Short bio Laura Schwendinger
Full biography Laura Schwendinger
Laura Schwendinger is an accomplished composer who has won numerous awards for her work. She was born on January 26, 1962 and was the first composer to win the American Academy in Berlin's Berlin Prize. She is currently a Professor at UW-Madison.
Schwendinger has composed hundreds of concert works for chamber ensembles and orchestra , including several operas. In 2023, she won the Ives prize, which is the largest award for opera composers in the U.S., along with librettist Ginger Strand , for their opera "Arctic Dreams". Schwendinger has also been recognized by the MacDowell Colony, which named her as one of the 47 artists selected for their artist residency program in 2021.
Schwendinger's music reflects her fascination with the natural world and its intersections with artistic expression. She has cited her childhood experiences of hearing the San Francisco Symphony play Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring" and waking up to loud classical music played by her father as influential to her musical style.
In addition to her work as a composer, Schwendinger has also served as a teacher and mentor to young composers. She has worked with students at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and now teaches at UW-Madison where she is a professor in the School of Music.
Compositions featuring Laura Schwendinger
| # | Name | Duration | Genre | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sudden Light, for mezzo-soprano, 2 violins & cello | 15:46 min | Vocal Music | 2014 |
| 2 | Creature Quartet: Hymn for Lost Creatures, for string quartet | 25:29 min | Chamber Music | 2013 |
| 3 | Waking Dream, for flute & chamber orchestra | 10:55 min | Concerto | 2009 |
| 4 | Chiaroscuro Azzurro, for violin & chamber orchestra | 32:41 min | Concerto | 2008 |
| 5 | Song for Andrew, for piano quartet | 7:37 min | Chamber Music | 2008 |
| 6 | Esprimere, for cello & orchestra | 30:25 min | Concerto | 2007 |
| 7 | Two Little Whos, for violin & guitar | 7:17 min | Chamber Music | 2006 |
| 8 | High Wire Act, for flute, violin, viola, cello & piano | 13:11 min | Chamber Music | 2005 |
| 9 | Rumor, for flute & cello | 5:25 min | Chamber Music | 2004 |
| 10 | Nonet for flute, oboe, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, horn, piano & percussion | 17:34 min | Chamber Music | 2003 |
| 11 | String Quartet in 3 Movements | 16:31 min | Chamber Music | 2001 |
| 12 | C'è la Luna Questa Sera?, for piano trio | 5:30 min | Chamber Music | 1998 |
| 13 | Sonata for violin | 15:28 min | Chamber Music | 1992 |
| 14 | Chamber Concerto | 17:02 min | Concerto | - |
| 15 | Fluorescenza, for cello | 7:44 min | Chamber Music | - |
Albums featuring Laura Schwendinger
| # | Сover | Name album | Year | Music label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Laura Elise Schwendinger Featuring The JACK Quartet, Christopher Taylor (9), Jamie Van Eyck – Quartets(CD, Album) | 2018 | Albany Records |
| 2 |  |
Laura Elise Schwendinger - Matt Haimovitz, Curtis Macomber, Christina Jennings, Nicole Paiement – 3 Works, For Solo Instruments And Orchestra(CD, Album) | 2012 | Albany Records |
| 3 |  |
Argersinger, McCarthy, Mendoza, Schwendinger, Lentini, Bevelander – Grand Designs(CD, Album) | 1997 | Capstone Records |
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