Mary Jane Leach
Mary Jane Leach is an American composer based in New York City. She has been a member of the Downtown Ensemble, composer in residence at Sankt Peter, Köln, and has recordings on XI, New World Records, and Lovely Music. In the late 1970s Leach composed mainly with tape, overdubbing her own playing and singing. As her music became more frequently performed she continued writing in an "overdubbing" fashion, layering parts and experimenting with the textures created by multiple voices. Her compositional style is characterized by modality, imitation, and prolongation. Leach received a 1995 Foundation for Contemporary Arts Grants to Artists Award. She currently teaches music courses at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Leach is also the primary archivist and bibliographer of composer Julius Eastman. She met Eastman in 1981. In the late 1990s, she realized his music had been lost and set about collecting scores and recordings. With Renée Levine Packer, Leach edited Gay Guerrilla: Julius Eastman and His Music, the premiere book on Eastman's life and work.
Works
Piano Concerto for Emanuele, 2010Piano E-Tude for Piano, Singer and Piano on Tape, 2009Four Play for four Violins, 1986/2007Labyrinthus for mixed Chorus and String Quartet, 2007Bach's Set for Solo Cello and eight Celli on tape, 2007Notes Passing Notes for two Female singers live und two Female singers on tape, 2007Gulf War Syndrome for Piano, Clarinet, Cello, Percussion and Tape or Synthesizer and Tape or Piano, Synthesizer, Clarinet, 2-4 Instruments and Tape, 2004, 2006Wolff Tones E-Tude for Piano and 4-6 Instruments, 2004Dido in a Minute for Synthesizer and Tape, 2003The Crane Dance for Soprano and eight part Female Chorus, 2002Dido Remembered for Synthesizer and Tape, 2002Copralalia, la la la for two sopranos and tape, 2002Bruckstück for eight or six part Female chorus, 1989, 2002The Great Goddess for eight part Female Chorus, 2001Glorious Ariadne for eight part Female Chorus, 2001By'm Bye for Piano, 2001Hear My Voice for Soprano, eight part Female Chorus and String Quartet, 2001I Sing of Warfare for Tenor, Male Chorus and String Quartet, 2001Night Blossoms for Vocal quartet a cappella, 2001Theseus Arrives for mixed chorus and String Quartet, 2000Minos for Tenor and mixed chorus, 1999The Sacred Dance for Soprano and String Quartet, 1999Call to the Ceremony for mixed chorus and String Quartet, 1999Ceremony of the Bull for mixed chorus and String Quartet, 1998First String for String Quartet, 1998O Magna Vasti Creta for eight part female chorus and String Quartet, 1997Call of the Dance for Soprano and eight part female chorus, 1997Ariadne's Lament for eight part female chorus or Trombone Choir, 1993, 1996Ariel's Song for eight part female chorus or Trombone Choir, 1987, 1996Song of Sorrows for mixed Chorus, 1995Windjammer for Oboe, Clarinet and Bassoon, 1995Tricky Pan for Solo Countertenor and eight Countertenors on tape, 1995Corrina Ocarina for Flute und Harp, 1994Xantippe's Rebuke for Solo Oboe and eight Oboes on tape, 1993He Got Dictators for Soprano, Piano and Bass, 1993Feu de Joie for Solo Bassoon and six Bassoons on Tape, 1992Kirchtraum, Hörspielmusik, 1992Bare Bones for four Trombones, 1989Pipe Dreams for Organ, 1989Sephardic Fragments for Soprano, 1989Mountain Echoes for eight part female chorus, 1987Guy de Polka for Accordion, 1987Ariel's Song for eight part female chorus, 1987Green Mountain Madrigal for eight part female chorus, 19858 x 4 for Alto flute, Clarinet, English horn und Singer, 1985Trio for Duo for Alto flute and Singer, 19854BC for four Bass clarinets, 1984Held Held for Alto flute and singer, 1984Note Passing Note for Solo Female Singer and Female Singer on tape, 1981