Bolcom, William

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American composer, pianist, and author.

From the description of Typewritten letters signed (3), and Autograph letter signed, dated : Ann Arbor, 12 and 28 April 1981, and 21 June 1988, and [New York, 15? May 1988], to Jim Fuld, 1981 Apr. 12 and 28, 1988 June 8. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270874434

William Bolcom is a composer and pianist. Joan Morris is a mezzo-soprano. They are both members of the University of Michigan School of Music faculty. Bolcom and Morris have given numerous performances since 1971. They have also recorded albums of classical and popular songs.

From the description of William Bolcom and Joan Morris papers, 1960-1998. (University of Michigan). WorldCat record id: 85777636

From the description of William Bolcom and Joan Morris papers, 1960-1998. (University of Michigan). WorldCat record id: 78846623

William Bolcom, born in Seattle, Washington in 1938, has been recognized as one of America's most significant composers and pianists. He began piano study at the age of five. He later studied composition with John Verall, giving piano recitals throughout the Northwest before entering the University of Washington as a private student of composition, continuing his studies with Verall, and piano, with Berthe Poncy Jacobson. He received his B.A. from the University of Washington in 1958. Further studies followed with Darius Milhaud at Mills College and at the Paris Conservatory of Music. Bolcom received his doctorate from Stanford University in 1964. In the early sixties his serious compositions reflected the influence of Stockhausen, Berio, and Boulez, while at the same time he was writing theater music, most notably the 1961 off-Broadway hit The Red Eye of Love and his 1962 Dynamite Tonite, written with Arnold Weinstein, which received an American Academy of Arts and Letters Award. The late sixties saw a shift in his focus to ragtime and American music. He composed and performed rags throughout the country, meeting mezzo-soprano Joan Morris, who shared his interest in the American vernacular, in 1972.

Joan Morris, born in Portland, Oregon in 1943, began voice study at the age of 19. She attended Gonzaga University in Spokane prior to studies at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York on an ABC scholarship. There she studied with Clifford Jackson and Federica Schmitz-Svevo. As a performer, she toured for two years with the Whit/Lo Singers, starred Off-Broadway in The Drunkard, and performed with harpist Jay Miller. Following her meeting with Bolcom in 1972, the two began giving concerts of American song throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. Bolcom and Morris were married in 1975.

As champions of the American popular vocal literature, Bolcom and Morris perform songs from the late 19th century through the 1920s and 1930s, as well as cabaret songs written by Bolcom and poet-lyricist Arnold Weinstein. They have performed in Istanbul, Cairo, Moscow, and London, as well as notable venues throughout the United States, and have appeared on several television programs. Since his collaboration with Morris, Bolcom has continued to compose a vast repertoire of symphonies, concertos, operas, chamber music, songs, choral music and piano compositions, including the score to John Tuturro's film Illuminata and the music for Arthur Miller's play, Broken Glass . Compositions from every stage of Bolcom's career have earned him numerous honors, including awards from BMI, two Guggenheims, several Rockefeller Foundation and National Endowment for the Arts awards and grants, and two Koussevitsky Foundation Awards. In 1988 he received a Pulitzer Prize for Music for his Twelve Etudes for Piano . Morris has performed in many of Bolcom's stage productions, including The Beggar's Opera and Casino Paradise, and as a soloist in Bolcom's premiers of Songs of Innocence and of Experience and his Fourth Symphony, which was recorded in 1988 and which received two Grammy nominations.

Together, Bolcom and Morris have recorded twenty albums. The first, After the Ball, resulted in a Grammy nomination for Morris for best vocal soloist performance on a classical album. Other discs include collections of cabaret songs, and the songs of Cole Porter, the Gershwins, Berlin, Rodgers and Hart, and Kern, as well as the songs of Vincent Youmans.

Bolcom has taught composition at the University of Michigan School of Music since 1973, and has been a full professor since 1981. In 1977 he received the Henry Russel award, the highest academic prize given by the University. In the fall of 1994 the University named him the Ross Lee Finney Distinguished University Professor of Music. He has also received the Michigan Council for the Arts Award from the State of Michigan, and Honorary Doctor of Music Degrees from the San Francisco Conservatory and Albion College. Morris has taught courses in voice and musical theater with the University since 1981.

From the guide to the William Bolcom and Joan Morris papers, 1960-2010, (Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Bolcom, William. William Bolcom and Joan Morris papers, 1960-1998. Bentley Historical Library
creatorOf Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Continuing Education Dept. Lectures : video and sound recordings collection, 1987-[ongoing]. Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Rosenthal Archives
creatorOf Moeser, Susan. Susan Moeser, organ [sound recording]. University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Semans Library
referencedIn Albright, William. William Albright visual materials. Bentley Historical Library
creatorOf Bolcom, William. Duets for quintet : a farce for fun : flute, clarinet, violin, violoncello, piano (and stage manager for lights!) : 1970 / William Bolcom. University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
creatorOf Seelen, Geoffrey. Performance hour [sound recording] University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Semans Library
referencedIn Otto Luening collection of non-commercial sound recordings [sound recording], 1950-1983 The New York Public Library. Rodgers and Hammerstein Archives of Recorded Sound.
creatorOf Bolcom, William. Letters, 1965, to Lewis Mumford. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf Cooper, Ruskin. Faculty recital [sound recording]. University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Semans Library
referencedIn American Vaudeville Museum collection, 1845-2007, (bulk 1910-1940) University of Arizona Libraries, Library Special Collections
referencedIn The Virgil Thomson Papers, 1804-1990 (inclusive) Irving S. Gilmore Music Library
referencedIn Ambassador Auditorium Collection, 1974-1995 Archive of Recorded Sound, Stanford University Libraries
creatorOf Blitzstein, Marc. Music by other composers in the collections of the Weill-Lenya Research Center, 1911-[ongoing]. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
creatorOf Taylor, Marilyn, soprano. Watson Chamber Music Hall dedication [sound recording]. University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Semans Library
creatorOf Albright, William. William Albright papers, 1962-1998. Bentley Historical Library
creatorOf Guelph Spring Festival Archives. Correspondence, contract information and publicity related to the performance by Bolcom and Morris, May 4, 1991. University of Guelph. McLaughlin Library
creatorOf Bolcom, William. My faucet! / Wm. Bolcom. University of Washington. Libraries
creatorOf Bolcom, William. Pastorale : for violin and piano / Wm. Bolcom. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Bolcom, William. Whisper moon : (Dream music no. 3) : for alto flute, clarinet in B♭, violin, violoncello, piano / William Bolcom. University of Michigan
creatorOf Bolcom, William. Quartet for clarinet, violin, violoncello, and piano : Second piano quartet / William Bolcom. Library of Congress
creatorOf Bolcom, William. Typewritten letters signed (3), and Autograph letter signed, dated : Ann Arbor, 12 and 28 April 1981, and 21 June 1988, and [New York, 15? May 1988], to Jim Fuld, 1981 Apr. 12 and 28, 1988 June 8. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf CentreStage Theatre Archives. William Bolcom (Piano) and Joan Morris (Mezzo-Soprano) in an Evening of Standards and Parities, Oct. 14, 1983 - music program. University of Guelph. McLaughlin Library
creatorOf Mendelssohn String Quartet. Mendelssohn String Quartet [sound recording]. University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Semans Library
creatorOf Bolcom, William. Sonata for two pianos in one movement / William Bolcom. University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
creatorOf Guelph Spring Festival Archives. Correspondence, contract, program notes and biographies concerning the Bolcom and Morris concert, May 8, 1981. University of Guelph. McLaughlin Library
creatorOf CenterStage Theatre Archives. Bolcom and Morris - (Light Music Series) photos, press clippings, contracts, Oct. 14, 1983. University of Guelph. McLaughlin Library
creatorOf Bolcom, William. Music for The miser of Molière / Wm. Bolcom. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn William Bolcom collection, [ca. 1964-ongoing]. Museum of Performance & Design
creatorOf Bolcom, William. McTeague : opera in 3 acts : 1990-1991 / libretto by Robert Altman and Arnold Weinstein from the novel McTeague by Frank Norris ; music by William Bolcom. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Bolcom, William. The dwarf's serenade : variations : violin and piano / William Bolcom. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Paul Jacobs collection of noncommercial recordings [sound recording], 1967-1983 The New York Public Library. Rodgers and Hammerstein Archives of Recorded Sound.
creatorOf William Bolcom and Joan Morris papers, 1960-2010 Bentley Historical Library
