Stemper, Frank

Stemper, Frank, American pianist and composer; b. Milwaukee, Oct. 19, 1951. He studied at the Univ. of British Columbia in Vancouver (B.Mus., 1975), the State Univ. of N.Y. at Stony Brook (M.A., 1978), and the Univ. of Calif, at Berkeley (Ph.D., 1981); also with Betsy Jolas at the Paris Cons. (1981, 1983). He was a studio technician at the Univ. of Calif, at Berkeley’s Electronic Music Studio (1979–81) and guest composer at the Computer Music Project at the Univ. of Ill. at Urbana (1987; 1988); also appeared as a pianist in classical, jazz, and big-band settings. His music fuses postwar serial techniques with jazz elements.

Works

ORCH.: Violin Concerto (1978); Hoye’s Tribute for Winds (Carbondale, Ill., Oct. 1, 1988). CHAMBER : Trio for Oboe, Clarinet, and Bassoon (1974; Vancouver, March 27, 1975); Off Center to the Left for Percussion Quartet (1977; Stony Brook, N.Y., Oct. 19, 1978); Humble Cake for Flute, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Violin, and Cello (1977; Stony Brook, N.Y., April 24, 1978); String Quartet (1982; Carbondale, Ill., March 29, 1988); Double Wind Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano (1983); Chameleon for Clarinet, String Trio, and Piano (Los Angeles, May 13, 1984); Dreams for Woodwind Quintet (1984; Bucharest, Feb. 17, 1987); Memories from Euphoria for Guitar and Harpsichord (1986); second Diary for Clarinet and Piano (1986; Urbana, Ill., April 3, 1988); Some Things for Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello, and Piano (1987; St. Louis, March 25, 1988); works for Solo Instruments. VOCAL : Written in Response to a Request for a Manifesto on Music, 1952 for Chorus (1980; Berkeley, April 15, 1981); Seamaster for Soprano and Chamber Orch. (1981; Milwaukee, May 13, 1983); My Breakfast with Ronald for Soprano, Clarinet, and Piano (Raleigh, N.C., March 10, 1985).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire