Peter K. Winkler

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Peter K. Winkler (born 1943, Los Angeles, California) is an American composer and a musicologist specializing in the theory of popular music. His compositions include both concert works and music for the theater; many of his works involve a synthesis of popular and classical styles. [1]

Contents

Biography

While a high school student, Winkler studied composition and theory with Howard Brubeck, and at Aspen Music School (1959) with Darius Milhaud. He earned a B.A. in Music at the University of California (1963), studying with David Lewin and Seymour Shifrin, [2] and an M.F.A. at Princeton University, where his principal teacher was Earl Kim. [3] He continued studying with Earl Kim as a Junior Fellow in the Society of Fellows at Harvard University (1968–71) [4] He then joined the music faculty of Stony Brook University, where he taught for 42 years, retiring in 2014. [5] As a pianist, Winkler was the accompanist for Rhoda Levine's improvisational opera group, Play it by Ear from 1996 to 2012, and appears with his wife, violinist Dorothea Cook, in the duo Silken Rags. Their CD of original works was described by the Seattle Times as "a lovely and inventive disc of genre-bending compositions... rhythmically complex, harmonically rich music with influences extending from gospel and Caribbean to samba and tango. [6] " He was a pioneer in teaching university courses in popular music, [7] and was one of the founding members of the U.S. Branch of the International Association for the Study of Popular Music, editing its newsletter RPM from 1984 to 1989 and its Journal of Popular Music Studies from 1992 to 1995.

Music

The composer William Bolcom has written of Winkler's music: "in our tragic and unsettling age, his music actually makes a listener feel better about life, curing the soul." [8] Winkler's principal concert works include:

Theatrical Works:

Published articles

Discography

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References

  1. ↑ Contemporary Composers Index, "Peter Winkler" http://cci.musicaneo.com/13543_peter_winkler.html Accessed October 27, 2016
  2. ↑ Baker, Theodore and Slonimsky, Nicholas, 1992. "Winkler, Peter K(enton)" Baker's biographical dictionary of musicians, 8th edition (New York, Schirmer Books)
  3. ↑ Meckna. Michael "Winkler, Peter K." Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press. Web. http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/42704
  4. ↑ Society of Fellows, Harvard University: Directory of Current & Former Senior & Junior Fellows (2011, Cambridge, Society of Fellows) p. 128, 154
  5. ↑ "Peter Winkler Retirement | Stony Brook Music Alumni Newsletter".
  6. ↑ "Classical CDS feature luminous choral work, notable pianists, something for cello fans". 3 March 2005.
  7. ↑ "Peter Winkler Retirement | Stony Brook Music Alumni Newsletter".
  8. ↑ "CD Baby Music Store".
  9. ↑ "Opera at Stony Brook". www.stonybrook.edu. Archived from the original on 2010-03-25.
  10. ↑ "Professionally Speaking - 1986 Off-Broadway - Creative Team".
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