creatorOf Bolcom, William. Summer dreams : (Second sonata) for violin and piano / William Bolcom. Library of Congress
creatorOf Bolcom, William. Second sonata for violin & piano / William Bolcom. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Albright, William. William Albright sound recordings [sound recording]. Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Jacobs, Paul. Paul Jacobs collection, 1895-1984. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Paul Jacobs collection, 1895-1984 The New York Public Library. Music Division.
referencedIn The Leonard Burkat Papers, 1943-1981 (inclusive) Irving S. Gilmore Music Library
referencedIn The Moldenhauer Archives at Harvard University: Manuscript music compositions, 1880-1985. Houghton Library
referencedIn Atkins, Irene Kahn, 1922-. Major figures in American music [A-E] : [oral history]. Yale University Library
creatorOf Bolcom, William. William Bolcom and Joan Morris papers, 1960-1998. Bentley Historical Library
creatorOf Guelph Spring Festival Archives. Guelph Spring Festival 1991 season - reviews and articles. University of Guelph. McLaughlin Library
referencedIn The Moldenhauer Archives at Harvard University: Correspondence, literary manuscripts, sound recordings, and other material, 1873-2001. Houghton Library
creatorOf Guelph Spring Festival Archives. William Bolcom and Joan Morris, May 8, 1981 - house program. University of Guelph. McLaughlin Library
creatorOf Bolcom, William. Lyric concerto : for flute and orchestra, 1992-3 / William Bolcom. Library of Congress
creatorOf Trakas, Christopher. Christopher Trakas, baritone ; John Musto, piano [sound recording] University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Semans Library
referencedIn William Albright Papers, 1962-1998 Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn University of Michigan. News and Information Services. Faculty and Staff Files, 1944-2005 (bulk 1960-1995) Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Alix Jeffry photographs Harvard Theater Collection, Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University
creatorOf Bolcom, William. 12 new etudes : for piano : in 4 books, 1977-1986 / William Bolcom. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Nicolas Slonimsky Collection, 1873-1997, (bulk 1920-1990) Library of Congress. Music Division
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Albright, William. person
associatedWith Albright, William. person
associatedWith Altman, Robert, 1925-2006. person
associatedWith American Museum of Vaudeville corporateBody
associatedWith Burkat, Leonard, 1919-1992. person
associatedWith CenterStage Theatre Archives. corporateBody
associatedWith CentreStage Theatre Archives. corporateBody
associatedWith Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Continuing Education Dept. corporateBody
associatedWith Cooper, Ruskin. person
associatedWith Cullen, Frank, 1936- person
associatedWith Fuld, James J., 1916- person
associatedWith Guelph Spring Festival Archives. corporateBody
associatedWith Guelph Spring Festival Archives. corporateBody
associatedWith Guelph Spring Festival Archives. corporateBody
associatedWith Guelph Spring Festival Archives. corporateBody
associatedWith Jacobs, Paul person
associatedWith Jacobs, Paul. person
associatedWith Jeffry, Alix person
associatedWith Leonard Burkat person
associatedWith Library of Congress. McKim Fund. corporateBody
associatedWith Library of Congress. Serge Koussevitzky Music Foundation. corporateBody
associatedWith Luening, Otto, 1900-1996 person
associatedWith McNeilly, Donald, 1945- person
associatedWith Mendelssohn String Quartet. corporateBody
associatedWith Moeser, Susan. person
associatedWith Moldenhauer, Hans person
correspondedWith Moldenhauer, Hans, collector. person
associatedWith Molière, 1622-1673. person
associatedWith Morris, Joan, 1943- person
associatedWith New World Records. corporateBody
associatedWith Norris, Frank, 1870-1902. person
associatedWith Repertory Theater of Lincoln Center. corporateBody
correspondedWith Slonimsky, Nicolas, 1894-1995 person
associatedWith Thomson, Virgil, 1896- person
associatedWith University of Michigan corporateBody
associatedWith University of Michigan. News and Information Services. corporateBody
associatedWith University of Michigan. School of Music. corporateBody
associatedWith Weinstein, Arnold. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
United States
Subject
Aleatory music
Choruses, Secular (Mixed voices, 4 parts)
Composers
Composers
Concertos (Flute)
Indidental music
Jazz
Mezzo-sopranos
Mezzo-sopranos
Music
Music
Opera
Pianists
Pianists
Piano music
Quartets (Piano, clarinet, violin, violoncello)
Quintets (Piano, clarinet, flute, violin, violoncello)
Sonatas (Pianos (2))
Sonatas (Violin and piano)
Variations (Violin and piano)
Violin and piano music
Vocal quartets, Unaccompanied
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1938-05-26

Americans

Information

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