Kennedy, John

Kennedy, John, American composer, timpanist, and conductor; b. Albert Lea, Minn., April 7, 1959. After completing his formal education at the Oberlin (Ohio) Coll. Cons, of Music (B.M., 1982) and Northwestern Univ. (M.M., 1984), Kennedy’s career has been almost equally divided between and among artistic direction, conducting, performing, and composition. From 1987 he was co-artistic director of N.Y.’s Essential Music, leading the acclaimed new music ensemble in over 80 world and 50 N.Y. premieres in nearly 100 concerts. From 1990 he served as artistic director at the Spoleto Festival USA, from 1990 to 1996 as artistic director of Twentieth Century Perspectives, and from 1997 as artistic director of “Music in Time,” a significant concert series devoted to contemporary music. He has also made guest appearances as a percussionist with a variety of ensembles, including the St. Paul Chamber Orch. (1984–85), the Orch. of St. Luke’s (1985–98), and the Sarasota Opera Orch. (1991-94; 1995-99). Appearances in commercial productions include the Broadway shows Anything Goes (1987-89), Gypsy (1990), and Phantom of the Opera (1991), as well as concert work with Natalie Cole, Judy Collins, Roberta Flack, James Taylor, Paul Winter, and others. Kennedy is the composer of over 30 works, ranging from solo instrumental, chamber, and chamber orch. pieces to opera and vocal scores; he has also composed music for the feature film Bury the Evidence (1998), as well as works for dance, theater, and the Internet and other new media formats.

Works

dramatic: Music Drama: Guadalupe for Soloists, Women’s Chorus, and Chamber Ensemble (2000). chamber:Chant for 3 Percussion (1988); Collective Sentiments I for Any Number of Strings, Winds, and Pitched Percussion (1988) and II for Piano, Drum, and Multiple Pitched Instruments (1991); Grain for Shakuhachi and 3 Percussion (1988); Sacred Spaces for 3 Percussion (1989); Splendid Noises for 3 or More Percussion with Text Recitation (1992); The Big Hurt for 4 Percussion (1995); Nostalgic Patterns for Piano, Drum, and Multiple Pitched Instruments (1995); Exigencies of Inner Rhythm for 4 Percussion (1997); Full Measures of Devotion for Piano, Marimbula, Steel Drum, Gamelan, and Percussion (1997); The Winged Energy of Delight for Toy Piano and Toy Percussion (1997); Both for Viola (1998); Bury the Evidence, soundtrack for Percussion and Computer- generated Sounds (1998); Eagle Rounding Out for Cello (1998); The Current for String Quartet (1998); Five for Flute, Cello, Piano, and 2 Percussion (1999); King for Horn (2000); Transitional Songs, quintet for Flute, Cello, Piano, and 2 Percussion (2000). Piano: The Force of Its Spirit For Henry Cowell (1997). vocal:Summum Bonum for Soprano and String Quartet, after Robert Browning (1994); Sounds Heard for Text Recitation, 4 Percussion, and Computer-generated Sounds (1995); The Power Within for Baritone, String Orch., and Percussion (1997); All is Safe for Mezzo-soprano and Piano, after Kenneth Patchen (1998); Eagle Poem for Mezzo-soprano and Piano, after Joy Harjo (1998); On the Beach at Night Alone for Mezzo-soprano and Piano, after Walt Whitman (1998); One Body for Baritone/Countertenor, String Quartet, and 2 Percussion, after Joy Harjo, John Kennedy, Kenneth Patchen, Gary Snyder, and Walt Whitman (1998); Prayer for the Great Family for Mezzo-soprano and Piano, after Gary Snyder (1998); Someday for Chorus (2000). other:Fanfare for the Common Gun for Handguns (1994); Animals in Distress for 4 Players performing Animal Distress Calls (1995); Hurrying Human Tides for Digital Sounds (1999).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire