7 AGES PREMIERE « drewschnurr.com

Drew Schnurr is a composer, sound artist, and performer from Los Angeles whose work blurs traditional lines in music, media, and sound.

As a composer for media, Drew has produced music and sonic branding for numerous world brands and media conglomerates. He is also an active concert composer and sound artist with a diverse range of international commissions and exhibits.

Revered by his peers, industry professionals, and critics, his work has been called both “rare” and “remarkable.”

“This composer bends and stretches rules within his own aesthetic, weaving his musical ideas in harmonious waves that threaten to drown, yet gently tumble the listener forward with intrigue and anticipation.” -Adam Rosenthal review for Persee: Orchestrated Perception

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Hyperventilations

for Piano with Four Hands [cat. sc26]

Hyperventilations of a Fire Dragon harnesses music from my early career as a performer in latin bands, jazz ensembles, funk bands, and rock and metal bands. The underlying fervency of these influences is felt throughout the work, leveraged by the power and agility of the piano, driving the performance often to the edge of playability. This piece initiates a compositional renaissance, a drilling down into the musical cores of “fire” that constitute the music of my youth. It comes from the gut—quite literally, was breathed into life. The melodic and rhythmic motives are all derived from vocal inflections (and hyperventilations) improvised, recorded, transcribed and re-composed by the composer.

DREW SCHNURR (2015)

Premiered by Vicki Ray and Aaron Kallay — Hear Now Festival, Los Angeles, May 2015.
Video performance by pianists Kookhee Hong and Minji Noh.

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watch HYPERVENTILATIONS

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7 AGES PREMIERE

04/18/13

7 AGES: Of Mother and Daughter premieres at Providence New Music Premieres in Providence, RI.

Performers:
Soprano – Blithe Walker
Violin – Alexey Shabalin
Harp – Hyunjung Choi

Program notes:

This collaboration with Richard Sparks comes to fruition just weeks before another life begins, that is the life of my first born child. I cannot help but wonder how this pending event worked in my subconscious while setting Richard’s text to music. However it may be, the music came, and in the best way for a composer where it feels like the ideas and words speak the music unto themselves. I’m so grateful to Richard for his artistry in creating such a beautiful text.

The important women in my life: my wife, my mother, step-mother, mothers-in law, and grandmothers all speak through this music which is dedicated them in honor of who they are as mothers, daughters, grandmothers, and all women of heart and substance. My love and gratitude goes to them as their influence undeniably resonates in this work.

DREW SCHNURR (2013)

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