Chamber Variations for 12 Players and Conductor (1964); Music for Sophocles’ Antigone, electronic music (1966); Fanfare Mix Transpose, electronic music (1968); As Things Are and Become for String Trio (1969; rev. 1972); Musica transalpina, 2 motets for Soprano, Baritone, and 9 Players (1970); Elegy for Igor Stravinsky for Flute, Cello, and Piano (1971); The 2 and the 1 for Amplified Cello and 2 Percussionists (1972); Folio, 11 pieces for Bassoon (1974–76); Sunflowers for Flute and Vibraphone (1976); Flutes and Drums for 8 Flutes, 8 Percussionists, and 4 Double Basses (1977); Music for Prepared Dancers for Dancers, Flute, Violin, and Percussion (1978); 6 Quartets for Flute and Piano (1981); The Humble Heart/CAT Scan for Woodwind Quintet (1982); Interrupted Night for 5 Instruments (1983); Killapata/Chaskapata for Solo Flute and Flute Choir (1983); Double Triptych for Flute and Percussion (1984); 3 or 4 Things I Know about the Oboe, chamber concerto for Oboe and 13 Players (1986); original substance/manifests/traces for Flute, Harp, Guitar, Piano, and Percussion (1987); Persian Golf for Strings (1987); Quodlibetudes for Flute (1988); Aurelian Echoes for Flute and Alto Flute (1989); …from winter’s frozen stillness, trio for Violin, Cello, and Piano (1990); Passages for Soloists, Chorus, and Orch. (1990); Mutable Duo for Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello, Piano, and Percussion (1991); The Advancing Moment for Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello, Piano, and Percussion (1993); CIAO, Arcosanti! for 8 Instruments (1994); In Terra Aliena for 5 Soloists and Orch. (1995).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire