Basil Vendryes, the violist on this recording, has been the Principal Viola of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra since 1993 and previously played with the San Francisco Symphony and New York Philharmonic.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The common thread unifying the works on this album is the partnership between composers and players, and a desire to move audiences.
Instruments
Basil Vendryes performs on a viola made in 2023 by Alexander Tzankow.
Historical Context
Before the second half of the 20th century, music was slower to be integrated into American university curricula compared to Europe, making teaching positions for composers uncommon.
Performer Biography
William David, the pianist on this recording, was a founding member of the Ames Piano Quartet, which toured internationally and recorded fifteen albums.
Historical Context
In the American Gilded Age, financial support from industrialists like Andrew Carnegie went towards buildings and organizations, not directly to individual composers.
Historical Context
After World War II, a boom in American higher education and changes in tax codes led to more teaching positions and composer-in-residence programs.
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