Biography
Music of humor and passion are the hallmarks of Randall Davidson's catalogue. His works have enjoyed hundreds of performances throughout the U.S. and Europe and have attracted the attention of critics, performers and audiences alike for their dramatic and accessible musical language. Davidson's catalogue encompasses nearly every genre: dozens of choral works, an opera, four ballets, an oratorio, a guitar concerto, chamber works, orchestral works that have received over 200 performances, television commercials, incidental music for theater and puppets, a major sound installation to inaugurate the Minnesota Children's Museum, and music for jazz and wind ensembles.
Long-term collaborations with Philip Brunelle and VocalEssence (founded as the Plymouth Music Series) has resulted in many works including the church parable, The Fourth Wise Man, which is approaching two dozen productions since its premiere in 1995.
In 1993, NIKE International commissioned four grand opera commercials which were shown in cinemas and on commercial television throughout Europe, South America, Asia, and North America. One of those operas, Don Quincy, received a Gold Lion at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival.
As a member of ASCAP, Randall has several works published by Boosey & Hawkes. He publishes most of his music through his company, Boys Art Music. He is a former President of both the American Music Center and the American (formerly Minnesota) Composers Forum where he has had a long and active involvement in its leadership. He has served as special counsel with Meet the Composer (now New Music USA) and the Music in the Park Series (now part of the Schubert Club of Minnesota).
Music studies were with Dominick Argento, Eric Stokes, Susan McClary and Paul Fetler at the University of Minnesota School of Music and with Alf Houkom at Cornell College in Iowa.
More information is available here at www.randalldavidsonmusic.com.
Long-term collaborations with Philip Brunelle and VocalEssence (founded as the Plymouth Music Series) has resulted in many works including the church parable, The Fourth Wise Man, which is approaching two dozen productions since its premiere in 1995.
- Composed during a three-year Meet The Composer New Residency, The Fourth Wise Man is based on two literary works: a small chapbook by Henry Van Dyke (The Story of the Other Wiseman) and a novel by Michel Tournier. The Fourth Wise Man was heralded by the Minneapolis Star Tribune at its premiere as "one of the outstanding commissions in the history of [VocalEssence]" and described "as lovely as anything being written today."
- The "Guide" has been performed throughout the U.S. and Europe, has been commercially recorded two times (by the Minnesota Orchestra and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra), and been cablecast on the Disney Channel.
- The "History" (five soloists, theatre orchestra and full mixed chorus) has received productions in Minnesota, Colorado and Ohio. It tells the story in five parables traditional family values as learned from Noah & Mrs. Noah, Adam & Eve, The Prodigal (and Faithful) Son, Sodom & Gomorrah, and Joseph & Mary.
- He has a long association with Junior Composers as a teacher and formerly as general director. Junior Composers is a residential summer music camp for young musicians based at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.
- Recently, he joined the faculty at MacPhail Center for Music in Minneapolis, a community music school for youth and adults. He teaches privately and also participates in summer composition camps.
- For 19 years, Randall worked closely with the Schubert Club of Minnesota where he was the concert host for weekly sold-out Courtroom Concert.
- Additionally, he has taught music composition with the Eastside Arts Council in St. Paul, the Minnesota Boychoir summer camps, and the St. Paul Public Housing Agency.
- He is sought after to speak to groups from ASCAP, Opera America, Chorus America, and the American Symphony Orchestra League on issues related to composers and developing new works.
In 1993, NIKE International commissioned four grand opera commercials which were shown in cinemas and on commercial television throughout Europe, South America, Asia, and North America. One of those operas, Don Quincy, received a Gold Lion at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival.
As a member of ASCAP, Randall has several works published by Boosey & Hawkes. He publishes most of his music through his company, Boys Art Music. He is a former President of both the American Music Center and the American (formerly Minnesota) Composers Forum where he has had a long and active involvement in its leadership. He has served as special counsel with Meet the Composer (now New Music USA) and the Music in the Park Series (now part of the Schubert Club of Minnesota).
Music studies were with Dominick Argento, Eric Stokes, Susan McClary and Paul Fetler at the University of Minnesota School of Music and with Alf Houkom at Cornell College in Iowa.
More information is available here at www.randalldavidsonmusic.com.
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Background + Context First Person narrative.
I was born in Pueblo, Colorado and grew up in Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri. After getting my undergraduate degree at Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, IA, I moved to the Twin Cities in 1975 where I have established my practice and studied composition at the University of Minnesota with Dominick Argento, Eric Stokes, Paul Fetler and Susan McClary. My music is used in everyday settings where performer and audience participate: schools and faith communities. Some of the repertoire is designed to accompany arts experiences: theater, dance, film, and sound environments. On the rare occasion, compositions are performed in featured listening experiences with orchestras, recitals, opera productions, house parties and concerts. Performing is important because I maintain the physical and social connection of music-making: I conduct and play cello, usually in chamber groups and with an immersive arts band, Paris1919. I record and tour with creative artists like pianist Lorie Line and performing for History Theater of St. Paul productions. I champion the creative process as a producer of recordings, concerts and festivals and as a consultant to businesses like Hampton Inn, Target and numerous nonprofits. I advocate for composers at every opportunity. I served in leadership roles at three national composer service organizations for 25 years (1978-2003). I originally proposed and lobbied for the consolidation of the groups and it eventually happened. New Music USA (formerly Meet the Composer) took over the new music journal (NewMusicBox) and funding programs of the American Music Center; the AMC disbanded; and the American (formerly Minnesota) Composers Forum took on the national membership services formerly run by the AMC. I express my advocacy now as a teacher at MacPhail Center for Music and through Junior Composers summer camp for young musicians and their annual alumni festival, EVERYEAR. |