Lois V. Vierk


Lois V. Vierk is a post-minimalist composer who lives in New York City.
She received a B.A. degree in piano and ethnomusicology from UCLA in 1974. She then attended Cal Arts, studying composition with Mel Powell, Leonard Stein, and Morton Subotnick, receiving her M.F.A. in 1978. She has conducted extensive study of gagaku music, studying for ten years with Suenobu Togi in Los Angeles, and for two years in Tokyo with Sukeyasu Shiba.
She has written many chamber works for different ensembles which are multiples of the same instrument. Her work uses glissando prominently and builds exponentially in level of activity. More recently she has written for mixed instrument ensembles, such as in her piece Timberline commissioned by the Relâche Ensemble, and Red Shift which appeared on the CD Bang on a Can Live Vol. 2. She has also composed for gagaku ensemble.
Vierk received a 1993 Foundation for Contemporary Arts Grants to Artists Award.
WWW loisvvierk.com

Compositions

  • Kana for 3 Tenor Voices and 3 Bass Voices
  • Small Shadow in the Desert for 3 Clarinets
  • 五 Guitars for 5 Electric Guitars
  • TUSK for 18 Trombones
  • Dark Bourne for 4 Bassoons and 4 Celli
  • Manhattan Cascade for 4 Accordions
  • Simoom for 8 Cellos
  • Cirrus for 6 Trumpets
  • Attack Cat Polka for Vocal Soloist, Accordion, Violin, Cello, Percussion
  • Red Shift for cello, electric guitar, piano/synthesizer, percussion
  • Jagged Mesa for 2 Trumpets, 2 Trombones, 2 Bass Trombones
  • Yeah, Yeah, Yeah for Piano
  • Timberline for Flute, Clarinet, Bassoon, Viola, String Bass, Piano/Synthesizer, Percussion
  • Devil's Punchbowl for Orchestra
  • Hexa with Anita Feldman, for Solo Tap Dancer on Tap Dance Instrument ; Cello and Marimba
  • River Beneath the River for String Quartet
  • Into the Brightening Air for String Quartet
  • To Stare Astonished at the Sea for string piano
  • Swash with Anita Feldman, for 2 Tap Dances and 2 Singers
  • Spin 2 for 2 Pianos
  • Blue Jets Red Sprites for Accordion
  • Demon Star for Cello and Marimba
  • Silversword for Gagaku Orchestra
  • Io for Amplified Flute, Amplified Marimba, and Electric Guitar
  • Words Fail Me for Cello and Piano

Discography

''River Beneath the River''

River Beneath the River was released in 2000. The album contains music written over a ten-year span including the title track originally commissioned by Kronos Quartet though not played by them. The liner notes were written by Robert Carl. Track listing:
  1. River Beneath the River – 14:13 - Eva Greusser, Patricia Davis, Lois Martin, Bruce Wang ; commissioned by the Barbican Centre for Kronos Quartet
  2. Into the Brightening Air – 24:15 - Eva Greusser, Patricia Davis, Lois Martin, Bruce Wang ; commissioned by Karen Bamonte Danceworks with support from Meet the Composer
  3. Jagged Mesa – 21:349 - Gary Trosclair, Bruce Eidem, Christopher Banks ; commissioned by Risa Jaroslaw & Dancers with support from Meet the Composer
  4. Red Shift – 12:16 - Ted Mook, David Seidel, Jim Pugliese, Lois V Vierk ; commissioned by Experimental Intermedia with support from the Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust

''Simoom''

Simoom was released in 1990. The liner notes, written by Arthur Stidfole, contain a short introduction to the composer, descriptions of the compositions, and biographical information on the performers. Track listing:
  1. 五 Guitars for 5 electric guitars; David Seidel – 12:06
  2. Cirrus for 6 trumpets; Gary Trosclair – 18:43
  3. Simoom for 8 cellos; Theodore Mook – 20:34

Films

New York Composers: Searching for a New Music. Directed by Michael Blackwood. Produced by Michael Blackwood Productions, in association with Westdeutscher Rundfunk.

Listening