From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Gordon Fitzell
Gordon Fitzell
Gordon Fitzell (born 1968, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, stallations. Since 2009 he has been an Artistic Director
Canada) is a composer, concert organizer, and professor of Groundswell, Winnipeg’s premiere new music series.
of music. His catalog consists of solo, chamber and elec- Gordon Fitzell is Assistant Professor of Music Theory and
troacoustic music, including open and improvisatory Composition at the University of Manitoba, where he also
works. leads the XIE (eXperimental Improv Ensemble).[5]
Biography List of Works[6]
Born and raised in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada, SOLO
Gordon Fitzell earned a dual-emphasis PhD in Music The- • kamelyin (2007) [15’00] For solo piano
ory and Composition from the University of British Co- • Metanoia Nervosa (2006) [13’00] For solo percussion
lumbia (studies with Keith Hamel and John Roeder); a • Orb of the Sun (1999) [8’30] For tenor saxophone;
Master of Music degree from the University of Alberta optional live electronics
(studies with Howard Bashaw and Malcolm Forsyth); and SOLO WITH LIVE ELECTRONICS
a Bachelor of Music degree from Brandon University • Watermelon Soup (2007) [variable duration] For one or
(studies with Kenneth Nichols). As a student, he attended more players (open, mixed media score)
the Darmstadt Internationale Ferienkurse für Neue Mu- • The Z Scherzo (2000) [11’00] For electric guitar and
sic, the Yale Summer School, June in Buffalo, the Array- live multitrack recording
music Young Composers Workshop, and the Banff Cen- • Orb of the Sun (1999) [8’30] For tenor saxophone;
tre. He has attended masterclasses and short-term in- optional live electronics
struction with Beat Furrer, Salvatore Sciarrino, Jukka CHAMBER
Tiensuu, Aaron Jay Kernis, Roger Reynolds, Martin Bres- • Entropy (2010) [10’00] For piano ten hands
nick, Joan Tower, Linda Bouchard, and Robert J. Rosen.[1] • Pangaea Ultima[7][8] (2010) [c. 10’00] For instrumental
sextet (clarinet/bass clarinet, violin, electric guitar,
Career double bass, piano, percussion)
• Magister Ludi (2009) [12’00] For solo cello and flute
Gordon Fitzell’s music has been performed at major in- octet (2 piccolos, 2 flutes, 2 alto flutes, 2 bass flutes)
ternational festivals including the Darmstädter Fe- • Metropolis (2007) [8’00] For saxophone and piano;
rienkurse (Germany), Festival Synthèse Bourges (France), optional live electronics
the ISCM World New Music Days (Sweden), the Interna- • Watermelon Soup (2007) [variable duration] For one or
tional Sound Art Festival (Mexico), and the Tanglewood more players (open, mixed media score)
Music Festival (USA). He has received acknowledgements • LUCID (2005) [10’10] For instrumental sextet (flute/
and awards for his compositions from various organiza- piccolo, clarinet/bass clarinet, violin, cello, piano,
tions, including CBC Radio, the SOCAN Foundation, Van- percussion)
couver New Music, and the National Academy of Record- • violence[9] (2001) [9’00] For instrumental sextet
ing Arts and Sciences (USA).[2] (flute/piccolo, clarinet/bass clarinet, violin, cello,
In 2008 the eighth blackbird album strange imaginary piano, percussion)
animals, which features two of Fitzell’s compositions, gar- • Flux (2000) [12’45] For large chamber ensemble
nered two Grammy Awards. Fitzell also appears on the (flute/piccolo, clarinet/bass clarinet, bassoon, horn,
album as co-producer and live electronics artist, and in trombone, piano/auxiliary percussion, violin, cello,
2006 performed with the group on two CD release con- bass)
certs at The Kitchen in New York. In 2009 his chamber • Rat Bastard (1999) [6’30] For piano, electric guitar,
work violence was performed at the International Society cello and drum set; all amplified
for Contemporary Music (ISCM) World New Music Days • Art (1999) [9’30] For violin and piano
in Sweden by Norway’s BIT20 Ensemble, under the direc- • Six Bagatelles (1998) [7’00] For woodwind quintet
tion of Dutch conductor/composer/pianist Reinbert de CHAMBER WITH LIVE ELECTRONICS
Leeuw. In 2010 Fitzell was the guest composer of the Clus- • Metropolis (2007) [8’00] For saxophone and piano;
ter Festival of New Music and Integrated Arts.[3] optional live electronics
Fitzell is a regular curator of sound art events,[4] • Watermelon Soup (2007) [variable duration] For one or
ranging from chamber music concerts to media art in- more players (open, mixed media score)
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Gordon Fitzell
• airports (2007) [variable duration] For acoustic • !Zip (a.k.a. Zipper Music 2)[10] (1998) [7’21]
instrument, live electronics, dance and projected Electroacoustic composition
images • Zipper Music [11][12] (1994) [3’00] Electroacoustic
• Cartographia (2007) [variable duration] For composition
