William Whitley
Dr. William Whitley, PhD Composer Instructor,Composition and Theory Western Oregon University Monmouth, Oregon 97361 (503) 838-8275 (541) 913-5950 (Cell) : email me |
Biography: William Whitley lives in Albany, Oregon with his wife, Kim and their three children; Caitlyn, Sydni, and William. He received a Bachelor of Arts in organ performance in 1994 from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington where he studied organ with Janet Satre-Ahrend and composition with Kevin Waters. In 2000, he earned his Master of Music degree in composition at the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho where he studied with Robert Dickow and Daniel Bukvich. In June of 2007, he received his PhD in composition and theory at the University of Oregon, where he studied composition with Robert Kyr and David Crumb, and theory with Jack Boss and Steve Larson. Whitley's works have been performed by numerous ensembles, including New Century Voices; the Cascade Reed Trio; 100th Monkey Ensemble; First Presbyterian Church Chancel Choir of Cottage Grove; Trumpet and percussion duo Stephen Dunn & John Pennington; Clarinetist Blake McGee; Piano duo Quattro Mani; University of Idaho Chamber Players; and the University of Idaho Chamber Symphony. Commissions have included ECCLESIA (2001), VICTIMAE PASCHALI LAUDES (2000), (for chorus, organ, and brass quartet), ENTRADA (1997) for concert band, O MAGNUM MYSTERIUM (1997) for SAT chorus, PSALM 1 (1996) (for organ, timpani, and narrator), and THREE PIECES (1995) for chamber orchestra. |
CURRENT PROJECTS:
RECORDING PROJECTS: Music for Piano(s), 1987-2009.KIm and I are (still) in the process of rehearsing and compiling recordings for a new studio recording of all of my piano music to date. We expect to have cds available by Thanksgiving, 2009! Yikes!! |
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Compositions | |||
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"Lapides Vivi" from ECCLESIA (2001) |
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| "Lapides Vivi" from ECCLESIA (2001).mp3 - complete | |||
| "Lapides Vivi" from ECCLESIA (2001).pdf - complete | |||
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Ecclesia (latin [fem.] for ‘The Church’), was written in May 2001 in response to a commission from First Presbyterian Church in Cottage Grove, Oregon for the 50th anniversary celebration of the construction of their church building. Their church was designed by Pietro Beluschi, famous for many other structures throughout the world such as St. Mary’s cathedral in San Francisco. Ecclesia is as much a tribute to the great architect as it is a dedication to the Presbyterian community in Cottage Grove, and the idea of design is one of the most potent influences on the music. The third movement, Lapides Vivi/Ubi Caritas is intended as a necessarily brief choral benediction response at the close of the service. Music from the latin chant Ubi caritas is used canonically between the alto and bass as an introduction. The text, adapted from 1 Peter 2:4-5 by the composer is: Come to the living stone Like the first movement, the distribution of consonants is intended to create a percussive (stone-like) effect. The vowels—especially the word ‘Holy’—‘line up’ linearly to illustrate unity and completion, while shifting to a complex triple meter, creating a sense of a brief suspension of time. | |||
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"Elisha's Wish" form 13TH SUNDAY |
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| "Elisha's Wish" form 13TH SUNDAY.mp3 - complete | |||
| "Elisha's Wish" form 13TH SUNDAY.pdf - complete | |||
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"Elisha's Wish" is the first movement of 13TH SUNDAY (2008). | |||
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STUDY OF TWO PEARS |
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| STUDY OF TWO PEARS.mp3 - complete | |||
| STUDY OF TWO PEARS.pdf - complete | |||
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STUDY OF TWO PEARS is inspired by the mobiles of Alexander Calder, and is based on the poem STUDY OF TWO PEARS by Wallace Stevens: Each section of music can be viewed as a suspended object--the 'objects' remain unchange except in regard to their respective locations in time. Each section of the piece is likewise not fixed, but animated by the following method of performance. The score for STUDY OF TWO PEARS is intended for two pianos, consists of six sections labeled 1-6 (correlating to the six sections of Stevens' poem), and is notated as if for one piano. Each player will perform from these identical scores, but neither of the two pianists can know the order in which the other is playing the sections. Each performer will play the six sections either in an order determined prior to the performance or in an improvised order. The sections must be played exactly as written without regard for the other's tempi or dynamic. Each section must also be played twice but preferably not in immediate succession. (e. g., the order [3,6,2,4,1,5...], would be preferable to [3,3,6,6,2,2...].) | |||
©2009 by William Whitley
All Rights Reserved
William Whitley is a member of Society of Composers, Inc. SCI is dedicated to the promotion of composition, performance, understanding and dissemination of new and contemporary music.