Richard Festinger


Richard Festinger is an American composer of contemporary classical music, pianist and educator.

Biography

Festinger was born in Newton, Massachusetts. He received his B.A. in music, magna cum laude, from San Francisco State University, and his Ph.D. in music composition from the University of California, Berkeley. He was the founding director of Earplay, a new chamber music ensemble based in the Bay Area. He has been a resident artist at the MacDowell Colony, Camargo Foundation, Cité internationale des arts in Paris, Yaddo, the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, the Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Study Center, the Ligurian Study Center in Bogliasco, Italy, Fundación Valparaíso, Mojácar, Almeria, Spain, Ucross Foundation Centre International d’Accueil et d’Échanges des Récollets, the Aaron Copland House, the Oberpfälzer Künstlerhaus, and the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. He was commissioned by the Fromm Foundation in 2003 to compose his work Hidden Spring for the Cygnus Ensemble. Also in 2003 Works and Process at the Guggenheim commissioned and premiered his settings of poet/author Denis Johnson, The Coming of Age with Amy Burton, soprano and The Group for Contemporary Music conducted by Bradley Lubman. In 2009 pianist Marilyn Nonken toured with Festinger's large scale piano solo, Le Pianiste.
Early in his career Festinger played guitar and toured with folk singer Joan Baez including a performance at Woodstock. Shortly afterwards, intent on pursuing a performing career in jazz, he attended the Berklee School of Music in Boston, where he studied composition with Herb Pomeroy and improvisation with Gary Burton. Returning to San Francisco in 1972 he performed extensively for several years as a jazz guitarist while pursuing a growing interest in classical music and composition. Festinger earned his B.A. from San Francisco State and later his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley where he worked with Andrew Imbrie. Festinger is Professor of Theory and Composition at San Francisco State University, where he is also the artistic director of the Morrison Artists Chamber Music Series.

Compositions

Incognito text: Emily Dickinson, soprano and baritoneWinds of May text: James Joyce, soprano and two classical guitarsLove Wanders There text: James Joyce, soprano and two classical guitarsKleinen Doch Emsigen flute, clarinet, viola, cello
  • Portrait unaccompanied violinViolacanta unaccompanied violaUpon The Viol unaccompanied celloTo a Pilgrim bass clarinet and celloSpring Ice soprano and violin, on 12th-century Japanese poemsEnchainement for solo violaLe Pianiste solo piano three pieces after paintings of Roberto MattaEquinox for clarinet and small orchestraLegerdemain solo percussion, hand drumsInsect Voices soprano and four playersThe Locust Tree chorus-SATB Concerto for Piano and Nine Instruments Between Thought and Thing for eight playersThe Way Things Go flute, pianoFrom The Beginning String Quartet No. 2A Machine for Interpreting Dreams for four playersHidden Spring for six playersLaws of Motion for five playersDiary of a Journey for six playersThe Coming of Age text: Denis Johnson soprano and six playersa dream foretold for four players Construction in Metal and Wood percussion and pianoCrossfire two percussionPeripeteia clarinet, violin and celloOn the Lightness of the Moon clarinet, violin, viola and pianoAfter Blue flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano and percussion, 1998Dajunso Ma Dor Da Duca nine-part chorusTapestries violin, cello and piano, 1997Windsongs flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, hornTrionometry flute, clarinet and piano, 1996Violuminescence violin solo and chamber orchestra, 1995Twinning violin and piano, 1994String Quartet No.1 A Serenade for Six flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano and percussionSmokin' with Cocuswood oboe, string quartet and pianoHead over Heels solo electronic keyboard with computerThree Little Piano Pieces Octet – flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, violin, viola, cello and pianoSonata for Cello and Piano Variations for Piano Septet – flute, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, piano and percussionImpromptu clarinet and pianoLetters and the Weather of Six Mornings soprano and pianoPaysages Modernes large orchestraSong: Beauty is a Shell from the Sea SATB with flute, oboe, bass clarinet, horn, string quartet, harp and guitarConcerto for Piano and Orchestra Triptych solo fluteMatin CDOntogenesis flute, clarinet, violin, cello and pianoAvian Landscapes CDIn Delirium of Sunrise string quartetCheville large orchestraDivertimento oboe, clarinet, violin and celloMovements for Guitar
  • ''Prelude for Guitar''

Recordings

Music of Richard Festinger. New Millenium Ensemble. Bridge Records 9245Richard Festinger: Tapestries and Other Works. Laurel Trio, Earplay, Curtis Macomber. New World/CRI NWCR832A Serenade for Six. New Millenium Ensemble. New World/CRI NWCR772Septet, the Earplay ensemble, Centaur CD 2274Triptych, Samuel Baron, flute, Contemporary Recording Studios vinyl LP CRS 8738