improvisatory chamber ensemble with projected INSTALLATIONS
images • Aeolian Mobile 1: Paper Box Kite (2008) [variable
• evanescence (2001/2006) [11’30] For instrumental duration] Sound installation (15-metre sonic mobile)
sextet (flute/piccolo, clarinet/bass clarinet, violin, • :spin (2007) [variable duration] Sound installation
cello, piano, percussion) and live electronics (multiple suspended speakers)
• clatter (2003) [17’00] A collection of four works for
subsets of a large chamber ensemble; intended for
simultaneous, overlapping performance:
Selected Performers
Bird’s Nest Pudding (2003) [4’30] For large chamber Vancouver New Music, Francois Houle, Giorgio Magna-
ensemble nensi, eighth blackbird,[13][14] Alizé, Ensemble Contem-
porain de Montréal,[15] Harrignton/Loewen Duo, Roger
Blood on the Saddle (2003) [1’40] For double bass and Admiral, Corey Hamm, Sonic Generator,[16] BIT20,[17]
percussion Plexoos Ensemble, Arraymusic, Ensemble Symposium,
Pro Coro Canada, the UBC Percussion Ensemble, Ham-
rattlebox (2003) [2’10] For string quartet merhead Consort, Vancouver Pro Musica, Trio Fibonacci,
Sequitur, Matthew Gold (Glass Farm Ensemble), edgef-
wormhole (2003) [5’00] For two singers and live
fect,[18] Pazzia Contemporary Performing Collective,
electronics
Sabastian Berweck, Jonathan Golove, Gwen Hoebig and
OPEN AND IMPROVISATORY David Moroz, Winnipeg New Music Festival[19] and
• Watermelon Soup (2007) [variable duration] For one or Groundswell.
more players (open, mixed media score)
• airports (2007) [variable duration] For acoustic
instrument and live electronics, with projected
Affiliations
images Gordon Fitzell is an Associate Composer of the Canadian
• Cartographia (2007) [variable duration] For Music Centre, a member of the Canadian League of Com-
improvisatory chamber ensemble with projected posers and the Canadian Electroacoustic Community; he
images is also President of the Groundswell Board of Directors.
• LUCID (2005) [10’10] For instrumental sextet (flute/ His music is represented by Art Music Promotion., which
piccolo, clarinet/bass clarinet, violin, cello, piano, also represents composers Paul Steenhuisen, Howard
percussion) Bashaw, Keith Hamel, Bob Pritchard, James Harley, André
• clatter (2003) [17’00] A collection of four works for Ristic, and Aaron Gervais.
subsets of a large chamber ensemble; intended for
simultaneous, overlapping performance: Recent Publications
Bird’s Nest Pudding (2003) [4’30] For large chamber
ensemble • “Riding the Dragon: Toward a Pedagogy of Free
Musical Improvisation.” eContact! 10.4 — Temps réel,
Blood on the Saddle (2003) [1’40] For double bass and improvisation et interactivité en électroacoustique / Live-
percussion electronics — Improvisation — Interactivity in
Electroacoustics (October 2008). Montréal: CEC.
rattlebox (2003) [2’10] For string quartet • Let Loose with WallBalls:[20] A Collaborative Tabletop
Instrument for Tomorrow, presented at NIME,[21]
wormhole (2003) [5’00] For two singers and live Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh (June 2009).
electronics
• The Z Scherzo (2000) [11’00] For electric guitar and References
live multitrack recording
[1] University of Manitoba Faculty of Music,
• Rat Bastard (1999) [6’30] For piano, electric guitar,
Composition Area.
cello and drum set; all amplified
[2] University of Manitoba Faculty of Music,
ELECTROACOUSTIC
Composition Area.
• acrobat (2005) [12’00] Electroacoustic composition
[3] Winnipeg Free Press article.
• The Garden Electric (1998) [7’26] Octaphonic
[4] Ken Gregory website.
electroacoustic composition
[5] Culture Days 2010.
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Gordon Fitzell
[6] List of works from Art Music Promotion agency • CD: eighth blackbird, strange imaginary animals
website. • WallBalls video clip
[7] Georgia Strait article. • Pangaea Ultima video clip
[8] CBC article. • airports video clip
[9] Amazon.com. • Orb of the Sun video clip
[10] Electrocd.com. • Groundswell
[11] Sonus.ca. • University of Manitoba Faculty of Music
[12] Electrocd.ca. • XIE (eXperimental Improv Ensemble)
[13] Winnipeg Free Press article. • Time-consciousness and Form in Nonlinear Music
[14] CBC article. (doctoral dissertaion)
[15] La Scena Musicale. Persondata
[16] Distributed Music.
Name Fitzell, Gordon
[17] McNally Robinson Booksellers, Meet the
Composers Series. Alternative names
[18] Shaw.ca. Short description
[19] Winnipeg New Music Festival. Date of birth 1968
[20] WallBalls video clip.
Place of birth
[21] Nime 2009.
Date of death
External links Place of death
• Art Music Promotion website
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gordon_Fitzell&oldid=453254032"
Categories:
• 1968 births
• Canadian composers
• People from Portage la Prairie
• Musicians from Manitoba
• Living people
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