Stephen Jaffe

Office Hours:

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:45 - 9:45 a.m.

Education

• A.M. University of Pennsylvania, 1978
• A.B., summa cum laude, with distinction in Music University of Pennsylvania, 1977

Research Interests

My recent collaborations have been with the National Symphony Orchestra, The North Carolina Symphony, and the Kennedy Center Chamber Players, and have included orchestral works (Concerto for Cello and Orchestra, Poetry of the Piedmont, and Cut Time) as well as chamber music (String Quartet No. 2 ("Sylvan and Aeolian Figures"). Fortunately, I am also able to pursue recording of my music, and to collaborate with other musicians on recording projects. This is ongoing, in particular with the third volume of recordings for Bridge, Inc. issued in May 2008. The recording involved collaboration with the 21st Century Consort (an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution), the North Carolina Symphony, and and the Odense Symphony Orchestra of Denmark. I see my life as a composer involving creation; collaboration, and advocacy for the art of music (including education, curation, and engagement with musical institutions).

Awards, Honors, and Distinctions

• Koussevitsky International Recording Award, Musicians Club of New York, November, 2006
• Composer of the Year 2006, Classical Recording Foundation, September, 2005
• Howard Foundation Fellowship, Brown University, 1996
• American Academy Institute of Arts & Letters Lifetime Achievement Prize, May 1993
• Kennedy Center Friedheim Award, First Quartet, May 1991
• Brandeis University Creative Arts Citation, May 1989
• Guggenheim Fellowship, May, 1984
• Rome Prize, American Academy in Rome, 1980-81
• Premier Medaille d’harmonie, Conservatoire de Genève, 1972, May 1972

Teaching (Fall 2009):

• Music 161s.01, Composition ii

  Biddle 102, MW 11:40 AM-12:55 PM

Teaching (Spring 2010):

• Music 117s.01, Theo/prac post-tonal mus Synopsis

  Biddle 101, TuTh 10:05 AM-11:20 AM; Biddle 101, W 10:05 AM-11:20 AM

Selected Professional Work:

    Recordings

• S. Jaffe. Stephen Jaffe, volume III.  Bridge Records, Spring, 2008 .  [abs]
•  Concerto for Violin and Orchestra and Chamber Concerto ("Singing Figures").  The Music of Stephen Jaffe Bridge Records, Inc. 9141, 2004 . (Koussevitsky International Recording Award, 2004)  [abs]
•  First Quartet for string quartet, Ciompi Quartet.  American Music for String Quartet Albany Records, Troy CD 073, 1993 .
•  The Rhythm Of The Running Plough, Double Sonata, and Four Songs With Ensemble, Bridge CD BCD 9047. Speculum Musicae, D’Anna Fortunato, Anton Nel, Barry Snyder, Prism Orchestra (1994).  The Music of Stephen Jaffe Bridge Records, Inc., 1994 . (Bridge 9047)
•  Spinoff for guitar, on Newdance: 18 Dances for Guitar Bridge 9084. David Starobin, guitar (1998) Grammy Award Nomination, 1999.  Bridge Records, Inc. 9084, .
•  Three Figures and A Ground, Patricia Spencer, flute, Linda Hall, piano.  The Now and Present Flute Neuma 450-88., 1994 .
•  Fort Juniper Songs for soprano, mezzo-soprano and piano, on To Sun, To Feast & To Converse Albany CD (Troy 172). Terry Rhodes, soprano, Ellen Williams, mezzo-soprano, Stephen Jaffe, piano (1995). 1995 .
•  Designs and Three Figures and A Ground.  AUR (Arizona University Recordings AUR CD 3123, 2006 . (Christine Gustafson, flute, Christopher Deane, percussion and William Anderson, guitar)
• S. Jaffe. Quattro Mani: Kindred Spirits.  Bridge, Summer, 2008 .  [abs]
•  Centering, for two violins, Linda Quan, Curtis Macomber, violins. C.R.I. 513. 1983 .
•  Impromptu for piano, on Strange Attractors: New American Music for Piano, Albany CD (Troy 231). Patricia Goodson, piano (1997). 1997 .

• Cíthera mea (Evocations): Spanish Music Notebook para orquesta/for orchestra, Meymandi Concert Hall/ Progress Ctr for the Arts, Raleigh, NC, October, 2008
  Grant Llewellyn conducted the orchestra in three performances of this 18' work, October 2-3-4, 2008. The commission is by the North Carolina Symphony and the Nasher Museum of Art. There is a short film prelude by the German visual artist, Thomas Struth which is part of the collaboration.
• Concerto for Cello and Orchestra, David Hardy, Cello, National Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Slatkin, Music Director, January 8-10, 2004
  
• String Quartet No. 2 ("Sylvan and Aeolian Figures"), Philadelphia Chamber Music Society Commission for Miami Quartet, 2005
  
• Poetry of the Piedmont (Poesis Piementosa), , 2005-6
  North Carolina Symphony Orchestra, Grant Llewellen, Music Director. For performance on 2006-2007 season.
• Designs, for flute, guitar and percussion, Christine Gustafson and East Carolina University School of Music, 2001
  
• Homage to the Breath: Instrumental and Vocal Meditations for Mezzo soprano and Ten Instruments, Barlow Endowment, Brigham Young University and Twentieth Century Consort (Washington, DC), 2001
  
• Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, Greensboro Symphony Orchestra, Stuart Malina Music Director, 1999
  
• Songs of Turning, Oregon Bach Festival and Fromm Foundation, Harvard University, 1995
  

• Concerto for Cello and Orchestra, Slovenska filharmonjia, David Hardy Cello, Toshiro Yonezu, cond., January 11, 2007
  
• String Quartet No. 2 ("Sylvan and Aeolian Figures"), Miami Quartet, Philadelphia Chamber Music Society and other venues, March, 2006 - April, 2006
  
• CONCERTO for Violoncello and Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Slatkin, Kennedy Center, Washington, 2004/01/08
  

• Residencies, Composers Conference and Chamber Music Center at Wellesley College, 2008
  Week long residency as guest composer. From the CC website: In tandem with the Chamber Music Center, the Composers Conference is an annual workshop for composers of serious music. Each summer, ten composers, selected from approximately one hundred applicants, are awarded composing fellowships to the Conference. A corps of professional musicians of the highest caliber rehearses, performs, and records their works. In addition, the Fellows work with two distinguished guest composers. For summer 2008, we welcome Stephen Jaffe and Ricardo Zohn-Muldoon as guest composers. Past guest composers have included Milton Babbitt, Elliott Carter, George Crumb, Jacob Druckman, John Harbison, Lee Hyla, Earl Kim, Donald Martino, David Rakowski, Shulamit Ran, Gunther Schuller, Joan Tower, George Walker, Ollie Wilson, Charles Wuorinen, and Chen Yi. http://www.composersconference.org/
• Chamber Music Festival of the East, Bennington College, 2000
  
• Composer in Residence, Oregon Bach Festival, 1996
  

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