LOIS V VIERK

"I have never left a Vierk work without the feeling that I was taking something away from it, a lasting impression of a self-sufficient sonic experience."--Chamber Music Magazine

"in works by Cage, Feldman, Lois V Vierk, and Machover, Lincoln Center has taken the American tradition as seriously as it deserves, capable of standing next to the century's best theater and dance." "a rare musical intelligence"--Village Voice

". . . the relentless energy of her finely honed pieces can prove thrilling -- the musical equivalent of white-water rafting" -- New Yorker

LOOK BELOW FOR LOIS V VIERK'S CALENDAR, LIST OF RECORDINGS AND SCORES.

CALENDAR

July 17, 1999 -- Bayerische Opernfespiele, Munich, Germany Ensemble L'ART POUR L'ART of Hamburg, Germany, performs a program including Vierk's "Red Shift" for cello, electric guitar, percussion, synthesizer. Information via fax: 011-41-71-73530.

August 2, 1999 --- WNYC-fm "New Sounds" broadcast

Hosted by John Schaefer, "New Sounds" will feature "Jagged Mesa" for 2 brass choirs, and other works from Vierk's soon-to-be-released CD on Tzadik, "River Beneath the River". Also works by John Zorn. 11 pm on WNYC 94 FM.

August 5, 1999 -- WNYC-fm "New Sounds Live" Concert and Broadcast

Live from Castle Clinton, at the northwest corner of Battery Park in New York City, "New Sounds Live" presents Vierk's "River Beneath the River" performed by string quartet: Christopher Lee and Patricia Davis, violins; Daniel Panner, viola; Bruce Wang, cello. Hosted by John Schaefer and curated by John Zorn, the program also includes works by Wadada Leo Smith, Ikue Mori and John Zorn. Tickets free but limited and available on August 5 at 5pm at Castle Clinton. Concert begins at 7 pm. Information call 212-835-2789.

October 6, 1999 -- Pianist Claudia Rüegg performs at Dartmouth College

Claudia Rüegg's program "Trans-Atlantic Drift" includes Vierk's "To Stare Astonished at the Sea" (played inside the piano) and works by Cowell, Polansky, Käser, Ewald, Müller, Beyer, Wolpe. Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH. Information: Larry.Polansky@dartmouth.edu

October 10, 1999 -- Claudia Rüegg at Berkeley Piano Club, Berkeley, CA

Rüegg performs "Trans-Atlantic Drift", same program as Oct. 6. Berkeley Piano Club, 2724 Haste St., Berkeley, CA. Information: zilpzalp@bluewin.ch

October 20, 1999 -- Claudia Rüegg at Hartt College, Hartford, CT

Same program as October 6. Information: SteveGryc@aol.com

October 25, 1999 -- Composers Collaborative "Solo Flights" series presents Claudia Rüegg in NYC

Rüegg performs "Trans-Atlantic Drift", same program as Oct. 6. At "Here", 45 Sixth Ave. just south of Spring St., New York City. Information: cci@interport.net

November 20, 1999 -- Paul Dresher Ensemble premieres new work by Vierk

World premiere of Vierk's new work for the Paul Dresher Ensemble (electro-acoustic quartet) at San Francisco's Center for the Arts. Information: PaulDresher@compuserve.com

November 2, 1999 -- Ensemble L'ART POUR L'ART of Hamburg, Germany

Ensemble L'ART POUR L'ART, will premiere Vierk's "Io" for amplified flute, electric guitar and marimba. Details to be announced.

April 7 and 8, 2000 -- Relache Ensemble of Philadelphia

Relache performs a program including Vierk's "Timberline" for flute, clarinet, bassoon, viola, string bass, piano and percussion at the Philadelphia Ethical Culture Society, 1906 S. Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia, 8 pm. Information: call Collette Dominguez 215-574-8246.

April 25, 2000 -- Julliard School of Music presents "Piano Century"

Vierk's "To Stare Astonished at the Sea" will be performed as part of Julliard's "Piano Century", an eleven-concert retrospective of piano music created during the past one hundred years. Concerts at Julliard School of Music, New York City. Information: facbb@mis.juilliard.edu

CURRENT RECORDINGS AND BOOKS

November 1997 - "20th Century Music" by Kyle Gann

Kyle Gann's book contains section on Vierk's music, including in-depth discussion of "Timberline" for flute, clarinet, bassoon, viola, contrabass, piano/synth, percussion. Schirmer Books. Can be ordered on the web from amazon.com

Spring 1998 -- oodiscs released CD "Go Guitars" with Seth Josel, guitar

The title track on this CD, "Go Guitars", is Vierk's work for 5 electric guitars. CD also includes music by Josel, Phill Niblock, and James Tenney. OO #36. Contact oodiscs by phone: 203-367-7917 or email: Celli005@aol.com

Fall 1999 - Tzadik to release Vierk CD

CD will include "River Beneath the River" and "Into the Brightening Air" for string quartet, "Red Shift" for cello, electric guitar, percussion, synthesizer, "Jagged Mesa" for 2 brass choirs. Featuring string quartet with Eva Gruesser and Patricia Davis, violins; Lois Martin, viola; Bruce Wang, cello. Also featuring Gary Trosclair, trumpet; Bruce Eidem, trombone; Christopher Banks, bass trombone, Ted Mook, cello; David Seidel, electric guitar, Lois V Vierk, synthesizer.

1999 - Starkland CDs to release "Free Range Accordion"

Guy Klucevsek performs works for accordion on this CD, including "Blue Jets Red Sprites" by Lois V Vierk. Also works by Burt Bacharach, Lars Hollmer, Aaron Jay Kernis, Jerome Kitzke, Guy Klucevsek, .Stephen Montague and Somei Satoh.

September 1999 -- "The Muse that Sings: Composers Speak about the Creative Process"

This book, edited by Ann McCutchan, contains interview with Lois V Vierk. Publisher is Oxford University Press. Information: Annmmc@earthlink.net

1999 -- "Arcana: Musicians on Music", John Zorn, editor

This book will include Vierk's article "Studying Gagaku" about her 12-year study of Japanese Court Music, in Los Angeles and Tokyo. Publisher is Sun and Moon Press. Info via fax: 510-704-8350.

Lois V Vierk's music was presented in three concerts in the "Frau Musica (nova)" Festival in October1998 in Cologne, produced by German Radio and Gisela Gronemeyer. Four Lois V Vierk Portrait Concerts were given in Europe in spring 1998, by IGNM Ensemble Zürich and Ensemble L'Art Pour L'Art of Hamburg. In June 1998 Vierk and tap choreographer Anita Feldman presented SYMPHONY FOR FEET at the Kitchen in NYC, an evening long concert celebrating 10 years of NewMusic/TapDance collaborations by Vierk and Feldman. Vierk was commissioned by Lincoln Center to compose "Silversword" for "Reigakusha", a Gagaku (Japanese court music) ensemble of Tokyo led by Gagaku master Sukeyasu Shiba. "Silversword" was premiered at the Lincoln Center Festival, July 1996. Her orchestra piece "Devil's Punchbowl" was given its U.K. premiere by the BBC Scottish Symphony in December 1997. London's Barbican Center commissioned her work "River Beneath the River" for the Kronos Quartet, and that ensemble has performed the piece worldwide. Other performers and presenters who have commissioned Ms. Vierk include Ursula Oppens and Frederic Rzewski (pianos), Ensemble Modern, Bang On A Can Festival, Guy Klucevsek (accordion), Music From Japan, Margaret Leng Tan (piano).

Vierk's co-creations with tap choreographer Anita Feldman have been commissioned by the American Dance Festival, Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust, Meet The Composer, among others. Her music has been performed all over the world, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Barbican Center of London, the Huddersfield Festival, Suntory Summer Festival (Tokyo), the Edmonton New Music Festival (Canada), the Schleswig-Holstein Festival, Darmstadt, Donaueschingen Musiktage Festival, Adelaide Festival (Australia). She studied composition at California Institute of the Arts with Mel Powell, Leonard Stein and Morton Subotnick. For 12 years she studied Gagaku, first with Mr. Suenobu Togi in the U.S. and then with Mr. Sukeyasu Shiba in Tokyo.

DISCOGRAPHY

OUTCOME INEVITABLE oodiscs O.O. #17 -- Includes "Timberline" for flute, clarinet, bassoon, viola, string bass, piano/synthesizer, percussion. Performed by the Relache Ensemble. oodiscs, 261 Grovers Ave., Black Rock, CT 06605; phone 203-367-7917; fax 203-333-0603; e-mail CelliOO5@AOL.com

SIMOOM XI Compact Discs 102 -- "Go Guitars" for 5 electric guitars, "Cirrus" for 6 trumpets, "Simoom" for 8 cellos. David Seidel, electric guitar; Gary Trosclair, trumpet; Ted Mook, cello. XI Compact Discs-EIF, 224 Centre Street, New York, NY 10013; phone 212-431-5172; fax 212-431-4486.

GO GUITARS oodiscs O.O. #36 -- Guitarist Seth Josel performs Vierk's "Go Guitars" for 5 electric guitars, and guitar music by Cage, Josel, Niblock, and Tenney. oodiscs, 261 Grovers Ave., Black Rock, CT 06605; phone 203-367-7917; fax 203-333-0603; e-mail CelliOO5@aol.com

MANHATTAN CASCADE CRI 626 -- Includes "Manhattan Cascade" for 4 accordions. Guy Klucevsek, accordion. CRI, 73 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012; phone 212-941-9673.

BANG ON A CAN LIVE, Vol. 2 CRI 646 -- Includes "Red Shift 4" for trumpet, electric guitar, piano/synthesizer, percussion. Performed by A Cloud Nine Consort.

CHEATING, LYING, STEALING Sony Classical SK 62254 -- Includes "Red Shift" for cello, electric guitar, synthesizer, percussion.- Performed by Bang On A Can All-Stars. Sony Classical, 650 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10022; phone 212-833-8000.

NORWEGIAN WOOD Toshiba-EMI TOCE 7345 -- Includes "Yeah Yeah Yeah" for piano. Performed by Aki Takahashi. Fax 011-31-425-93-3671.

REAL ESTATE - NEW MUSIC FROM NEW YORK Ear Rational Records ECD 1015 -- Includes "Red Shift" for cello, electric guitar, synthesizer, percussion. Ted Mook, cello; David Seidel, electric guitar; James Pugliese, percussion; Lois V Vierk, synthesizer. Ear-Rational Records, Koloniestr. 25-A, D-1000 Berlin 65, Germany.

CENTURY XXI New Tone Records nt 6731 -- Includes "Go Guitars" for 5 electric guitars. David Seidel, electric guitar. New Tone Records, Robi Droli, Strada Roncaglia 16, 15040 San Germano, Italy; fax 011-39-11-562-5238.

?WHO STOLE THE POLKA? Wave-Eva WWCX 3027.-- Includes "Attack Cat Polka" for accordion, voice, ensemble. Guy Klucevsek, accordion. Eva Records c/o Wave, 6-2-27 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106, Japan.

SCORES

"Demon Star" (1996) for cello and marimba

"Silversword" (1996) for gagaku orchestra (Japanese court music orchestra)

"Blue Jets Red Sprites" (1996) for accordion

"Dark Bourn" (1995) for 4 bassoons and 4 cellos

"Spin 2" (1995) for 2 pianos

"To Stare Astonished at the Sea" (1994) for string piano (played entirely inside the piano)

"Into the Brightening Air" (1994) for string quartet

"Swash" by Lois V Vierk and tap dance choreographer Anita Feldman (1994) for 2 tap dancers and 2 singers

"Devil's Punchbowl" (1993) for orchestra

"River Beneath the River" (1993) for string quartet

"Twister by" Lois V Vierk and Anita Feldman (1993) for cello, marimba, 2 tap dancers on Tap Dance Instrument (patented)

"Timberline" (1991) for flute, clarinet, bassoon, viola, string bass, piano/synthesizer, percussion

"Red Shift 4" (1991) for cello, trumpet, electric guitar, piano/synthesizer, percussion

"Red Shift 3" (1991) for trumpet, cello, electric guitar, synthesizer, percussion

"Red Shift 2' (1990) for 2 cellos, synthesizer, percussion

"Red Shift" (1989) for cello, electric guitar, synthesizer, percussion

"Jagged Mesa" (1990) for 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, 2 bass trombones; or larger brass ensemble

"Yeah Yeah Yeah" (1990) for piano

"Attack Cat Polka" (1988) for accordion, voice, chamber ensemble

"HEXA" by Lois V Vierk and Anita Feldman (1988) for 3 tap dancers on Tap Dance Instrument (patented), percussion, electronic processing of tap dance and percussion

"Cirrus" (1987) for 6 trumpets

"Simoom" (1986) for 8 cellos

"Manhattan Cascade" (1985) for 4 accordions

"Crane With 1,000 Wings" (1984) for 8 violins

"Go Guitars" (1981) for 5 electric guitars. [Title includes a character which means "5" and is pronounced "go" in Japanese.]

"Hyaku Man No Kyu" (One Million Spheres) (1983) for 8 ryuteki flutes

Tusk (1981) for 18 trombones

"Shoo" (1998) by Vierk and tap choreographer Anita Feldman. For percussion and 2 tap dancers on Tap Dance Instrument.

"Io" (1998) for amplified flute, amplified marimba, and electric guitar, composed for L'Art Pour L'Art (available for performance 1999)

"Europa" (1997) for brass quintet, composed for Chestnut Brass (available for performance 1999)

LOIS V VIERK

Composers