David T. Little
USA
A gift for setting texts in bold, compelling musical strokes that move from modernist atmospheres to heavy-metal-influenced sounds in ways that reach the listener as entirely sensible; his Soldier Songs is at once opera, theatre, rock concert, and multi-media event. David will respond to Buxtehude's first cantata, TO THE FEET, launching our responses on Friday night June 24. David has prepared his own libretto.
David T. Little’s (USA) potently dramatic music draws upon his experience as a rock drummer, and fuses classical and popular idioms to powerful effect. Often undertaking political and existential themes, he has been described by The New York Times as having “a knack for overturning musical conventions...an accomplished theatrical creator.” The New Yorker has called him, “one of the most imaginative young composers on the music-theatre scene.” His music has been performed throughout the world by such performers as the London Sinfonietta, Alarm Will Sound, eighth blackbird, So Percussion, ensemble courage, Dither, NOW Ensemble, PRISM Quartet, the New World Symphony, Beth Morrison Projects, Peak Performances, American Opera Projects, the New York City Opera, the Grand Rapids Symphony and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra under Marin Alsop. He has received awards and recognition from The American Academy of Arts and Letters, the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, Meet The Composer, the American Music Center, the Harvey Gaul Competition, BMI, and ASCAP, and has received commissions from Carnegie Hall, the Baltimore Symphony, the Albany Symphony, the New World Symphony, Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, the University of Michigan, and Dawn Upshaw’s Vocal Arts program at the Bard Conservatory.