Stock, David (Frederick)

Stock, David (Frederick) , American composer and conductor; b. Pittsburgh, June 3, 1939. He studied composition with Lopatnikoff and Haieff, musicology with Dorian, and trumpet at Carnegie-Mellon Univ. (B.F.A., 1962; M.F.A., 1963); took courses with Boulanger, Fournet, and Vaurebourg-Honegger at the École Normale de Musique in Paris (1960–61); attended the Berkshire Music Center at Tanglewood (summer, 1964); engaged in advanced studies with Berger at Brandeis Univ. (M.F.A., 1973). He played trumpet in several orchs.; taught at the Cleveland Inst. of Music (1964–65), Brandeis Univ. (1966–68), and the New England Cons. of Music in Boston (1968–70). From 1970 to 1974 he taught at Antioch Coll. and conducted its chamber orch., and also served as chairman of its music dept. (1971–74). In 1974 he held a Guggenheim fellowship. In 1975 he became conductor of the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble. He also taught at Carnegie-Mellon Univ. (1976–77) and conducted the Carnegie Sym. Orch. (1976–82); taught at the Univ. of Pittsburgh (1978–86) and Duquesne Univ. (from 1987), where he was later a prof. of music and conductor of the Duquesne Contemporary Ensemble. In 1987–88 he was composer-in-residence of the Pittsburgh Sym. Orch. He received NEA fellowships (1974, 1976, 1978, 1983) and various commissions. His compositions are written in a gratefully accessible style.

Works

ORCH.: Divertimento (1957); Capriccio for Small Orch. (1963); Symphony in 1 Movement (1963); Flashback (1968); Inner Space (1973); Triflumena (1978); Zohar (1978); The Philosopher’s Stone for Violin and Chamber Orch. (1980); A Joyful Noise (1983; Pittsburgh, May 23, 1985); Parallel Worlds for Chamber Orch. (1984); American Accents for Chamber Orch. (1984; Los Angeles, Oct. 12, 1985); Back to Bassics for Strings (1985); On the Shoulders of Giants (1986); Rockin’Rondo (1987); Quick Opener for Chamber Orch. (1987); Tekiah for Trumpet and Chamber Orch. (1987); Fast Break (1988); Kickoff (1990); Fanfarria (1993); Power Play (1993); String Set for Chamber Orch. (1993); Available Light for Chamber Orch. (1994). Wind Ensemble: Nova for Band (1974); The Body Electric for Amplified Contrabass, Winds, and Percussion (1977); The ’Slibert Stomp (1985); Evensong for English Horn and Wind Orch. (1985); No Man’s Land for Wind Sym. (1988); The Winds of Summer for Saxophone and Band (1989); Earth Beat for Timpani and Wind Sym. (1992). CHAMBER : 3 string quartets (1962–94); Shadow Music for 5 Percussion and Harp (1964; rev. 1979); Serenade for 5 Instruments for Flute, Clarinet, Horn, Viola, and Cello (1964); Quintet for Clarinet and Strings (1966); Triple Play for Piccolo, Contrabass, and Percussion (1970); Dreamwinds for Woodwind Quintet (1975); Night Birds for 4 or More Cellos (1975); Icicles for Piccolo, Oboe, and Clarinet (1976); Brass Rubbing for 6 Trumpets (1976); Pentacles for Brass Quintet (1978); Starlight for Clarinet and Percusion (1979); Night for Clarinet, Violin, and Cello (1980); Persona for Clarinet, Violin, Cello, Piano, and Percussion (1980); Keep the Change for Any 5 Treble Clef Instruments (1981); Speaking Extravagantly for String Quartet (1981); Sulla Spiaggia for Alto Flute, English Horn, Bass Clarinet, Electric Piano, and Percussion (1985); Yerusha for Clarinet and 7 Players (1986); Partners for Cello and Piano (1988); Sunrise Sarabande for Recorder Quartet (1988); Sax Appeal for Saxophone Quartet (1990); Sonidos de la Noche for Clarinet, Violin, Cello, and Piano (1994). VOCAL: Scat for Soprano, Flute, Bass Clarinet, Violin, and Cello (1971); Spirits for Chorus or Soloists, Harp and/or Electric Piano, and Percussion (1976); Upcountry Fishing for Voice and Violin (1982); Dor L’Dor for Chorus (1990); Beyond Babylon (1994).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire