BIOGRAPHY
Upcoming: Rain has Fallen, a 14 minute song cycle to poems by James Joyce is to be premiered in Germany by baritone, Hartmut Schulz on 10/30/21, at VIMAC Concert Hall, Moroccanergasse 5, 1030, Vienna. This year I wrote harp concerto; some orchestral song cycles and a second symphony for large orchestra (4/17/21).
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I wrote my first mass on my 12th birthday. It was performed in New York City at The Cathedral of St. John The Divine,
and at St. Anne's Pro-Cathedral of Brooklyn, both in NYC. Before that age I was in a rock group, and reputedly wrote 200 songs (I question that number). At age 13 my Organ Sonata: 12 Tone Under Glass; was performed on numerous concerts across New England by my father, Dr. Sam Walter. My St. Mark Passion was written when I was age 17 and performed the following year at The Church of The Resurrection in New York City. You can click on any of the bunnies (or the button) to the right to hear most of my St. Mark Passion: |
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My parents were, by far, the greatest musical influence of my life. My father, Dr. Sam Walter, was a brilliant conductor, composer, and concert organist, who gave 52 concerts a year. He was also professor of organ at Rutgers University. He encouraged, promoted, and performed my music from an early age. He even copied parts for several performances. Likewise, my mother, Janet Wheeler, was an amazing vocal coach for me, herself a soprano with a great deep rich soprano voice. She also had a long career as a soloist and professor at Bard
College where she co-founded an opera and acting department with director, William Driver. I studied harmony, counterpoint and then composition privately with Dr. Marilyn Keiser at The Cathedral of St. John The Divine, in NYC from age 12 to age 15.
To learn more about Dr. Keiser, please click on her picture:
College where she co-founded an opera and acting department with director, William Driver. I studied harmony, counterpoint and then composition privately with Dr. Marilyn Keiser at The Cathedral of St. John The Divine, in NYC from age 12 to age 15.
To learn more about Dr. Keiser, please click on her picture:
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Janet Wheeler Dr. Sam Walter Dr. Marylyn Keiser
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I received a Bachelor of Music in musical composition from The Juilliard School of Music. I placed out of secondary piano and the first two years of theory and I received an honorary scholarship my Junior year & my Masque of The Red Death (age 21) was recorded by The Juilliard Concert Orchestra in my senior year. In my sophomore year,
The Juilliard Concert String Orchestra recorded my Cloud Blue (age 19): and Please click on the picture to the right to hear "Cloud Blue" and read the score: |
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Cloud Blue Recording/Score
I pursued a PhD in musical composition at Boston University. There I taught courses in Ear Training and Keyboard Harmony on a teaching fellowship. I have finished all of the course work (except one) and wrote the thesis (III/I/5d). I studied composition with David Del Tredici & John Thow (Boston University), David Diamond (Juilliard), Robert Moevs (contemporry counterpoint at Rutgers), piano with Dr. James Scott (Rutgers) and accompanying with Phyllis Lerher (Ryder college) (photos: left to right below):
Please click on their pictures to find out more about my teachers:
Please click on their pictures to find out more about my teachers:
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David Del Tredici John Thow David Diamond Robert Moevs
I studied piano with Dr. James Scott (Rutgers); accompanying with Philis Lerher & Baroque guitar (at age 11... She is still a dear, long time, friend) Martha Blackman (Stanford); (photos: left to right below): Please click on their pictures to find out more about my teachers:
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Dr. James Scott Phyllis Lehrer Martha Blackman
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Subsequently I was offered post graduate scholarships in opera at Boston Conservatory & New England Conservatory. Among other teachers, I studied voice with (left to right below) Oren Brown (Juilliard) and Metropolitan Opera stars, countertenor, Jeffrey Gall, and Jerome Hines, bass. I gave the Boston premiere of the male solos in the newly discovered chamber version of The Fauré Requiem at King's Chapel, Boston under Daniel Pinkham (below, right), recorded the role of king Marke in Richard Wagner's Tristan und Isolde with The Acting Singers Project & premiered many vocal works by composer and dear friend, Merton Brown (right). He and I, with composer Charles Turner, started "Music Now.' I also have an Master's of Arts degree in vocal performance. Please click on the pictures right and below to find out more:
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Merton Brown
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Oren Brown, Jeffrey Gall, Jerome Hines, Daniel Pinkham
I have been the composer-in-residence for The Putnam Court Musicians (also regular performer); Primetime for Kids at Massasoit College in Brockton, MA. (also music director and pianist) and Music Now and Now Dance (also artistic director and regular performer;
I was one of three composers with Charles Turner and Merton Brown (photo above). Guest composers included: Gary Nolan, Daniel Pinkham, David Swerdlove, & Dr. Sam Walter.
I was one of three composers with Charles Turner and Merton Brown (photo above). Guest composers included: Gary Nolan, Daniel Pinkham, David Swerdlove, & Dr. Sam Walter.
I have been the composer-in-residence for The Putnam Court Musicians (also regular performer); Primetime for Kids at Massasoit College in Brockton, MA. (also music director and pianist) and Music Now and Now Dance (also artistic director and regular performer;
I was one of three composers with Charles Turner and Merton Brown. Guest composers included: Gary Nolan, Daniel Pinkham, David Swerdlove, and Dr. Sam Walter.
I was one of three composers with Charles Turner and Merton Brown. Guest composers included: Gary Nolan, Daniel Pinkham, David Swerdlove, and Dr. Sam Walter.
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My music has been performed: Copley Square Ballet Company, Kinetic Dance Theater of Moscow, M. I. T. Concert Band, Mobius, North Shore Civic Ballet, OutLook Film and Video, NYC. My Invocation for Organ was commissioned by The American Guild of Organists and is published by E. C. Schirmer. Two of the series that I produced for Boston Neighborhood Network-TV: Crazy Dinosaurs and Out-TV won an honorable mention and
2nd prize in The Hometown USA Film and Video Competition. Please click on any dinosaur (or the button) to the right to visit Crazy Dinosaurs: |
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