Short bio Michael Gordon
Full biography Michael Gordon
Michael Gordon is an American composer, born on July 20th, 1956. He is the co-founder of the "Bang on a Can" music collective ), alongside fellow composers David Lang and Julia Wolfe. He grew up in Nicaragua, which has influenced his musical style and interests.
Gordon is known for his minimalist and post-minimalist compositions, which often feature repetitive patterns and unconventional tunings. He has composed for a wide range of ensembles, including orchestras, chamber groups, and solo performers. Some of his most notable works include the opera "Acquanetta," the multimedia work "Decasia," and the piano pieces "Sonatra" and "Van Gogh."
In addition to his work as a composer, Gordon is also an educator. He has taught at several prestigious institutions, including the Yale School of Music, Princeton University, and the Manhattan School of Music. He has also been recognized with numerous awards and honors, including the Guggenheim Fellowship and the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Classical Composition.
Gordon continues to be an active composer and collaborator, with recent projects including a commission to compose music for a courtyard in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and the world premiere of his piece "Field of Vision" in July 2022. Gordon's contributions to the world of contemporary classical music have been significant, and his work continues to inspire and engage audiences around the world.
Compositions featuring Michael Gordon
| # | Name | Duration | Genre | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Unchanging Sea, film score | 28:53 min | Film Score | 2018 |
| 2 | Anonymous Man, for chorus | 57:12 min | Choral | 2017 |
| 3 | Beijing Harmony, for orchestra | 14:39 min | Orchestral | 2013 |
| 4 | Color Between the Lines | 57:15 min | Show/Musical | 2012 |
| 5 | Gene Takes a Drink, multimedia score for clarinet, electric guitar, cello, double bass, piano & percussion | 6:07 min | Chamber Music | 2012 |
| 6 | Rushes, for 7 bassoons | 56:04 min | Chamber Music | 2011 |
| 7 | Clouded Yellow, for string quartet | 10:25 min | Chamber Music | 2010 |
| 8 | Exalted, for children's chorus & string quartet | 9:03 min | Choral | 2010 |
| 9 | For Madeline, for clarinet, electric guitar, cello, double bass, vibraphone & piano | 7:54 min | Chamber Music | 2009 |
| 10 | Rewriting Beethoven's Seventh Symphony, for orchestra | 21:35 min | Symphony | 2006 |
| 11 | Acquanetta, opera | 65:39 min | Opera | 2005 |
| 12 | The Sad Park, for string quartet | 28:24 min | Chamber Music | 2005 |
| 13 | Shelter, oratorio for 3 sopranos & chamber orchestra | 64:30 min | Vocal Music | 2005 |
| 14 | Sonatra, for piano | 15:41 min | Keyboard | 2004 |
| 15 | Lost Objects, piece for vocal soloists, chorus & ensemble | 62:07 min | Choral | 2001 |
| 16 | Decasia, multimedia symphony | 62:38 min | Avant-Garde Music | 2001 |
| 17 | Potassium, for string quartet | 11:39 min | Chamber Music | 2000 |
| 18 | XY, for percussion | 15:09 min | Chamber Music | 1998 |
| 19 | Yo Shakespeare, for ensemble | 11:17 min | Chamber Music | 1992 |
| 20 | Erlkönig, improvisation for voice & ensemble (after Schubert) | 6:08 min | Vocal Music | 1989 |
| 21 | Four Kings Fight Five | 23:21 min | Miscellaneous (Classical) | 1988 |
| 22 | Strange Quiet, for ensemble | 13:45 min | Chamber Music | 1987 |
| 23 | Acid Rain | 7:45 min | Miscellaneous (Classical) | 1986 |
| 24 | The Low quartet | 7:59 min | Chamber Music | 1985 |
| 25 | Thou Shalt! Thou Shalt Not! | 19:22 min | Miscellaneous (Classical) | 1983 |
| 26 | The Carbon Copy Building, comic strip opera | 72:07 min | Opera | - |
| 27 | AC/DC | 4:33 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 28 | Weather, for string orchestra | 62:49 min | Orchestral | - |
| 29 | Van Gogh, for voices & ensemble | 57:50 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 30 | Tree-Oh, for violin | 5:57 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 31 | Trance 4, for ensemble | 7:25 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 32 | Tinge, for violin & keyboard | 3:56 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 33 | Timber, for 6 percussionists | 57:53 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 34 | All Vows, for cello & electronics | 9:22 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 35 | Dystopia, for orchestra | 31:01 min | Orchestral | - |
| 36 | The Light of the Dark, for chamber ensemble | 11:41 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 37 | Instrumental, for violin, cello & keyboard | 4:53 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 38 | Soundtrack 23, for ensemble | 4:02 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 39 | He saw a skull, for chorus | 8:01 min | Choral | - |
| 40 | River, for voice & ensemble (part of collaborative work "Cloud River Mountain") | 4:45 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 41 | Idle, for violin, guitar & keyboard | 5:17 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 42 | Receiver | 4:44 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 43 | Purgatorio, pop-opera for voice & guitars | 20:37 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 44 | Imreadywhenyouare, for voice, guitar, violins & keyboard | 5:24 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 45 | My Frig | 5:04 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 46 | Industry (solo electric cello) | 10:49 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 47 | Light Is Calling, for solo violin & ensemble | 7:03 min | Chamber Music | - |
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